vision and foresight, a man with a heart as big as his fists-your
candidate and mine, Colonel Sean Courtney!'
Sean stood up smiling, to be rocked by a blast of. jeers and catcalls
from the front rows. The smile faded and his fists curled into great
bony hammers on the table in front of him. He scowled down on them,
beginning to sweat with anger. A light tug on the tail of his coat
steadied him and his fists opened a little. He began to speak,
bellowing above the shouts of
'Sit down!' ' 'Speak up!' 'Give him a chance! ' 'Stand down!' and
the thunder of booted feet stamping in unison on the wooden floor.
Three times in the uproar he lost the run of his speech and had to turn
to Ruth for prompting, scarlet in the face with anger and
mortification, while waves of derisive laughter broke over him. He
ended up reading out the last half from his notebook it made little
difference that he stumbled and lost his place repeatedly for no one
more than three feet away could hear a word.
He sat down and a sudden silence descended on the hall, an air Oft'L of
expectancy that made Sean realize that this must have been carefully
planned-and that the main entertainment was still to follow.
'Mr. Courtney. ' At the back of the hall Garry Courtney was on his
feet, and every head was craned around towards him.
'May I ask you a few questions?'
Sean nodded slowly. So that is it! Garry planned this reception.
'My first question, then. Can you tell us what the name is for a man
who sells his country to the enemies of his King?'
'Traitor!' howled the hecklers.
'Boer!' They stood up in a mass and roared at him. The pandemonium
lasted perhaps five minutes.
'I'm taking you out of here,' Sean whispered to Ruth and reached for
her arm, but she pulled away.
'No, I'm staying.'
'Come on, do as I tell you. This is going to get rough.'
'You'll have to carry me out first,' she flared at him, angry and
beautiful.
Sean was about to accept the challenge, when suddenly the uproar ceased
abruptly. Again, all heads turned towards Garrick Courtney, where he
stood ready with his next question. In the silence he grinned
maliciously.
'One other thing, do you mind telling us the nationality and faith of
your wife?'
Sean's head jerked back. He felt the sickening physical jolt of it in
his stomach, and he started to struggle to his feet. But Ruth was
already standing, and she laid a hand on his shoulder to prevent him
rising.
'I think I will answer that one, Garry.' She spoke clearly with just a
trace of huskiness in her voice
'I am a Jewess.'
The silence persisted. Still with her hand on Sean's shoulder,
standing straight and proud beside him, she held Garry's stare across
the room. Garry broke first. Flushing up along his neck, he dropped
