Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-05-23

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| with feeble attempt to smile.
( "'Joke or no Joke, l demand TO know
what is il in that bottle l said author
itatively, my mind full Of mysterious
Doisons, and the engineer handed Il
over tamely.
The bottle contained nothing but
ink. a
LAS soon as Lashton was gone l lett
the cabin at once for fear of disturb
ing the sleeper, without even stopping
10 remove the ink-stains, a piece OF
stupidity at which l have not ceasd TO
wonder l retired to my own CABIN,
opposite Gilby's, keeping the door open
to make sure that Lashton did not re-
turn to do mischief.
ut is not likely, I answered, grun-
" and I was glad that Lashton was
not about to overhear him. | answered
his next question more grufiy stll'
"I suppose you would not like TO
certify that l ought to be on the SICK
/ list would you. Macpherson?. ne asked
me. hesitatingly.
q refused fatty.
His face looked white next day when
he had to go in command Of the land
ing party, which l accompanied, Oh
| course.
However the miserable little tribe
did not show fight. In five days from
the time we left the Dragonfly we were
black again, none the worse for the trlps
except that we were all worn out by
| Gilby's forced marches.
"The lieutenant seemed more eX-
{ Of
| he had received the congratulations OF
the commander he retired at once 10
his berth
AS soon as I had enjoyed bath al
I ter my five days Of discomfort, STROLL
ed down TO the lieutenant's cabin 10
have a look at him in the new light OF
patient
His door was ajar as I approached
it. and when l glanced into the room
before knocking l was surprised to
catch sight Of Engineer Lashton stand
ing by the side Of the lieutenant's
bunk.
when l awoke it was to find Gilby
standing in my room, half undressed,
/ as l had seen him in his bunk, put WIN
his shirt sleeve buttoned up over the
/ ink stains on his arm. He was stand
ing at the side of my bunk, holding an
/ envelope, and when l started up, rub
bling my eyes. he put it into my hand. b
u am glad you are awake, Mac
| pherson, he said, in a strangely con-
/ strained tone. I wanted to ask you 10
do me a favor. VIII you give this let
ter to Miss Callan personally when you
see her? l do not want to take the
risk of sending it by mail
But you shall see her yourself as
soon as I shall. l said in surprise at the
request. and Gnby did not reply. In
stead. he turned and walked out Of the
cabin. leaving me staring at the letter
in my hand and wondering what 1t
meant.
u was so stupid with Sleep that it
took me two minutes to think of any
explanation at all. When | did / was
out of my bunk and across to the Oppo-
/ site cabin in d second.
Just in time, too, for Gilby was in
the act of locking his door when /
/ burst it open and ruushed in. Inc
young lieutenants revolvers and cou-
| pie of letters, one of them addressed to
me, was lying on the table.
The first thing I did was to secure
the revolver. Then l turned to my
/ friend.
What the devil are you going to
shoot yourself for?' l demanded blunt
/ ly.
"GIby Asade no attempt to deny his
intention.
I am sorry YOU have disturbed me,
/ Macpherson. ne said. with perfect cool
ness, because it cannot make any diff
/ ference.
Ever hear of Guinea madness?
1t is one of those strange diseases
that is only found among few tribes
along the coast Of Guinea. 1t is gener-
ally thought that Europeans cannot
| take it, but Lieutenant Gilby's father
| died Of it when my friend was boy
| Of ten.
His father was captain of trading
| vessel. and the Lieutenant was accom-
panying him on a voyage when they
called at the Guinea coast He saw
/ his father in all the indescribabie
agony of the disease, which is like hy-
drouhobia. 1t is infectious.
Since then he has always suffered
from an almost supernatural terror Of
the Guinea coast. He was quite per
suaded that if he ever went ashore
there he would catch the disease and
die like his father.
fashion, it seems, was aware of this
/ monomania of his, for it almost
amounted to mOnOmania.'
and he really caught the disease?'
/ I asked.
Macpherson smiled "He thought he
had. The first symptom is the appear
ance of small black marks on the arm
or leg.'-Herbert Flowerdew, in the
T Pail Mall Gazette.
rrn,rrc,r-r,r- LIDO, InvcI-pcION