The Kingdom Round the Corner

manage it, Prentys? It'll be all right in the open country, but I'm not sure that I want to risk it in the Lon

d. "The General's orders to me were explicit, and you know what

. Tabs strolled up and made a pr

an do?" he as

road." She held it out to him painfully as proof. It was all bound up and puffy. "It i

old me that General Braithwaite ordered her to pick him up at the War Office this afternoon at three-thirty

t for him also the foibles of Generals had been sacred. Generals had been gods whose tantrums and mental rheumatics had thrown wh

, but I can drive. No one's likely to interfere with me in an Army ca

ut

o amplify her objection. When she maintained silence, he prompted her. "If it's me and my bag that's the trouble, you don't need to worry

is guess had missed fire. It wasn't

there's no other way. Get into the back, Pre

Braithwaite! So that's the name of the good fairy who gave us our day in the country. I don't remember him; but that's not remarkable. Generals at the Front were as common as policemen in Lon

Up to that point she had referred to him anonymously as "a friend at the War Office." Tabs tried to switch to another

t, "Taborley House is st

. At least a third of my boyhood was spent in the States. But they're sending most of their wounded home now, so

at did y

continue talking because the topic was safe-

rvants. I don't know where they all are, or who's alive and who

n awkward corner. When they were again on the level she remin

-servant. When we were leading civilized lives in cities he acted as my valet-butler-secretary. When we were adventuring in the remoter parts of the world, he was my companion-f

ounded half-asleep-po

it. I suppose it was my mother's democratic Americanism that made me do that. We got drafted into different regiments. After th

cut the matter short by adding, "It was your mentio

nstantly became all attention. "How? How coul

de a reference to this man. Thinking it the wiser policy to overlook it,

t. They were again passing over the bridge beneath which, like a gleaming sword, lay the Thames, barriered on either bank by the little bow-windowed houses, with their shining brasses and whit

He laughed outright. "That's better; the high spirits will soon be coming back-- Thousands of Braithwaites! My dear Terry, there must be

" She uttered h

ng to say about one's valet-

sy donkey drooped between the shafts. In avoiding a suicidal pedestrian, Tabs misjudged the room that he had to spare. He felt a jolt, guessed what had happened, and jammed on his brakes. A policeman in front of him was holding up a magisterial hand. Behind him a stream of familiar trench profanity was gathering in volume; under other circumstances he would have found a certain enjoyment in the sound. He looked back and saw what he expecte

ic face which he encountered seemed to correspond with the specifications recorded. He asked to see his Lordship's license. Tabs embarked on explanations, pointing to the bandaged wrist of Prentys as a confirmation of his facts. While he was explaining the coster joined them, having got his donkey on to its legs. He was v

o years myself. I was only demobbed yesterday; to-day's my first day out of unif

ved in the ranks, did yer? Then you and me was pals out there!" He turned to the polic

e crossed out the particulars he had written down so laboriously; when that was done, he fumbled his note-book back into his pocket. "If your mate 'ere says that it's h'all right, sir, it's h'a

u." It was Tabs speaking. "

"It don't cost you nothink.

s grime-stained hand into the car. "Call it quits, mister, and

be a fight after all! Everything had been settled amic

that!" Tabs remarked as

gh-strung and emphatic. "You can't talk an

at's the

twenty minutes; we've b

old boy any harm to wait. Lord, the hours he and his

out many things that had been dark. Her anxiety wasn't that they should arrive in time, but before time. She didn't intend, if she could prevent it, that he should meet the owner of the car. Had it not been for the double accident of Prentys spraining her wrist and having failed to mention that the car must be back by three-thirty, he would never have been allowed to know that there was a General. Terry had been compelled to let him drive if the borr

e saw that the road ahead was blocked. He worked the car as far forward as possible

twenty-

it." He beckoned to a polic

'm told, sir, though us did

n which two ladies were sitting, one of whom was bowing from right to left. Despite her irritation at the delay, Terry stood up so that she could get a clearer view above the clustered heads. The ch

Que

e lady who w

dn't

I nursed. She's supposed to be the

shouldn't have placed

Corner to Whitehall and drew up quite marve

he shut off the engine.

had halted, she had nipped out of the car and was hailing a taxi which was on the point of moving off. His bag was already in process of be

lever of me? Taxis are scarce. If I hadn't collared you that one you might have

ettes, came briskly out on to the steps. He caught sight of Terry and, throwing her an airy salute, came with an eager stride towards her. He wasn't the old fogy Tabs

expect you-- But what's all this? An accid

"Obedience and no explanations" was written all over him. He was a man who believed his acceptable importance to be a verity established beyond the pale of challenge

a voice so subdued that it did not carry. She had so contrived thei

t. Will you give my thanks to the General for his kindness and make

voice, "Why, you're running away! You mustn't go without meeting the General. General Br

I'm glad to make Lord Taborley's acquaintance," he said formally. And then to Te

pologize to you, sir, as well as to thank you. But we've used the same

w himself up stiffly. "You mistake me. I

ip of his tongue to say something more, but glanced at Terry and th

be out of your way. I'm going

hostility. "How did you know where Lord Taborley lived and that it would

hwaite knows where I live, perhaps he will call and explain that to me

al." And then, "You won't forget that

ven-thirty, I su

ven-th

look back just once to assure himself. He caught the Gene

s gone farther than far with a vengeance." He clenched his fists and frowned savagely