The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-04-10
CHAPTER VII.
NEWS FROM OVER THE OCEAN.

MyuueeT JOe, lOl OuSc III uio AiAS'
feels q cold perspiration come out
upon his forehead, which he nervously
wipes away. He wonders is this fear.
The man who has braved all manner
of dangers in the past, faced death in
it's most horrible forms, in the poison
GUS swamps of interior Africa, through
the jungles of India, where cobras, IT,
gers and vengeful natives lie in wait;
meeting the crazed Mohammedan der
wishes Of the False Prophet face to
face in many an assault at Khartoom
this man actually trembling with
fear because he breads the scorn of
woman!
He laughs at himself for the fancy,
but it is a nervous laugh, not at all
natural, and turning, finds Mr.. Grimes
surveying him in a comical sort Of a
way.
Tell me, did you really think that
little nincompoop was Demosthenes
Tanner?" asks the silver king, in q
half-choked voice, for to him the
whole situation is ineXpressibly funny.
Il certainly did," answers Joe, won
dering if it will remedy matters any if
he should pass over and shake the lit
tie terrier until his teeth rattle in his
head; he has conceived a sudden ha-
tired for him.
"A terrible mistake, my dear fel-
low" grins the other, nodding his
head seriously.
"Well, rather, under the circum'
stances. Tell me who that man is"
Not that he is particularly anxious
to know, but the question is natural
one, and will help to carry him out of
a predicament
1.-The little man? That's the baron,
one Of Miss Molly's most devoted ad.
mirers."
Confusion! How came it that he
quarreled with her father, then?"
II don't know. He must have met
Tanner before, but it may not have en-
tered his head that he is her father.
Anyhow, the baron is used to serfs,
high hand wherever he goes"
"a Russian"
Heaven knows what he isn't-Rus-
sian, German and Austrian-he has
served under all their flags. At pres
ent, I have learned, he Is under Alex
ander, and bound for India by stages.
Russia has dark designs on the rich
possessions Of England on the Indian
Ocean, and some day the hostslof the
White Car hope to rush over the
mountains and overrun the whole Of
the empire along the Ganges. We
may not live to see it, but it will come,
as sure as the world moves"
Mr.. Grimes talks in this way with
an object in view-he is interested in
the subject, and at the same time
hopes to divert the mind of his friend
from the awful contremps into which
he has stumbled.
In this latter he meets with a fair
measure Of success. AS a traveller
and explorer Joe Miner is interested
in the movements of armies on the
chessboard of Europe, though his
knowledge of diplomatic entangle-
ments is very small compared with
that of the war correspondent.
BY this time Tanner Is on his feet.
His late antagonist feels as though he
would like to slink out of sight, not
that he is in the least ashamed Of the
part he took in the recent engage
ment, but because he breads the mo-
ment when Molly's eyes must fall
upon him after her father has pointed
out the man to whom. he owes his
downfall.
He does nothing of the sort, how
ever, but manfully holds his own.
They pass on to the hotel without no
ticing him, whereupon Joe leaves a
sigh of relief.
Then he takes himself mentally to
task. Why should he care whether
this young girl detests him or not? ?
She is nothing to him-can be nothing
to him. Her coming across his path
has been mere accident "A gentle
ripple on the broad sea Of his plans
and existence. Then his mind goes
back-Le sees himself struggling in the
waters of the blue Mediterranean,
while the boat beats back to his aid
his arms clasping the fair young girl
who clngs to him so confidingly.
How often has this picture presented
itself before his mind during days and
nights of peril, when death howled at
the walls of devoted KhartoOm, and
brave Gordon fought back the hordes
of derviShes again and again.
1t is useless for Mynheer Joe to de-
clare that this young girl has no in
fiuence upon his life. He knows even
while thus endeavorinS to deceive him
self that there is something back of
it ala hidden power that manipu-
lates the wires-a fate that controls
| their ueStinieS.
Accompanied by Mr.. Grimes he
again reaches the piazza, and seeking
quiet, retired nook they start in to
enjoy their cigars. Mynheer Joe seeks
to throw this last disturbing element
to one side. and being possessed of re-
markable will power, he manages to
do so, concentrating his mind upon
other matters.
They chat about several things in
general, and seem to be very comfort
able. The explorer, when his cigar is
half smoked, takes a glance around,
and notes that they are quite alone,
for the piazza at this point is desert