Evening star., 1937-09-19

HILL dIlQ q CdIIlcT - SdlQ IN the
bar of the Planters Club that only one of them
would return alive When Moir - an asker of
obvious questions - said, "Why?" Deakin an
swered laoonically, Mrs. Cray" Some told
him not to be a fool, ard some told him not
to be something else: but the malicious
nodded sagaciously and hoped, as was their
custom, for the worst. That Madge Cray was
tired of Cray was understood; that Fearman
was in love with her was generally accepted;
the only moot point was whether either of these
males would think Madge worth going to
extremes for.
Cray and Fearman departed together from
kil-Khoria, saying little. Why, in these cir
cumstanoes. together? Well, each knew the
other as reliable shikari; long ago when Fear
man (whO was much the younger) had first
come out, they had been friends; there is no
reason, is there, why two good fellows tangled
because of woman, should not take their
troubles to the great jungles and forget them?
There is no reason, is there why two men,
tangled because of the same woman, should
not remain friends? Theoretically, no. But the
Planters Club hoped for better - and blacker
outcome. Deakin said again = this time in
the Ladies Room which he greatly frequented
that only one of them, if as many, would
come back
The camp was certainly no success. 1t was
monsoon weather-good for shooting, but for
little else; the jungles were heavy with water,
the days dark with cloud, the nights loud with
rain. The luck and the sport were as poor as the
weather. but on the third day curious little
incident occurred. For once the two had gone
out together, and Cray had wounded bull
bison. As they followed it up, it broke cover
suddenly and charged Cray who was leading.
Fearman - coolly, neatly and courageously -
stepped in and shot it dead. Except for Crays
sudden pallor and the bison coughing out it's
life within two yards of Gays feet, no open
comment was made; but Fearman thought,
Now why did go and do that? Why not
have left well enough alone?"
In the evenings, sitting outside their small
tents before an l-buuning fire of damp branches,
both thought great deal. Cray thought. AT
least I've got you under my eye; know you
aren't up to any games with Madge" Fearman
thought, Shooting accidents often happen on
these trips. Now how do shooting accidents
happen?"
Disaster came at Gimla, place forgotten
of God and desolate of man. Its hut village
covered on the bank of the flooded Gaurahad
river that swept endlessly by in long washes
OF striving coffee -colored water Gimla was the
turning point of the expedition, it's ultima
Thule; there was no road, no track practicable
for even country cart, within forty miles. The
monsoon rain soaked down. through the bam-
boo and Lantana jungles; the monsoon mists
went wandering like wraiths; the sleek river
hurled itself past, dismal as Styx At the repu-
lation half-mile from the village 0ever-mos-
quito limlt) stood Gmla's pretence at Forest
Resthouse. two-roomed hovel of mud and
thatch, leaking everywhere. In it sat Gray and
Fearman, thinking their long, long thoughts
In the early night of their second day at
Gimla, as they sat on the verandah listening to
the roaring frogs along the river bank and the
fiuting chital deer in the sodden jungles, the
voice of lunatiC began to call to them from
the outer dark and not only lunatic, but a
demon-lunatic at that, and not only calling
but bowling and wailing in the last despair of
the damned. Cray had his dog with him a
mongrel creature. 'pi," but he loved it.
He said to Fearman:
"Hyena?"
Fearman had heard these dreadful no;eac