Evening star., 1939-03-26

After unmeasured time he climbed up out of
the uneasy pit of oblivion into which he had
fallen. When he passed his hand across his face
it was bone dry, because the heat fropped away
the perspration as it left the pores, but the
pulsing sun dropped down the West and the
first shock had worn off, He looked about.
They might have been lost in outer space.
And yet when he looked at his companion,
his grin, though rather wry was born again.
Even in tragedy, even in the shadow of
lingering death, she remained Lady Chris.
She was a Sleeping Beauty. serene, remote.
lovely The charred coat had fallen from her
head and made bizarre frame fc- her blond
beauty. There was something indomitable and
gallant about her calm repose.
Michaels head wagged slowly in wonder.
She was a publicity hungry woman who
could pay for her whins. Shed wanted to fly
to Capetown in day, and she'd done it. Shed
wanted a cigarette, and she'd had it. AS a
result the man who'd done the job might very
we'll be doomed.
And yet he couldn't hate her.
Being an Irishman, he saw her as the princess
in fairy tale which had gone wrong.
And from that, of course, it was easy to face
the fact that whilst he was mere mercenary,
she had undertaken the fight from high
spirit of adventure. The cigarette? Accidents
happened He knew the utter boredom of a
passenger in the air.
Yes, impossible to hate her.
Her lids fluttered open. His eyes were blood
shot, but it would never have done for hers to
be like that, and so she had oontrived to keep
them clear. They were violet-bue, like the
water in the old craters you flew over in Java.
"Why, it's cooler, Michael. Are your hands
better?"
mot 50 bad You're coming to-"
"As we'll as maybe. Michael, try not to
loathe me. It's most important you shouldn't
no matter what deserve"
Il couldn't if l wanted to. Twas bad joss,
and nothing besides"
She glowed. you're adorable, Michael.
Any other man would want to kill me- 1heyh
find US, won't they?"
Faith, yes," he said easily. but he looked
at her rather than the empty desert.
people don't amount to much these days,
Michael, when they lose their machines. Wed
have been almost there by now"
He nodded, and they brooded on what a
different story that would have been.
The sun rested, blazing red ball, on the
top of what seemed to be the farthest ridge.
though it would go on finding further ridges
until it drowned in the sea. 1t slid down.
elongating. The sky famed. and began to chill
through shades of purple. Hosts of stars came
out. A stray breeze rose, wandering cold and
lonely across the wastes.
"Ah!" they sighed together
Now the air cooled, and dew brushed their
faces, easing the sense of tautness. They lay
flat, inhaling long, refreshing draughts OF
darkness.
II feel so tiny" she said, and her hand found
his. 1t still felt fresh, though she had endured
the same blazing hours. His fingers locked IN
hers, and despite their desperate situation it
was good to be lying there like that with Chris
in the great night.
Michael" she said. low and SOFT some
times life gives us jolt that skaters plans and
speeds things up. This is one of them. Id in
tended to take my time, but stocks of time are
among the things we lack most at the moment.
For all we know our ration even of time may be
very limited. I'm not going to waste it. She
paused and turned on her side, and they saw
each other pale and ghostly in the desert dark.
1o.x@ ~