None Other Gods

itself, which goes no further, for Barham is shut in on the north by tall hills and moors, and lies on the way to nowhere. It is almost wholly an agric

f them, beneath pompous tombs), and the other church a hideous rectangular building, with flat walls and shallow, sham Gothic windows. It was thought extremely beautiful when it was built forty years ago. The to

othing of great interest in the house (I believe there is an old doorway in the cellar, mentioned in guide-books), since it was rebuilt about the same time as the new church first rose. It is just a big, comfortable, warm, c

cellent and beneficently-minded mother, has succeeded to all the immemorial rights and powers, written and unwritten, of the Squire of Barham. He entertained me delightfully for three or four days a few months ago

mall recess in it, over the central pier, intended, no doubt, to give shelter to f

t's the place I first

e got out, leaving the dog-cart in charge of the groom. We climbed the hill slowly, for it was a hot day, Jack ut

e," said Jack, "where

I

tea as fast as he possibly could. He had been out on the moors all day, and was as thirsty as the moors could make him, and he

t his sensuality had overreached itself for once, and that there were none left. He clutched at the silver box with a sinking heart, half-re

enty minutes. (Jack never could understand why an able-bodied footman always occupied twenty minutes in a journe

e west, but the twilight proper was only just beginning. He was nearly at the place now, and as he breasted the steep ascent of the bridge, peere

long reach of the stream to the purple evening moors against the sky and the luminous glory itself; and as he came opposi

rd the news in a very discreet letter from the Reverend James Launton a week or two ago. (I need not

d: "Unknown at this address." And ever since he had eyed all tramps on the road with a

d in a jacket and trousers so stained with dust and wet as to have no color of their own at all, and a cloth cap of the

dmiring the view, in case of necessity; the figure turned an eye over

uth a little open and his eyes staring. Frank's face was sunburned almost beyond

ack re

n," he said

he hands and held

ght," said Frank. "I

to a tobacconist's; it's only just here. There

t here,"

I shan't be

ox from the shelf and vanished, crying out to "put it down to him." He found Frank had faced round ag

"we shall have an hou

ibly, and they did not speak again till they were out of ear-shot of the lodge.

hat I feel. I know the whole thing, of course, a

es

red, and naturally I haven't been over

ade no

erily. "Where on earth have you been for the last m

and down," said

ou were with befor

present. But I shall proba

began the o

" said Frank, with that same odd impassiv

you're going back! W

n sight of the house now and t

me your promise to make no sort of effort to detain me

my dea

mise at onc

! I promi

ht," said Frank

p to the hall door. "Will you talk

irst. By the way, have you

wo sisters at home. And

bout cl

hen I'll get in Jackson and explain to him. I suppose you don't m

t, so long as no

m, and Frank sat down in a deep chair. Then the butler came.

here. He'll want some clothes and things. I rather think there a

our pard

lease don't say anything about it, except that he's come on a walking-tour. And please tell the housekeeper to get the Blue Room ready,

s,

sing-room and put it in the bath-room.

away, please, Jackson," said Frank gravely

s,

l, then,"

ned stiffly and

ember old Jackson. He won't say a wor

ter much, does

was a

k, when will

s after dinner to-night.

little diffic

and over again how important it was that Frank should be made to feel at his case, and that Fanny and Jill-(who were just old enough to come to dinner in white high-necked frocks that came down to their very slender ankles, and thick pig-tails down their backs)-must not be allowed to bother him. Mrs. Kirkby said, "Yes, I understand," about a hundred and thirty times, and glanced at the clock. She stood with one finger on the electric button for at least five minutes before venturing to ring for her maid, and i

tate of the moors, and the deplorable ravages made among the young grouse by the early rains, occupied them all to the end of fish; to the grouse succ

re came a pause, and Jill, the younger of

nice walking-tou

ned to he

ce, consideri

he time?" pursued Jill, co

g with a ... well, with a man who was a

did

ther decidedly. "Don't bother Mr.

