The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-02

'From African" said Dorothy ARM
strong interrogatively. her tea-cup
poised in air and a real not society,
ring of interest in her voice.
John Davis stood stifly in front Of
her, feeling nervous and looking unhap-
by. his mind full OF the belief common
to all shy persons who go little Into So
cIety that every one was observing him
and crIdclsing his attire. He had Just
been wondering what madness made
him promise Mrs. Piayfair to attend
her AT Home" and feeling like a hIh
out OF water. a stranger in q strange
land, was calculating how soon without
positive rudeness he could sneak out
and take hanson to the club he had
Just Joined. As a matter of fact, no
one regarded him and even his hostess
had forgotten him. he could have left
without anyone being in any degree I'M
1ured, but this he did not know. Then
Mrs. Playfalr spying him in a corner,
remembered his presence, and dragging
him forth presented him to a girl in q
white frock Is irMr. Davis-from Afri-
ca"
This pretty girl, With the sunny face
and bright sparkling eyes, seated in a
big armchair and making. in the fresh
ness Of her youth and beauty, the most
charming picture possible, did not seem
very formidable. and seeing that he
must say something, John turned him
self to the art OF making conversation.
Eyes. have only been in England a
fortnight; two months ago was in
puhlmane."
"onllimane," she echoed, and her face
Erew pink with sudden excitement.
''Gr. Davls-look. there's chair va
cant there. bring it beside mel want
to know-did you meet my brother
there3"
.Pm afraid" confessed John. that
Hhen we were introduced didn't quite
catch your name"
Armstrong. Ny brother is Henry
Joseph Armstrong"
~ don't remember ever meeting"
"oh," she cried, don't say that;thInk
againl"
Her agitation and despair were APP
parent even to John.
"Tve met so many men in Africa, " he
explained, ''but tell me something about
him and may recall him; or perhaps
he went under another name out
there"
II shouldn't think so" said the girl
simply; "its three yeara since he left
England; he was in bank and quar-
relied with the manager, said he was
sick Of home, and 50 went to Africa;
frst to Cape Town and then to johann
nesburg, and then Salisbury; ne wrote
fairly regular for two years. and the
last letter we had was about a year ago
ana dated from ouilimnne. We have
never had line since. and are getting
terribly anxious; sometimes we fear he
must be dead"
Describe him to me"
HE was big man. oh, almost as big
as you, with light curly hair and blue
eyes; aWfully good looking he was COM
sidered. he sent It's a photograph OF
himself two years ago taken in johann
nesburg and then he had grown a
beard
John shook his head,
II have never met him to my knowl-
edge, but, Miss Armstrong. don't think
he's dead; it's strang how quickly men
drop writing home. even to sweetheart
or mother. especially, Il their luck is
bad. Was he prospecting, do you
thInkY'
mo. I don't think so. BE used to
grumble in his letters. but never said
definitely what he was doing. think
mother used to send him money. But
surely, II he were alive, he would write
or you would have met him"
at would be far more surprising II I
had met him. But repeat I don't
think he is dead. and therefore you may
take his long silence to signify that he
Is alive. Were he dead, you would have
heard; and for this reason; when a
man dies out there, he is never utterly
4riendless and there would be some one
70 write home and acquaint his people
with the news Of his death. That's al
ways done. however unpopular the man
may be. Why rye had to do It three
times in the course OF my wanderlngs."
Then we won't give up hope?"
"By no means" said John. decidedly
The girl, who had followed his speech
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