The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-17

kept up that cold defiant silence which
Britishers. when journeying with stran-
gers, love. But when the fourth time
we found ourselves laundering north
toget her we broke the ice-by the usual
means, of course-by means of the door
sash and the weather; and presently,
as the last CLEAN of Greater London
faded out behind US, we were chatting
like old acquaintance. exchanging SEN
timents, cigars and cards. My com
panion was back in England from ten
years rougbing it in the far west, he
told me: he was tired Of life on the raw
edge of civilization, and he had made
little pile. So he meant to start stock
breeding, and settle down.
For time our chat was ordinary
chat, on commonplace themes But
when we returned from the refreshment
room at Bletchley and found ourselves
left alone in the compartment, our talk
soon turned on topics deep and strange;
for in the midst of a jesting story he
ceased abruptly, looked moody and
threw away a newly-lit cigar. Then he
stared at me, pondered, frowned, got
I'D, StU IlON dnI oSS Ui "a SSoA
of very different sort.
-Four times in as many months"
said he, 1--WE have ridden north to-
gether, you and |. Four times fate has
thrown us together in the same train.
in the same carriage, in the same COM
partment. We must not ride together
any more Next'time, if you value life
at all. avoid me- For I'm man with 3
curse; I'm fatal to my friends"
l stared at him In wonder. almost in
fear. This tall. broad-shouldered,
fourteen-stone, hale, y-hve-years-
old, beer-drinking Englishman-lever
of horses. cricket, football-as common
place as any individual gently bred
NAV be-to talk like that! Instructive
| " ] sided toward the window, over
| which the check-cord ran. He saw the
movement
ooh, no." said he. "don't mistake mo
I'm not mad, my dear fellow; not the
| least bit mad, | assure you. You have
nothing to fear from me SO long as you
avoid me and don't become my chum.
You are just the man I'd like to have
with me long nights out ranching; but
! then, YOU see. you'd die before the year
was up. I'm fatal to my friends
rs this a joker said, cor are you
/ talking in your sleep. or what?'
| Its Just straight, solid, sober, down
right earnest" was the reply. Listen,
and judge for yourself
/ And then he began his story, telling
/ it much as write it down. For con-
vcnience and concealment let me call
him Stone.
Ten years before, young Stone had
/ LETT Nor. hurnbria for the prairies, TAX
ing with him Liverpool man to learn
| to ranch. Four months they spena to-
! gether. learning the trade and liking 1t.
One day they rode to the nearest town,
! for dip into something like civiliza-
ton again. and after a week Of it they
started back to the ranch. At the last
/ inn on the roadside they stopped for a
drink of lager. and before they had
ridden hundred yards further On,
Stone won't back for q glove that he
| had left on the bar; the other man rode
slowly forward.
~ got the glove" said Stone. as he
! told me the story. II mounted again
and rode after Fred There was bend
in the road. and for time l could see
nothing of him. But as turned the
bend his horse came neighing towards
me. r;derless. Poor Fred lay dead IL
the road. in front of me-dead, with 9
| broken neck-thrown, and a first-class
/ horScnan too,
We'll, you don't think much Of that
do you? Might happen to anyone
that. But what do you say 10 CIR
out there, who was friendly with ne
dropping off just as suddenly She wa'
Yankee farmers daughter, a pret--
thing in a big yellow sunbonnet- and
white spotted blue gown. Wherever
rode or the ranch. / was sure to NEE
Nancy, riding too. / liked 70 meet he1
and talk, though we always kept a
arms length, mind you. Well. she diet
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. the settlement
doctor said. Yet ! began to think Il
| was something else.
Then | went 20 q ranch OF my own
and took partner lie was young
Scot. full Of life and strength. in les:
than three months ne was dead also
dyseatery. the doctor said. but knew