The Atlanta constitution., 1900-07-09
A MISSING HERO.


Il
praise of the beer with which the repast
/ was washed down.
/ This refreshment finished, some brandy
and soda was served and cigars were
again the order of the night.
1 What was the last news you had OF
this elephant smasher' of yours?" asked
Forester, breaking the silence of physi-
cal satisfaction which ensued.
| I've heard naught of him this six
months past" returned Mactier. but he
has his times and seasons. the end or
middle OF September he generally comes
down with ivory horns. karosses and such
like. He generally stops bit at Mr..
Erle's. though L think he missed last
year. anyhow. I'll send a messenger to
him. No. SIR" to St Maur. III you d
like to see the ring 1 mentioned. here 1t
Is" He drew ring which had evidently
been enlarged from his little finger.
why It's a signet ring. cried St.
| Maur, taking IT and looking closely at
| the design.
Let me see." said Forester. who in
| srs cted II very carefully, holding the ring
close to the light and turning it from side
to side. Curious" he muttered. 1T Is the
| cognizance of Marseilles. the sacred fish
of Apollo. very unusual crest. have a
| fancy for these oddities. Should you be
inclined to let me have this fo- a couple
| of sovs?
well. no! I'd rather not broke in
Mactier, before the other had finished his
sentence. North has done me many a
good turn for tho one 1 did him. and 1
fancy that old ring has brought me luck.
l don't like to part with It,"
"Oh! If you are superstitious about II,
I've no more to say! 1t looks like Eng
lish workmanship-wonder whore he pick
| ed ii up?"
''He might have done so IN England!
| He was. l fancy, a sea-faring man and
had'knocked about the world a good bit
before no landed here"
The talk turned on hunting and the
deeds of former Nimrods. I'm which St.
Maur Joined with great interest and q
large capacity of belief. always siding
with their guide, whenever Forester
doubted lis stories or disputed his Views.
| As the conversation proceeded and Mac
tiers accounts of fed:s performed in jun
| gle and veldt, by rock and silver, increas-
ed In wonder as his allowance of rhune
diminished. st. Maurs ambition took fire.
he Informed his hearers that he intended
to show them what an English sportsman
could do even though he was new to the
country.
Come, ST. Maur," exclaimed Forester
at length. II think we had better turn In.
| III you are to perform such deeds among
| the big game you Tust tie very abstem-
fCGs-brandy and water oft repeated does
not clear the sight or steady the hand.
you know Lady Bamborodgh's solemn
charge to me the day we started"
Don't talk in this way to me. For
rester. my mother would molly-coddle
me into non-entity If l let her have
her way! Do you think you are talking
| to schoolboy2'
by no means. but wiser and moro ex-
perienced men than either of us have
gone to pieces In the same rock ahead
1 have undertaken TO be not only your
secretary. but your guide philosopher and
| friend. apd. don't make any mistake. in
| tend to do my duty and write home the
truth, the whole truth and nothing but
| the truth to your mother. Come, be
| man of sense and We may have jolly
good time together. If you will not.
why. I'll make it deuced disagreeable"
"a good time indeed, when you dragged
me away from Cape Town where l was
! getting on like a house on fire. finding a
lot of pleasant fellows! You made me
| act like brute to IL charming woman!
| She said she knew why |. was leaving and
breaking all my engagements. wish you
had seen the look she gavo at you when
| she said it!'
Never mind, you'll flnd something Just
| as charming as we go along.
Turning from him decidedly. Forester
| asked Mactier. who is this friend of the
elephant smasher you mentioned just
now?
Erie. an English settler, came out here
some years ago to join an old colonist.
Sykes, they had been friends at home 1
think Sykes died and left Erie his land
he had no famiIy-Sykes. 1 mean. l think
wen stop a bit at his place. 1t comes In
our line of march. we'll find some rhu-
! bCks and waterbucks about there Just to
: begin upon. Maybe we may hit upon the
'smasher' himself, he often comes down
to Ravenscleugh about this tire"
"Ravenscleugh." cried McMaur, why
! that's the name of farm In my part of
tho country. It's odd to find It in this
out of the way place"
"Ay! it's a north country anne know,
| replied Mactier. sykes was Northum-
/ berland man, l have heard many settlers
name their new homes after the old
ones"
"I think I have heard of Erie, too"
continued St. Maur. II fancy my brother
had a tenant farmer Of that name who
went TO smash the year the Marlborough
| colt won the st. Ledger. do You remem-
/ her, Forester?
no. | don't St. Ledgers and colts and
such like arlstocratic diversions have
been out of my line" said Forester with
a slightly bitter laugh.
.I have seen John Erie often when l
| was a little chap" resumed ST Maur.
/ "His homestead was not far from the
| hall. He was a first rate horseman ana
gentleman in his way. His wife, 100. was
verv nice She used to give me first rate
I rriddle cakes when I used to go to tea
there BY 1ove! it's like a Family Her
aid story"
The Honorable Tom babbled on for
! some minutes longer and then Detook
! himself to rest In species OF hammock
| slung above the various impediments
which crowded the wagon, the mattress
resting on a network of strips OF hide
Mactler proceeded 10 see that all the par
Nv was assembled, the horses safe and
the watchman at his post. Then h too.
| sought corner near the front OF the
wagon where he could see the country
in front and hear any slight sound out
side their moving castle. for he knew
his own faculty for sleeping with one
| eye open.
Forester scribbled for some little time
! by the light of a thick candle set in
'candlestick fitted with a glass shade
which sheltered II from occasional
draughts but so far the night was still
occasionally he laid down his pen ana
thought deeply. his close set eyebrows
almost meeting I'm a frown as though
! oI