Part 33 (2/2)

The little old lady straightened herself. There came a hardening of the thin, firm mouth.

”And those that have gone before?” she demanded. ”Those that have won the ground from where we are fighting. Had they no need of patience? Was the cry never wrung from their lips: 'How long, oh Lord, how long?' Is it for us to lay aside the sword that they bequeath us because we cannot hope any more than they to see the far-off victory? Fifty years I have fought, and what, a few years hence, will my closing eyes still see but the banners of the foe still waving, fresh armies pouring to his standard?”

She flung back her head and the grim mouth broke into a smile.

”But I've won,” she said. ”I'm dying further forward. I've helped advance the line.”

She put out her hands and drew Joan to her.

”Let me think of you,” she said, ”as taking my place, pus.h.i.+ng the outposts a little further on.”

Joan did not meet Hilda again till the child had grown into a woman--practically speaking. She had always been years older than her age. It was at a reception given in the Foreign Office. Joan's dress had been trodden on and torn. She had struggled out of the crowd into an empty room, and was examining the damage somewhat ruefully, when she heard a voice behind her, proffering help. It was a hard, cold voice, that yet sounded familiar, and she turned.

There was no forgetting those deep, burning eyes, though the face had changed. The thin red lips still remained its one touch of colour; but the unhealthy whiteness of the skin had given place to a delicate pallor; and the features that had been indistinct had shaped themselves in fine, firm lines. It was a beautiful, arresting face, marred only by the sullen callousness of the dark, clouded eyes.

Joan was glad of the a.s.sistance. Hilda produced pins.

”I always come prepared to these scrimmages,” she explained. ”I've got some Hazeline in my bag. They haven't kicked you, have they?”

”No,” laughed Joan. ”At least, I don't think so.”

”They do sometimes,” answered Hilda, ”if you happen to be in the way, near the feeding troughs. If they'd only put all the refreshments into one room, one could avoid it. But they will scatter them about so that one never knows for certain whether one is in the danger zone or not. I hate a mob.”

”Why do you come?” asked Joan.

”Oh, I!” answered the girl. ”I go everywhere where there's a chance of picking up a swell husband. They've got to come to these shows, they can't help themselves. One never knows what incident may give one one's opportunity.”

Joan shot a glance. The girl was evidently serious.

”You think it would prove a useful alliance?” she suggested.

”It would help, undoubtedly,” the girl answered. ”I don't see any other way of getting hold of them.”

Joan seated herself on one of the chairs ranged round the walls, and drew the girl down beside her. Through the closed door, the mingled voices of the Foreign Secretary's guests sounded curiously like the buzzing of flies.

”It's quite easy,” said Joan, ”with your beauty. Especially if you're not going to be particular. But isn't there danger of your devotion to your father leading you too far? A marriage founded on a lie--no matter for what purpose!--mustn't it degrade a woman--smirch her soul for all time? We have a right to give up the things that belong to ourselves, but not the things that belong to G.o.d: our truth, our sincerity, our cleanliness of mind and body; the things that He may one day want of us.

It led you into evil once before. Don't think I'm judging you. I was no better than you. I argued just as you must have done. Something stopped me just in time. That was the only difference between us.”

The girl turned her dark eyes full upon Joan. ”What did stop you?” she demanded.

”Does it matter what we call it?” answered Joan. ”It was a voice.”

”It told me to do it,” answered the girl.

”Did no other voice speak to you?” asked Joan.

”Yes,” answered the girl. ”The voice of weakness.”

There came a fierce anger into the dark eyes. ”Why did you listen to it?” she demanded. ”All would have been easy if you hadn't.”

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