Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-04-09
IN BRITISH GUIANA.

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have known what it is to be dead"
"Oh, como, Mac, that's too much.
The major has givon Us somo pretty
tall ones, but we cant quite swallow
that.
Perhaps, suggested the major,
"Maokay refers to state of alco-
holio saturation. have heard
shut up, majorw interrupted
Highfield. Don't be feeble. "
"Oh, all right" said Maokay.
only you said it was my turn for q
yarn, but of course if
Fire away, Mac. Mover mind the
major He's an unbclieving Jew
when his own tales arc bested. Well
believe you. Observe the childlike
innocence of our Countenances.
Very we'll, then, you shall have
the yarn.
Il happened out in British Gui-
ana. Phil Egerton and l had been
knocking about that district in a
yacht. Phil was bit of a scientist,
had dabbled i'll the ologics when he
was ut Oxford, and he found some
thing to interest him in tho shallow
waters round the coast. The buckets
of mud and Shiny things he fished
up weren't very exciting for me, so
l put III n good deal of time hanging
round the bars and billiard rooms
of Georgetown. Poker is q good
game in tho other hemisphere You
fellows don't rise to its possibilities
here"
Take you on at half a SOY. ante, ;"
interrupted the major.
mo, thanks, major You've been
there, know. bar you"
Il don't think could mention the
place." continued Mackay, that
Two spont more than a month in
without continuing to make q fool
of myself over some girl. She was a
barmaid this time, and, by Jove!
she was pretty. We called her The
Queen, and l never knew her by
any other namo. What nationality
she belonged to l can't tell you. I
think shc had dash of most of
them i'll her, but English, Spanish
and Indian were perhaps the most
prOmincnt-English in business,
Spanish in love, but pure, undiluted
Indian in hate. 1t was q dangerous
mixture, but you've no notion how
fascinating. ] wasn't by any means
the only follow who succumbed tC
her charms, hut believe / was the
only one sho cared a gin cocktail
about. Yonll admit that tho posi-
ton had its dangers. Of course
know perfectly we'll that l was max
ing an ass of myself, but l couldn t
help it. Tho only thing for mo to do
was to bolt. If / Staid another week
/ should marry her, and then there'd
be the deuce to pay.
" Look here, EGerton, said one
night. You've got to take me away
from here. Leave those COMPOUNDED
weeds of yours and let's weigh an
Choir and be off.
What's the matter, Mac?' said
Egerton. Got tho fidgets? I'm sor.
ry, old man, but I've discovered a
new species among these said weeds,
and want to work it up
Well, Phil, my boy, if you
won't leave, you'll have to be my
best man, that's all.
THAT frightened him q bit. !
told him tho whole story, and he
saw there was no time to be lost if !
was to be saved. Phil Egerton knew
me pretty we'll in those days.
I'm tell you what we'll do, Mao,
he said. You know Wilson, the sug-
ar planter. He tells me there is
some capital shooting to be had in
the interior. Any amount of birds
and II chance at stray jaguar or
two. He's going to have month of
it, and has asked mo to join him.
We can take the yachts boat and
go up the Dcmerara until we strike
the woods. What do you say?'
Anything you like, so long as
you get me out of this mess
I'VE went Ill the morning and saw
Wilson about it. He was delighted,
and said he would start as soon as
we could get ready
"Of course any sensible man in
my position would have had the
common prudence to employ the in
tervening time in cleaning his guns
and looking ont various odds and
ends for the expedition; but, as tell
you, where women arc concerned
I'm not to be counted in the class of
sensible mon. / went to see The
Queen, and naturally she wormed
the whole thing out of me.
Phil. said, when / go back,
If we cant start tomorrow we
ncedn't go at all. 1t would spoil the
party if took n wife with me-.
Wen start tonight if you like,
Mac. I'm ready, and if Wilson ism t
he can follow us. But what's the
hurry? You haven't told her you re
going, have your
Yes, / have, and that's why it
won t do for me TO stay here longer.
Well, Mac, of all the laundering
idiots it has been my privilege to
know, / do think you're about the
biggest. Why on earth couldn't you
vanish quietly and leave her to find
out about it afterward?'
| meant to, but when I started
talking to her, out it all came
What possessed you to go there
at all today
Oh, como, Phil, be reasonable.
You couldn' t have kept away your
self if you'd been in nv place