, 1896-12-03

heavens! Was it all dream: Rubbed
my eyes and gazed at the cub. Nc. it
was grim reality. every bit of it. The
girl had refused him, and so he had
concluded that the best way ont Of his
misery was to commit suicide.
The tobacco began to hiss and burn III
the bottom of his pipe bowl. His last
smoke was drawing to q close. And
then
threw him my pouch.
more 'b~accy:"
He placed it politely on the edge of
the desk.
NO thamks-finished now And
he rose from his chair and walked to
the window. - should just like to take
u last look at the sun shining Oh the
trees
| suppose l moved, for he wheeled
around like lightning.
IF you attempt to interfere with me.
he said, with the same unnatural calm
in his voice and maLner, ''I'Il shoot
you first. Worm, and myself aftcrward.
So pray be careful"
put it of for "A few minutes" |
begged him. Il want to talk to you.
Just tell NE what has happeued."
lin not i'll any particular hurry"
he observed, reSCating himself, land |
have no objection to telling you what
has happened. Bat nothing you can say
Will alter my determination. This thing
must be- say must be-. And he pattCd
the pocket which contained the poison.
"Well, go ahead" | urged him.
{ Inst roll ,,hn ,y-l,,t ,-,, al ,fta, go, I-t, !
us so suddenly in the Doone valley"
mo need 10 detail the iourncy," he
muttcred; Just IA sheep walk-every
II goes the same way. l made tracks
for Southampton, caught the night beat
to Havrc, went on to R0ucn, thence to
Paris, Paris to Geneva, and there |
was.
And then, of course, you took
Mousie-l beg pardon, Miss Rathbone
by surprise, proposed to her all in a
heap, and got rejected. as was quite
natural. You cant rush a thing like
that.
II did not meet Miss RathbOnc, - said
the cub coldly, land | did not propose
to her. Getting to Geneva was ono
thing, but finding her was quite another.
People 20 to Geneva and make cxcur-
sions all round the shops. found ont the
hotel ut which she was stopping. and
tried to get rooms there .ayself. but it
was full up. This was why | constantly
missed h2r-she was always going OF
somewhere, and whenever | followed
her she always caught the train Or boat
that | just missed. So, although |
lodged about for II fortnight, | didn't
mpCt her once. The amount Of money |
spent chasing about and making in
quirics and tipping people was some.
thing appalling, but of course l didn't
mind that
well. said. II don't see why you
should kill yourself because you missed
her i'll Switzerland"
LET me 20 on said the cub stern
ly, land chen you'll understand why.
Just as l wa thinking Of giving it up
and coming home | heard that she and
her party had gone to Chamuuni, with
the intention of ascending Mont Blanc.
OF cours,-iust my luck-I was Il train
and n coach behind, AS you so to Cluses
by train and then coach on to CEamOuni.
When l finally got there, Twas told that
the party l was in search of had started
up some hours before. l asked whether
it wouldn't be possible to catch them
up. but the great fool of n guide | was
talking to just laughed and made n face.
Then he told me that | could watch
them through II telescope, but as for
catching them up tnat was impossible.
Well,' continued he cub, Il paid my
money and the telescope chap put DO
on to them at once. He said they were
nearly 4, 900 feet above the valley, but
1 could see them as plainly As if they
We're only 80 yards away There were
five or six people. Just as | had got MY
eyes on Mousie n great fat Johnnie who
was walking IL few yards behind her &c
tually went up, a~nd--and''-
The cub paused. go on" / sail.
"What did he dol"
"Why'-with heaving chest and glar-
ing eyes-"hc put his arm inside hers
and began talking and laughing as if
he'd known her all her lifc!"
"And what did she do:"
"Talkcd and laughed back"
"Well?'
"Well, isn't that enough? She's en-
gagged to him-thnt's clear. l came slap
home md here | AN. It's all over. In
five minutes | shall be dcad!'
l started from my chair.
"Therc must be some mistuke,' l ex-
claimed. '"The man you saw was evil
IDENTIFY u relative
II know all the members of her fam
ily,' said the cub, land there's no man
like that i'll it. No; she's engaged.
don't care to live any longer
Look here, Jack" l said desperate
ly, ''let mo maine some Inquiries. | give
you my solemn word of honor that
won't say anything about your-er-in-
tentions. Let me 90 to your place and
try to find out the truth Of the matter.
Trust me not to give you away
The sun shouc out gayly just Their.
Perhaps the cub thought it a pity to
leave it SO suddenly. AT any rate he
said: 81 won't do anything till you
come back-I swear it. Now go!'
So off l went post haste to the Jungle.
and when l returned with the news
that u relative the cub had never heard
Of had suddenly returned he vas will
ing to live long enough TO try his luck
and succeeded. Exchange.
Excuse me- observed the man in
spectacles, but l an a surgeon, and
- IL