The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-02-11

if the crocOdiles left any. They're
birds of a feather. CTocs and hyenas-
What's one mans meat-one man s
meat-how does it go?-I can't re-
member" he sobbed petulantly.
| The red glow Of the fire burnt like
plague spot upon the broad dark
breast of the waste a. Grammel fed
it silently.
The weary ng hollow voice went on
You're looking very pretty this
morning Alice. with the sun shining
in your hair. You knew ia come back.
didn't you. darling?" He looked
across admiringly into Grammei $
bearded face. Let's set the rattrap in
the stabIe-where is 1t / can't find
it,"
Then from the far distance of the
marshes came understandable noises
that sounded like Titans laughing. and
balls of fen-fiTe rolled, dimly seen.
through the fog. while Lee-Carson
got exceedingly afraid because he fam
cied that he was on board steamer
on a thick night. and that collision
was imminent. and the skipper not
properly certificated.
Il tell you. man, ] see her lights.
There he cried, strung like a harp
with excitement, pointing a shaking
hand into the darkness.
She's working round all right, said
Grammel. sOOthingly- cant You near
the sailors singirg?" adding to himself,
IF | can only get him on his songs.
that will quiet him down perhaps
Lee Carson responded To this at
once his eyes blazing.
Il can hear them, Oh. Lord. it is
good" he exclaimed. and seemed 10 lis
ten; then added mysteriously, But il :
I'm. IN
their voices? Why it's Fordison ana
Chester-and-an the rest.
And the high trembling voice was
once more raised TO join in the song:
But northward. east. and westward.
And under the tropic sky,
The price that we paid To conquer
Were the men who were proud TO die
He chanted ii over and over. ill the
taut sinews looseneG. and ne fell back
exhausted and lay still FOR many min
utes.
Presently Grammel crept round and
covered him up carefully. Lee-Carson's
sleep was the sleep of exhaustion. but
it was better than no sleep at all.
After a while Grammei. too. lay down
and slept.
When Lee Carson woke, a huge red
moon on the horizon seemed very close
to his eyes and he called out wildly:
"Grammel! Grammei, Curse you.
Grammel, you're dead.
And from the other side of the fire
Grammel answered him, his dry lips
bleeding as they parted:
Dead? OF course I'm not.
What's death?" began Lee-CarsOn
again. Don't let that moon dance and
CLEAN in my eyes, it gets into my brain.
Grammel what's death.
"A sleep and a forgetting quoted
Grammel. at his wits end
NO. it's not that" said the sick man
more calmly. "Grammel, come here.
Where are you?" he grroped about for
the friendly hand that met his. Look.
Iook!-the other side of the fire.
When Grammel could get his heavy
ewes open. he looked across and saw
nothing. only the snake tongues of the
flame leaping at intervals into the
moonstruck gloom.
There's nothing he said shortly.
GrammeI had no imagination. hence he
was at a loss, not knowing what he was
expected to see.
..NothingT' repeated Lee-CarsOn,
ueering anxiously forward. mo. | see
nothing now-perhaps / dreamed. /
think I'm going out. Most people die
about the dawn
Rot" said Grammel. lamely.
Lee-Carson's lips parted in the old
whimsical smile. Presently he said:
I've seen things, Grammel and I'd
like to tell you what ] saw
Grammel was sitting close by, his
hands clasped round his knees. Being
the man he was. he said nothing, only
waited to hear.
Through the light I've seen them
galloping past. squadrons and squad
rons of mounted men-our fellows, you
know
Grammel shook his head impercepti-
bly,. sts
81 shouted to then-I shouted who
we We're. but they were riding fast
eastwards."
mo man rides east" said Grammel,
looking up.