minute or two after the ladies h

?" he

ok in his eyes that touched Jack a good deal. Frank h

n't mind," he said. "We can

I

began Frank, as the door closed behind Jackson, who had brought w

he finally chose were "subdued" and "patient" again, and there are hardly two words that would have been less applicable to Frank three months before. At the same time his virility was more noticeable than ever; he had about him, Jack said, s

st idea-Well, she was the one person about whom I had no doubts at all! I actually left the letter unread for a few minutes (the envelope wa

und. He was staring at

p with the man I had got into trouble over, you know-the girl was calling me to dinner, she told me afterwards. I didn't hear a sound. She came and touched me a

E

ther. I simply couldn't stand him another minute just then. But I sent them a postc

r two

must join them again in a day or two. Th

at did

cons

eal. People were awfully good to me. One woman

! Be

d, and I didn't even thank her. And that lasted me ve

Lord! what

somewhere outside of Ripon at last, and went out on to the moo

d y

t thoroughly before I came away. A

ou doing on

oing to ask at the lodge th

I hadn

ewhere else,

oda flew out all over his shirt-front like a fountain, and

about

k sm

ten that. It was beastl

d the work! Lord! Frank,

ain much mor

aid. "Those things don't se

t the deuce

tiny deprec

s all about, yo

es

ly interested as to what's going to happen next-inside, I mean.

nd said so tersely. Frank

t. All these things don't happen one on the top of the other just by a fluke. There's someth

ake do say w

ell you I don't know. I only

amount to? What are

ht. I'm going to join th

ra

romised you wouldn't. I'm going to joi

t w

got to get that girl back to her peop

at the

d; but that doesn't matter. It's got to be done; or, rather, I've got to try to do it. I daresa

ew up hi

cracked!

" said Fran

imply wasn't Frank at all. The wild idea came to him that the man who sat before

about Jenn

and still for an instant.

her and kiss her feet-but both those things are when I'm feeling bad. On the whole, I think-though I'm not sure-that is not my business any more; in

quest

el

n to her or sent

N

her thing. I don't think

el

undred pounds and go

up with an

much.... Am I in such dis

t mean that," sa

ughtn't to have sa

aved a

, and would like-And you don't seem abs

nd suits me very well-and there are the other two, you

es

bills. I don't th

Jack. "And you really m

y,

V

ag. There was one dramatic moment, Jack told me, when they found that luncheon had been laid at a high point on the hills from which the great gray mass of Merefield and the shimmer of the lake in front of the house were plainly visible only eight miles away. The flag was flying, too, from the flagsta

k for orders as they finished lunch, he tactfully obse

could almost make out

is almost unmixed physical pleasure to an imaginative thinker who contemplates a hot bath, a quantity of tea, and a long evening in a deep chair. Frank still preserved his impassive kind of attitude towards things in

oad-side, with their feet in the ditch-a man and a girl. He was going past them, just observing that the man had rather an unpleasant face, with a ragged mustache, and that the girl was

y, "I was expecting you. This

tur

Trustcott, I told you of. This

ely, overwhelme

or, straightening himself in a military manner. "My good

ou like it,

aid Frank again. "Can y

e Major. "Time's no consider

said at him, to show the familiari

o'clock be

it shall be,"

d h

er

tle closer to this appalling pair, and Jack stood off, to hea

ank again. "Come along,

cried the Major, bu

an to tell me that t

Major and

all that about

I told you it couldn't be more

t, but it was

er. "I can't take these clothes, you know; and I ca

like," sn

it do if I took a bag and changed up in that c

es

t a key, I

es

I'll leave the bag and the

was s

l bottles which jingled together, to be wrapped up in brown paper-in which he inserted also a five-pound note (he knew Frank would not take more)-and the whole placed in the bag in which Frank's old clothes were already concealed. For the rest of the evening he sat, mostly silent, in one ch

n company with two friends, at nine o'clock that very night. They wondered innocently why the two friends had not been asked to join them at dinner. It was exciting, too, and unusual, that this young man should dine in an old homespun suit. They asked a quantity of questions. Where was Mr. Guiseley going first

he was going to see the last of Frank, as far as the churchyard; Frank had protested, but had yielded. The res

