Jonah and Co. Yates Dornford

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СКАЧАТЬ lifted up his voice and barked like a demoniac. The ungodly hullaballoo with which we shook the dust of Bordeaux from off our tires will be remembered fearfully by all who witnessed our exit from that city.

      When I had indulged my excitement, I left the terrier and Berry to finish the latter's lunch and turned to my wife.

      Sitting there, with her little hands about the wheel, she made a bewitching picture. She had thrown her fur coat open, and the breeze from the open window was playing greedily with the embroidery about her throat. Her soft hair, too, was now at the wind's mercy, and but for a little suede hat, which would have suited Rosalind, the dark strand that lay flickering upon her cheek would have been one of many. Chin in air, eyebrows raised, lids lowered, the faintest of smiles hovering about her small red mouth, my lady leaned back with an indescribable air of easy efficiency which was most attractive. Only the parted lips at all betrayed her eagerness. …

      I felt very proud suddenly.

      The road was vile, but Pong flew over it without a tremor. Looking upon his driver, I found it difficult to appreciate that a small silk-stockinged foot I could not see was setting and maintaining his beautiful steady pace.

      As I stared at her, marvelling, the smile deepened, and a little gloved hand left the wheel and stole into mine.

      I pulled the glove back and kissed the white wrist. …

      "And I was going to teach you," I said humbly.

      "So was I," wailed Berry. "I'd arranged everything. I was going to be so patient."

      "I was looking forward to it so much," I said wistfully.

      "Oh, and don't you think I was?" cried Adèle. "It was so dear of you, lad. I was going to pretend——"

      "It was much more dearer of me," said Berry. "But then, I'm like that. Of course," he added, "you ought to have driven from Boulogne. Don't tell me why you held your peace, because I know. And I think it was just sweet of you, darling, and, but for your husband's presence, I should kiss you by force."

      The car fled on.

      There was little traffic, but thrice we came upon cows and once upon a large flock of sheep. We could only pray that Jonah had endured the same trials.

      As we slid through Langon, thirty miles distant from Bordeaux, I looked at my watch. Two minutes to four. Adèle noticed the movement and asked the time. When I told her, she frowned.

      "Not good enough," she said simply.

      The light was beginning to fail now, and I asked if she would have the lamps lit.

      She shook her head.

      "Not yet, Boy."

      At last the road was presenting a better surface. As we flashed up a long incline, a glance at the speedometer showed me that we were doing fifty. As I looked again, the needle swung slowly to fifty-five. …

      I began to peer into the distance for Jonah's dust.

      With a low snarl we swooped into La Réole, whipped unhesitatingly to right and left, coughed at cross-streets, and then swept out of the town ere Berry had found its name in the Michelin Guide.

      Again I asked my wife if she would have the headlights.

      "Not yet, Boy."

      "Shall I raise the wind screen?"

      "Please."

      Together Berry and I observed her wish, while with her own right hand she closed the window. The rush of the cool air was more than freshening, and I turned up her coat collar and fastened the heavy fur about her throat.

      The car tore on.

      Lights began to appear—one by one, stabbing the dusk with their beams, steady, conspicuous. One only, far in the distance, seemed ill-defined—a faint smudge against the twilight. Then it went out altogether.

      "Jonah," said Adèle quietly.

      She was right.

      Within a minute we could see the smear again—more clearly. It was

       Ping's tail-lamp.

      I began to tremble with excitement. Beside me I could hear Berry breathing fast through his nose.

      Half a dozen times we lost the light, only to pick it up again a moment later. Each time it was brighter than before. We were gaining rapidly. …

      We could not have been more than a furlong behind, when the sudden appearance of a cluster of bright pin-pricks immediately ahead showed that we were approaching Marmande.

      Instantly Ping's tail-light began to grow bigger. Jonah was slowing up for the town. In a moment we should be in a position to pass. …

      In silence Berry and I clasped one another. Somewhere between us Nobby began to pant.

      As we entered Marmande, there were not thirty paces between the two cars. And my unsuspecting cousin was going dead slow. A twitch of the wheel, and we should leave him standing. …

      Then, without any warning, Adèle slowed up and fell in behind Ping.

      I could have screamed to her to go by.

      Deliberately she was throwing away the chance of a lifetime.

      Desperately I laid my hand on her arm.

      "Adèle!" I cried hoarsely. "My darling, aren't you——"

      By way of answer, she gave a little crow of rejoicing and turned sharp round to the right.

      Jonah had passed straight on.

      As Pong leaped forward, the scales fell from my eyes.

      Adèle was for the side-streets. If she could only rejoin the main road at a point ahead of Jonah, the latter would never know that we had passed him. If …

      I began to hope very much that my wife knew the plan of Marmande rather better than I.

      Through the dusk I could see that the street we were using ran on to a bridge. It was there, I supposed, that we should turn to the left. …

      To my horror, Adèle thrust on to the bridge at an increased pace.

      "A-aren't you going to turn?" I stammered. "I mean, we'll never——"

      "I said the road was tricky," said Adèle, "but I hardly dared to hope they'd make such a bad mistake." We sailed off the bridge and on to a beautiful road. "Ah, this is more like it. I don't know where Jonah's going, but this is the way to Pau. … And now I think it'll be safe to have the lights on. You might look behind first to see if they're coming. You see, if they'd seen us go by, the game would have been up. As it is … "

      * * * * *

      At half-past seven that evening we drove into Pau.

      Arrived СКАЧАТЬ