The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-03-11

re, lIIN Mackay, 'Dut L tell
SNf you that for a day and
Nv night, 1 have known
SO what it is to be dead. "
" ~ "Oh, come, Mac,
that's too much. The Major has given
us some pretty tall ones, but we can't
quite swallow that"
Perhaps" suggested the Major,
'Mackay refers to a state of alcoholic
saturstion. / have heard"
"Oh, all right" said Mackay.
"Only you said it was my turn for a
yarn but of course if"
'Fire away, Mac; never mind the
Major; he's an unbelieving chap when
his own tales are bested. Well believe
you. Observe the childlike innocence
Of our countenance.
Very well then, you shall have the
yarn.
at happened out in British Guiana.
Phil Egerton and had been knocking
about that district in a yacht. Phil
was bit of a scientist; had dabbled
in the ologies when he was at Oxford,
and he found something to interest
him in the shallow waters round the
coast. The buckets of mud aud Shiny
things he fished up weren't very ex-
citing for me, so l put in a good deal
OF time hanging round the billiard
rooms of Georgetown.
81 don't think could mention the
place that I've spent more than
month in without contriving to make
q fool of myself over some girl. She
was a waitress this time, and, by
love she was pretty. We called her
The Queen, and never knew her by
any other name. What nationality
she belonged to can't tell you. ]
think she had dash of most of them
in her, but English, Spanish and In
dian were perhaps the most prominent
English in business, Spanish in
love, but pure undiluted Indian in
hate. 1t was a dangerous mixture,
but you've no notion how fascinating.
wasn't by any means the only fellow
who succumbed to her charms, but /
believe | was the only one she cared
fig about. You'll admit that the posi-
tion had its dangers. OF course l
knew perfectly we'll that was making
an ass of myself, but couldn't help
it. The only thing for me to do was
to bolt If stayed another week l
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 confounded
weeds of yours and let's weigh anchor
and be off,
What's the matter, Mac?' said
Egerton. Got the fidgets? I'm sorry,
old man, but I've discovered new
species among these said weeds, and 1
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 bit. told
him the whole story, and he saw there
was no time to be lost if 1 was to be
saved. Phil Egerton knew me pretty
well in those days.
l'll tell you what we'll do, Mac,
he said. You know Wilson, the sugar.
planter. He tells me there is scme
capital shooting to be had in the in
terror; any amount of birds and a
chance at stray jaguar or two. He's
going to have month of it, and has
asked me to join him. We can take
the yachts boat and go up the Dem
erara until we strike the woods,
What do you say?'
Anything you like, so long as you
get me out OF this mess.
'We went in 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 nv
position would have had the common
prudence to employ the intervening
time in cleaning his guns aud looking
out various odds and ends for the ex-
pedition, but as l tell You, where
women are concerned Pm not to be
counted in the class of sensible men.
1 went TO see The Queen, and naturally
she wormed the whole thing out OF
me.
"'Phil, said, when 1 got back,
If we can't start tomorrow we needn't
go at all. 1t would spoil the party ii
L TOOK vile with me.
'We'll start tonight if you like,
Mac. I'm ready; and if Wilson isn't,
he can follow us. But what's the
hurry9 You haven't told her you're
going, have you?'
" Yes, l have, and that's why it
won't do for me to stay here longer.
a" We'll, Mac, of all the thunderIng
idiots 1t has been my privilege to |
know, l do think you're about the big
gest. Why on earth couldn't you
vanish quietly and leave her to find |
out about it afterwards?
=" Il meant to, but when l started |
talking to her, out it all came
a" "'What possessed you to 80 there
at all to-day 2 4