V

s of the high moors that stood round Barham. It was perfectly still, too-the wind had dropped, and the only sound as the two

e in which he was to suffer, and was only partly conscious of it-or, at least, so buoyed by some kind of exaltation or fanaticism as not to realize what he was doing. (He reminded me o

rt of feeling,"

ur's walk through the town. Now the thing seemed horrible, like a nightmare; now absurdly preposterous; now rather beautiful; now perfectly ordinary and commonplace. After all,

ut your grandmother?" he said su

s.

thing else. Wasn't one of your

quite forgotten. It was being

e wrong

nt in Frank's voi

ost accommodating lot. They changed each time without making any difficulty. I remember my governor tell

on anything to d

" said Frank, with

up it, and Jack saluted half a dozen people mechanically as they t

l like being squi

't know,"

n, I should thi

rt of the ascent presently, an

te," sa

y. "I'm here another fortnight, you know, and then

I shall be. Give my lo

ra

es

say what

N

upon the other two at any moment now. They went five steps further, and there, in the shadow of the gate, burned a dull red

ry voice, and the girl rose to her f

ing," said

ere, Mr. Kirkby, after we'd stepped down

heard my name t

right

key," said Fr

nd pushed it back over

re, will you?"

I'll show you

est end of the old church. Jack's father had restored the place admirably, so far as restoration was possible, and there stood now, strong

a bicycle lamp he had broug

here,"

he room at the base of th

e said. "It was a Catholi

sacristy. They've found things here, I

ly," said Frank. "I s

actually being made, and the garments of sacrifice put on. (It struck him with an unpleasant shock, c

hurchyard from slipping altogether down the hill

life with such astonishing zest. Jack was far from philosophical as a rule, but it is a fact that meditations of this nature did engross him for a minute or two while he sat and waited for Frank, and heard the low voices talking in the lane outside. It even occurred to him for an instant that it was just possible that

in to dismal considerations

is head once more was the indescribable cap; on his body the indescribable clothes. He wore on his feet the boots in which he h

I am,

the winds. Jack stood up

u not to do it at Cambridge, and I ask you again now. I do

ed after him, calling under his breath; but the other had already passed th

ere is the right direc

n,'" said the Major. "There a

I speak to y

Major; I'm ready

ed towa

e said, "what's

eat and drink,

ag with the clothes in it. I'm awfully grateful, old man,

ul voice at his side, "I'll take charge

"You're welcome to it, if you'll

jor lifted a bundle out of the depths of the hedge, slung it on his stick, and stood waiting, his fac

saw, had his small bundle wrapped up in the red handkerchief, as on the bridge

n the darkness of the hedge, the two men walking together, the girl a yard behind them. Then they turned the corner and were

V

horrid drea

each shot he fired rose to an intolerable climax. Then began one of the regular nightmare chases: he set off to run; the screaming grew fainter each instant; he could not see his way in the gloom; he clambered over bowlders; he sank in bogs, and dragged his feet from them with infinite pains; his gun became an unbearable burden, yet he dared not throw it from him; he knew that he should need it presently.... The screaming had ceased now, yet he dared not stop running; Frank was in some urgent peril, and he knew it was not yet too late, if he could but find him soon. He ran and ran; the ground was knee-deep now in the feathers that had fallen from the wounded birds; it was darker than ever, yet he toiled on hopelessly, following, as he thought, the direction from which the cries had come. Then as at last he topped the rise of a hill, the screaming broke out again, shrill and frightful, close at hand, and the next instant he saw bene

gun at the disappearing runners; sank down in the gloom, and broke out into that

deadly peril, if not already dead, and it was a fe