The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1891-10-08

Towards sunset he became excited. /
did not like the metallic glitter in his
eye. 1t recalled to 'i1a6 in an ugly man
nci certain visit / had paid to Chi
ncsr madhouse a little time previously.
lie was irritable, moreover, and would
not let me touch his pulse When
,rantcd him to come into the hut for
the night he objected.
No, Randolph he said, mot till
the moon there also goes to bed in the
antipodes. particularly mean to be
awake tonight
..Why2" asked
because am as sure as ] stand
here that saw one last night, and it
was when the moon was high. | reckon
it went at about the rate of yard a
minute. l mean to secure it, and /
should very much like to photograph it
before nabbing it
chap?' | asked again, with the dismal
fear at Tiny heart that the feyer-e or sun
stroke had affected his brain.
''1'he creeping plant, Randolph. 1t
was, as well as could guess at it, nine
feet long. with flowers all the way along
it'll ealyx q bright blue. / never
saw any thing 50 odd since was born.
Do you know, | almost lost my senses
in a sort of excitement over it, and /
suppose it got away in the meantime,
for when tried to find it again l
couldn't!n
could only stare at him in bewiider-
mcnt. lie was certainly not joking,
and yet the idea of plant of this de-
scription was to my unobservant intel
ligcnce perfectly ridiculous
But poor Hammond did not like my
incrcdulous look. You don't believe
mel see, he exclaimed pettishly.
"That's ever the way with you prac-
teal fellows. | am thankful I'm not
practical Anyhow, too, mean to get
it this night, alive or dead-that's a
clear thing"
mo, no; please, don't think of =" I
cntrcated ..Wait till you're a bit
stronger, and then ifsyon like we'll do
nothing else but lunt this crawling
beanstallS, or whatever it is.
ham ;rs strong as ever | was, if !
may judge by my feelings, and SO you
may as well make up your mind to my
going. Remember, Randolph, that I'm
your senior in the service, and l won't
put up with dictation from you or any
other man of your time of life"
Il could only shrug my shoulders, and
suggest to him as casually as possible
that of course had no right to inter
fere with his movements, but that for
his own sake he ought not to go OFF in
''pyjamasn again, as he did before
Yes that was iudiscreet,' the dear
old fellow observed, with a smile.
We humored him for the rest of the
evening, and at length he fell asleep in
his bamboo. couch-chair, and we COW
cred him lightly and arranged the mos
quito, curtains to protect him as much
as possible.
But had no intention of going to
bed. Somehow or other, l fancied he
would wake and start off into the
woods. just as he had done before. At
the back of my mind | confess, too,
there was thin phantom of curiosity
about the shape nine feet long, with
flowers upon it, which had fitted sc
well with Hammond's ideal of creep
ing plant.
Accordingly, lit my pipe and read
the North China Herald until began
to feel drowsy. The paper had dropped
from my hands, and was bordering
ycakly about the likelihood of some
good-natured senior in the service re
solving to retire or to die for the good
of his juniors, when heard a rustling,
My eyes opened sharply. Yes, twas
as. with electrical promptitude, / had
surmised: Hammond was bolt upright,
staring at the moonlight outside and
pushing the curtains away from him.
Edid not move, bus watched him be.
tween my half-closed eyelids
Consciousness seemed to come upon
him all in moment He bounded
from the chair and made for the door.
he turned back and snatched up the
same blue blanket had wrapped him
in before. He flung it-oyer his shoul
ders and sped into the open. I followed
him. And had to be brisk, or else
should have soon lost sight Of him; for
the dark limbs of the trees were thick
enough to hide him for a quarter of q
minute at time. 1t was a strange
chase. this in the murmurous night
with ,ver and anon the startling cry
from parrot or monkey resounding
in the air. A barred tail pheasant shot
over fly head with whir that would
have made a man unused to such noises
wonder what was happening, Bats
too, went to and fro in the moonlight,
now and then eclipsing the planet com
pletely.
! don't know how long ] followed
the poor fellew; /. knew only that
was much tern By the thorns on The
rose bushes which i'npeded my move
ments. How sweet was the perfume
of these blossoms in the cool; humid
night air | can recall at this moment
distinctly
1t was almost by accident that ! at
length came upon Hammond. lie was
stopping and peering here and there
about a small spot Of common grass
with holes in the ground and thicket
of bramble and clematis at one side.
did not notice it at first; but there was
a wool of passion flowers hanging from
one of the boughs of a tree Just over
him. One OF the flowers was superb
specimen with a dazzling corolla.
Standing ip the shade watched him.
He began 10 poke among the brambles
with a bit of stick. Then there was a
movement. and with an exclamation o.
Did / not say sou Hammond stepped
tenderly aside while--a greas snake