The Safety Curtain, and Other StoriesDell, Ethel M. (Ethel May)
General
The Safety Curtain, and Other Stories
Dell, Ethel M. (Ethel May)
Fiction
Circumstances had favoured him. Moreover it was by no means the first
time that he had been among the Hill tribes in native guise. One
sentinel alone had returned to guard the hut after Phil's departure, and
this man he had succeeded in overpowering without raising an alarm.
Then, disguising himself once more, he had managed to escape just before
the dawn, and had lain hidden for hours among the boulders of the
river-bed, fearing to emerge by daylight. But in the evening he had left
his hiding-place, and found the fort to be occupied by British troops.
The Waris had gone to earth before their advance, and they had found the
place deserted.
He had forthwith presented himself in his disguise and been taken
before Phil, the officer-in-command.
"But surely he knew you?"
"Yes, he knew me. But I swore him to secrecy."
She drew a little closer to him.
"Eustace, why?" she whispered.
His arm tightened about her.
"I had to know the truth first," he said.
"Oh!" she murmured. "And now--are you satisfied?"
He bent and kissed her forehead gravely, tenderly.
"I am satisfied," he said.
* * * * *
"Well, didn't I tell you so?" laughed Phil, when they shook hands later.
Audrey did not ask him what he meant, for, with all his honesty, Phil
could be enigmatical when he chose. Moreover, it really didn't much
matter, for, as she tacitly admitted to herself, fond as she was of him,
he no longer occupied the place of honour in her thoughts, and she was
not vitally interested in him now that the trouble was over.
So when, a few weeks later, Phil cheerily packed his belongings and
departed to Poonah, having effected an exchange into the other battalion
stationed there, only his major understood why, and was sorry.
ETHEL M. DELL'S NOVELS
May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list
THE LAMP IN THE DESERT
The scene of this splendid story is laid in India and tells of the lamp
of love that continues to shine through all sorts of tribulations to
final happiness.
GREATHEART
The story of a cripple whose deformed body conceals a noble soul.
THE HUNDREDTH CHANCE
A hero who worked to win even when there was only "a hundredth chance."
THE SWINDLER
The story of a "bad man's" soul revealed by a woman's faith.
THE TIDAL WAVE
Tales of love and of women who learned to know the true from the false.
THE SAFETY CURTAIN
A very vivid love story of India. The volume also contains four other
long stories of equal interest.
Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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