Under the Deodars

time and judgment, therefore the

es. vi

here is no help for the poor souls who are now lying there in torment, I write this story, prayin

ds blow from the hills; in Autumn, the white mists from the jhils cover the place as with water, and in Winter the frosts nip everything young and tender t

caves, and the snipe only come once a year. Narkarra one hundred and forty-three miles by road is the nearest station to Kashima.

tention to do harm; but all Kashima knows tha

he English population of Kashima, if we except Major Vansuythen, who is of n

hen a man is absolutely alone in a Station he runs a certain risk of falling into evil ways. This risk is multiplied by every addition to t

ain or stupid, this matter would have been intelligible to Kashima. But she was a fair woman, with very still gray eyes, the colour of a lake just before the light of the sun touches it. No man who had seen those eyes could, later on, explain what fashion of woman she was to look upon. The e

rstand why Mrs. Boulte does not drop in to afternoon tea at least three times a week. 'When there ar

secret well. Boulte had no concern in the matter. He was in camp for a fortnight at a time. He was a hard, heavy man, and neither Mrs. Boulte nor Kurrell pitied him. They had all Kashima and each other for their very, very own; and Kashima was the Garden of Eden in those days. When Boulte returned from his wanderi

he masonry platform close to the Narkarra Road, and spread tea for the Vansuythens. That ceremony was reckoned a formal call, and made them free of the Station, its rights and priv

ed away by the Kasun River, and in the cup-like pastures of Kashima the cattle wade

with nothing but kindness from her mate, and, in the teeth of this kindness, has done him a great wrong. Moreover, she had her own trouble to fight with her watch to keep over her own property, Kurrell. For two months the Rains had hidden

ts of Ted. Sorrow in Kashima is as fortunate as Love because there is nothing to weaken it save the flight of Time. Mrs. Boulte had never breathed her suspicio

of the drawing-room, chewing his moustache. Mrs. Boulte was putting some

d Boulte quietly, '

she, with a laugh.

' said Boulte. 'D

s, and turned round quickly. '

've asked

here was no wise female friend to advise Mrs. Boulte, the singularly cautious wife, to hold her hand. She struck at Boulte's heart, because her own was sick with suspicion of Kurrell, and worn out with the long strain of watching alone through the Rains. There was no plan or purpose in her

. 'Thanks, I only want

to do?' said the wom

reck into Narkarra.' He laughed again and went on: 'I'll tell you what you can do. You can ask Kurrell to dinner tomo

uld not fall. Moreover, she could not understand her husband, and she was afraid. Then the folly of her useless truthfulness struck her, and she was ashamed to write to Kurrell, saying, 'I have gone mad and told everything. My

As the evening wore on she muttered some expression of sorrow, something approaching to contrition. Boulte came out of

said Mrs. Boulte. 'G

istening and her sen

and the new lift that she, in the five minutes' madness of the previous even

ndurable. Mrs. Boulte could not cry. She had finished her crying in the night, and now she did not want to be left alone. Perhaps the Vansuythen Woman would

Vansuythens' house to borrow last week's Queen. The two compounds touched, and instead of going up the drive, she crossed through the gap in the cactus-hedge, en

so last night. I would have told you then if Vansuythen hadn't been with you. If it is for

can't be! You two must have made some horrible mistake. Perhaps you you lost yo

o avoid the man's pleading, and was despe

e,' she insisted, 'and it

laughed

he least the least interest in your wife, Mr. Boulte. Oh, do liste

the entry of a little thin woman, with big rings r

Never mind that man. What did Ted say to you?

essly on the sofa, overborne b

ut I understood him to say that is But, really,

d Mrs. Vansuythen was only an ordinarily good woman. She began in a sort of desperation: 'Well, he said that the ne

he had not cared fo

rs. Vansuythe

instant where she stood, an

broken. 'You can see for yourself. She cares for him.' The light began to

r explanations or impassioned protest

nd her face is cut against the table. Oh, will you be quiet, and help me to carry her

and burning with jealousy. Kurrell had been making love to Mrs. Vansuythen would do Vansuythen as great a wrong as he had done Bo

d pulled up with a cheery 'Good-mornin'. 'Been mashing Mrs. Vansuythen as us

y, 'Oh, you liar!' Kurrell's face cha

o go off whenever you please? She has been good enough to explain the situ

t in the woman was dead, had died out in the Rains, and, mentally, he was abusing her for her amazing indiscretion. It would

action from killing you, and I'm prett

udicrously disproportioned

cy to keep to the woman, now you've got her. Yo

gravely. The situation

you mean?

nd it seems you'd been telling Mrs. Vansuythen that you'd never cared for Emma. I suppose you lied, as us

hout wincing, and replied by anoth

ly. 'But, look here, what had yo

avoc of his plans; and he could at least retaliate by hurting t

that for? I suppose I said pretty much what

more to himself than Kurrell. 'Emma told

'know. And what did Mrs. Vansuythen say after

st virtuous as he

rs,' Boulte replied; 'and

you it does' began

saddle. It was an unpleasant sound the mirthless mirth of these men on the long white line of the Narkarra Road. There were no strangers in Kashima, or they might

are you go

thing. We must let the old life go on. I can only call you a hound and a liar, and I can't go on calling you names

Kashima and made no reply. The injur

a if you want to. God know

l did not ride on either to see Mrs. Boulte or Mrs. Vansuythen. He s

Mrs. Vansuythen was driving home Mrs. Boult

d Mrs. Boulte, 'I w

leaned forward, putting her hand upon the

our husband,

on. The man's eyes were fixed, not upon Mrs. Bou

er side. 'Oh, speak to him! Tell him what you told me

forward to hold the horse. Mrs. Vansuythen turned scarlet and drop

d herself to the man. 'I don't know what I am to say, Captain Kurrell. I don't know what I can call y

ebly. 'That doesn't matter. Tell him what you told me. Sa

t you were that you were fond of her on

eems to me that Mrs. Boulte had bett

you and Mrs. Boulte; but I want you to know that I hate you, that I think you are a cur, and th

dog-cart rattled on, and Kurrell was left on the roa

d, she being freed from the embarrassment of Mrs. Boulte's presence,

ythen and his wife found themselves alone at the gathering-place for almost the first time in their remembrance; and the cheery Major, in the teeth of his wif

Boultes. 'That'll never do! Hang it all, we're one family here! You

d the Major embraced the company in one expansive grin. As he grinned, Mrs. Vansuythen raised her eyes for an instant and looked at all Kashima.

of tune, Kurrell,' said the Major

ise till the stars came out a

Kashima the life that Mrs. Boulte made whe

alight the flame of jealousy and dull hatred in Boulte's bosom, as it awakens the same passions in his wife's heart. Mrs. Boulte hates Mrs. Vansuythen because she has taken Ted from her, and, in some curious fashion, hates her because Mrs. Vansuythen and here the wife's eyes see far

r in all friendship. Boulte has put their r

espect I may ever have had; but when you're with me, I can feel cert

ts upon his wife going over to sit with Mrs. Boulte; although Mrs. Vansuythen has repeatedly declared that she prefers her hus

, 'in a little Station we must a