Evening Star Newspaper, August 15, 1937, Page 77

Avgest 15, 1937 THIS WEEK GURU GOVIND STOOD UP ON THE SEAT AND TALKED TO THEM. SOME THREATENED HIM WHILE OTHERS WERE SULLENLY RESPECTFUL “‘Sahiba, this is no time to explain things to them. They are a problem. May I tell you how to solve it?”’ “It must solve itself,”’ she answered. “‘Father comes first. I will drive you to Palanpur.” “‘Splendid! Be loyal!” “Loyal? One man thrills me, and I thrill him. The other never gets out of my mind. He's there — always, even when I’'m almost sure he merely likes me and — ”’ “Turn to the greater problem! Let that one wait. This one is urgent. It involves thou- sands of people, perhaps millions. The Indian Government has suddenly arrested and im- prisoned a number of Indian leaders who are known to favor violence. Being nothing but a guru, 1 enjoy the confidence of many people, some of whom have told me what is going to happen unless wisdom prevails. They know I have the ear of General O’Rell.” “Why couldn’t they godirect tomy father?” ‘“‘Because it must never be known who re- vealed the plot to kill your father — "’ Marquise turned pale. “Kill him?> Why didn’t you say that sooner?”’ ‘‘Because it must not happen, and one must not lend importance to what shall not happen. General O’Rell will believe me. He will not ask me to betray the confidence of individuals who are his political enemies but who admire him and who despise cruelty as much as he does. I can tell your father what to do to fore- stall violence that will otherwise happen.” “I must get petrol, a suitcase, food.” “‘Swiftly, Sahiba! Swiftly! Violence begins in India as suddenly as fire in a dry forest into which some thoughtless dreamer throws his cigarette.” “All right, I'll be quick. But if I don’t call at the Club those officers are likely to come looking for me, and — "’ “Say goodby to them. Remember: no ex- planations!” “I will say I'm off for a family conference.” ““There will be a full moon tonight. If you are quick, Sahiba, we can reach Palanpur in time to — "’ 2 “Don’t you worry. We’ll make it.” The Guru climbed out of the car. The serv- ant climbed in. Marquise started the engine. The Guru blinked at her. *Steel yourself against what those officers think.” *“They will think I'm deserting them rather strangely.” “They will think worse than that.” He smiled, looking straight at her eyes and said: *“They are not cruel men, but they are danger- ous, and their code is as rigid as their hearts are loyal. Be brave!” All right, Guru Sahib. Wait for me here.” Nearly everyone in Abu was on the polo ground. Haigh and Goddard were alone on the Club verandah; Goddard was using Haigh'’s binoculars, watching an eagle that soared against the azure sky above the mountain. Marquise parked her roadster near the tennis court; neither of them saw her until she came up the steps. Goddard opened fire: “Blue Eyes, you’re just in time to console Haigh. He’s leaving us, for riot duty in a red- hot city.” Marquise glanced quickly at Haigh: “You didn’t tell me.” “Leave cut short by telegram,” he an- swered. “When?” She was unconscious of the tone of her voice. Goddard noticed it. He watched Haigh. One couldn’t tell whether Haigh had noticed anything or not. “Telegram came only an hour ago. I'm to catch tonight’s train from Abu Road.” Marquise, for one second, almost believed that telegram was fiction. She sensed antagon- ism. But Haigh looked more worried than anything else. Goddard grinned. ‘‘Police work. He’ll love it. They use Infantry to prod the rioters with sticks. Haigh may get a medal. Thank heaven, they don't use guns for riot duty. I have twenty-one more days before I go back to a decent job.” i Now she recognized anger in Haigh’s gray eyes. How could she tell him she was going to Palanpur, without telling why? Did he think she had been playing them against each other? She felt ashamed. It had been easy to avoid entanglements with other men, because at twenty-two the Irish know at least what they don’t want. But these two were different. Not the easy choice between right and wrong, but the excruciating tug between two right men. She couldn’t explain. She couldn’t tell them that her father’s danger was like a knife that tortured and urged her to hurry away. Goddard misinterpreted her eyes. Perhaps Haigh did too, although he said nothing. Why didn’t he speak? Goddard made her feel de- fenceless, whereas Haigh lent her strength with which to resist even himself. Perhaps the Guru could explain that. She felt an almost irresistible impulse to be rude to Goddard. Why? Because she was angry with Haigh for not seeming to care? “I’ve just been telling Haigh he needn’t worry on your account, Blue Eyes.”” Goddard N o never actually gloated, but he believed in eighteen-pounder guns and in the law that he shall keep who can. “You and I will console each other in his absence.” Marquise seized theopening, looking straight at Goddard, secretly watching Haigh. “No,” she said. “No, I’'m going away too. I came to say goodby.” Sigurd Haigh smiled — away past Goddard — at the eagle in the azure above Abu. Then he got in a word ahead of Goddard: ‘“Where will letters reach you?”’ “Palanpur. The Residency. Care of General O'Rell. I'm driving the roadster.” Haigh was first at her again, blunt, curt, to the point, like rifle fire: “Now? You're not going alone?”’ “There’ll be my servant. He’s good at changing tires and things like that.” Goddard glanced over the rail at his serv- ant who sat with a row of other servants, backs to the verandah. Haigh spoke: “‘Marquise, don’t do it. It'll be hotter than hell. It’s a bad road. There’s a sixty-mile detour. It’s dangerous.” Goddard glanced at Haigh’s binoculars. He asked an eighteen-pounder question point blank: “Anyone else going with you, Blue Eyes?” ‘““Yes, I'm giving someone a lift.” Haigh nodded, grimly. Goddard voiced what both were thinking: “Gent with an um- brella®” he suggested. . Marquise bridled. “Someone who can pro- tect me better than you could! Someone who is so well loved, from end to end of Rajputana, that not even a ruffian would dream of in- sulting him!”’ Goddard loved that. His Devonshire-brown eyes laughed. They were roving, reckless eyes of the sort that sailed with Drake in bygone days. Loyal, loving, not too scrupulous ex- cept in the observance of the code of his caste. “‘Gurus,” he said, “‘are like grubs in apples. They devour the inner life of things. Your Guru Govind is one of Swinburne’s pets. Re- member it? ‘They are worms that are bred *in the bark that falls off. They shall die and not live.” ” Marquise hit back: ‘“‘Imagine you quoting Swinburne.” “I get twopence a day extra for knowing Swinburne. We're a funny little army. They examine us in buncombe as a prelude to fac- ing facts.” Mogazine Section 5 She turned tp Haigh: “Goodby. You won’t forget to write?” Haigh shook hands. “Goodby, Marquise. You'll hear from me. I don’t like what you're doing, and I don’t trust the Guru. He’s a talker. He’ll be no good in a pinch.” “‘He’s an anarchist,” said Goddard. “He js not! Thanks, no, don’t trouble to see me to the car. Goodby, Captain Goddard.” “So long, Blue Eyes. Go on your religioys pilgrimage!” It was she who had declined their escort, but it was she who felt rebuked, humiliated. She was a General’s daughter. They had of- fered her proud men’s homage. Their racial code, which should be equally hers, forbade association with an Indian guru. But what could she say? To be proud and loyal and to be snubbed for being codeless and disloyal hurts — it cuts to the very quick. Marquise’s roadster vanished in dust. Goddard leaned over the rail and spoke to his native servant who got up and ran; then he paced the verandah beside Haigh. Neither said a word for fifteen minutes. General Mit- chell, pale and worried, with a scarf that con- cealed a patch over his ear, came up the steps and disappeared into the Club. One more turn up and down the verandah and Haigh ex- ploded: “Dammit! That was cruel. I feel like a cad. We might as well have kicked her in the face.” “They have it coming to them when they play offside,” said Goddard. ‘“The better they are, the more it’s coming to them. She’ll learn her lesson. She’ll not go driving again with Haigh halted by the secretary’s office win- dow. He didn’t speak. He seemed to be listen- ing. Goddard talked: “It’s kinder to be cruel than to let her think she can get away with that kind of thing. She’d get hell if her father heard of her traips- ing around the country with a blasted agita- tor. But I'll take care of that.” “You will? How?” Goddard tried to mask the triumph in his eyes. He left Haigh standing by the office window, walked to the end of the verandah and stared in the direction in which his serv- ant had run. Several men came from the-polo field, nodded to Haigh and went into the bar. Haigh continued standing by the window, listening. Goddard returned: “Haigh, I’ll take a load off your mind.” His eyes were mocking but his voice was more than usually careful. “I'll overtake her. I sent my servant to pack in a hurry and hire a car from Murgomdass. There’s good snipe shooting at Palanpur. If I can find out what the Guru’s game is, I'll arrest him. The very least I'll do will be to get him out of her car into mine.” “There’s something in the wind,” Haigh answered. ‘““What do you mean?”’ “There’s trouble brewing. She’s in danger. We snubbed her without knowing why she took the Guru with her. We’ve hurt her feel- ings without — Goddard smiled. “I’ll make that up to her at Palanpur. You'll hear all about it. There’s my servant,” said Goddard. He then added: “I’ll be off. There’s just time for a drink. Join me?” “Yes, I'll drink with you.” Haigh folowed him to the bar. “Two double Scotches and soda. Well, Haigh, here’s dust in your eyes — both eyes!” (Continved on page 10)