The Lamp in the Desert | Page 3

irony in Monck's tone this time. It
fell short and stern.
Again Tommy glanced at him as one uncertain. "Not likely," he said.
"Then why do you make the assertion? What grounds have you for
making the assertion?" Monck spoke with insistence as one who meant
to have an answer.
And the boy answered him, albeit shamefacedly. "I really can't say,
Monck. I'm the sort of fool that sees things without being able to
explain how. But that Stella has the faintest spark of real love for that
fellow Dacre,--well, I'd take my dying oath that she hasn't."
"Some women don't go in for that sort of thing," commented Monck
dryly.
"Stella isn't that sort of woman." Hotly came Tommy's defence. "You

don't know her. She's a lot deeper than I am."
Monck laughed a little. "Oh, you're deep enough, Tommy. But you're
transparent as well. Now your sister on the other hand is quite
inscrutable. But it is not for us to interfere. She probably knows what
she is doing--very well indeed."
"That's just it. Does she know? Isn't she taking a most awful leap in the
dark?" Keen anxiety sounded in Tommy's voice. "It's been such
horribly quick work, you know. Why, she hasn't been out here six
weeks. It's a shame for any girl to marry on such short notice as that. I
said so to her, and she--she laughed and said, 'Oh, that's beggar's choice!
Do you think I could enjoy life with your angels in paradise in
unmarried bliss? I'd sooner stay down in hell with you.' And she'd have
done it too, Monck. And it would probably have killed her. That's
partly how I came to know."
"Haven't the women been decent to her?" Monck's question fell curtly,
as if the subject were one which he was reluctant to discuss.
Tommy looked at him through the starlight. "You know what they are,"
he said bluntly. "They'd hunt anybody if once Lady Harriet gave tongue.
She chose to eye Stella askance from the very outset, and of course all
the rest followed suit. Mrs. Ralston is the only one in the whole crowd
who has ever treated her decently, but of course she's nobody.
Everyone sits on her. As if," he spoke with heat, "Stella weren't as good
as the best of 'em--and better! What right have they to treat her like a
social outcast just because she came out here to me on her own? It's
hateful! It's iniquitous! What else could she have done?"
"It seems reasonable--from a man's point of view," said Monck.
"It was reasonable. It was the only thing possible. And just for that they
chose to turn the cold shoulder on her,--to ostracize her practically.
What had she done to them? What right had they to treat her like that?"
Fierce resentment sounded in Tommy's voice.
"I'll tell you if you want to know," said Monck abruptly. "It's the law of

the pack to rend an outsider. And your sister will always be
that--married or otherwise. They may fawn upon her later, Dacre being
one to hold his own with women. But they will always hate her in their
hearts. You see, she is beautiful."
"Is she?" said Tommy in surprise. "Do you know, I never thought of
that!"
Monck laughed--a cold, sardonic laugh. "Quite so! You wouldn't! But
Dacre has--and a few more of us."
"Oh, confound Dacre!" Tommy's irritation returned with a rush. "I
detest the man! He behaves as if he were conferring a favour. When he
was making that speech to-night, I wanted to fling my glass at him."
"Ah, but you mustn't do those things." Monck spoke reprovingly. "You
may be young, but you're past the schoolboy stage. Dacre is more of a
woman's favourite than a man's, you must remember. If your sister is
not in love with him, she is about the only woman in the station who
isn't."
"That's the disgusting part of it," fumed Tommy. "He makes love to
every woman he meets."
They had reached a shadowy compound that bordered the dusty road
for a few yards. A little eddying wind made a mysterious whisper
among its thirsty shrubs. The bungalow it surrounded showed dimly in
the starlight, a wooden structure with a raised verandah and a flight of
steps leading up to it. A light thrown by a red-shaded lamp shone out
from one of the rooms, casting a shaft of ruddy brilliance into the night
as though it defied the splendour without. It shone upon Tommy's face
as he paused, showing it troubled and anxious.
"You may as well come in," he said. "She is sure to be ready. Come in
and have a drink!"
Monck stood still. His dark face was in shadow. He seemed to be
debating