Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-02-07

then the wounded man was lifted
out and carried to a hut at the rear
of the main block of buildings. The
little man watched everything with
an eagle eye, as if he were afraid
some evil might be practiced upon his
companion. When the blind man had
been placed on a bed, and his foot at
tended to as well as the rough sur
gerry of the place would admit, Grant
ham did something he had not all
ready done, and that was to ask them
their names.
My name is Kitwater," said the
blind man, land the name of my
friend here is Codd-Septimus Codd.
He's one of the best and stanchest
little fellows in the world. don't
know whether our names will con-
vey much to you, but such as they
are you are welcome to them. AS a
matter of fact, they are all we have
with which to requite your hospi-
tally"
Why it should have been SO / can
not say, but it was evident from the
first that Capt. Handiman did not be-
lieve the account the refugees gave of
themselves. He was one of that pc
culiar description of persons who
have an idea that it adds to their dig
nifty not to believe anything that is
told them, and he certainly acted up
to it on every possible occasion
There's more in the case than meets
the eye" he said, suspiciously; land L
fancy, if only we could see the bot
tom of it, we should discover that your
two proteges are as fine pair of ras-
Gals as could be found on the continent
of ASIA
II don't know anything about that"
Grantham replied. II only know that
they were miserable couple, and
that did the best could for them.
You wouldn't have had me leave them
in the jungle, surelyr
II am not aware have said so," the
other answered, stiffly. 1.-The only
thing l object to is your treating them
as if they were martyrs, when in all
probability they deserve all the pun
ishment they received"
Grantham was too wise to carry the
argument any further. He knew that
when Handiman was in his present
humor the best thing to do was to
leave him alone in it. He accordingly
returned to the hut where the two
men were domiciled, and attended to
their comfort, as far as lay in his pow
er. His heart had been touched by
their misery. He did not give as rea-
son for the trouble he took the fact
that the face of the elder man remind
ed him of his own venerable father,
the worthy old Somersetshire vicar;
it was fact, nevertheless For
week the unfortunate couple were
domiciled at the ford, and during that
time Grantham attended to their
wants with the assiduity of a
blood relation. Meanwhile Handiman
scoffed and bade him take heed for the
valuables, lest his new-found friends
should appropriate them. He did not
believe in honest gratitude, he de-
clared, particularly where homeless
wanderers in the Burmese jungle were
concerned. At last, however, they
were SO far recovered as to be able to-
proceed on their way once more.
We have to thank you for our lives,
sir" said Kitwater to Grantham,
when the time came for them to say
good-by to the ford Had it not been
for you we would probably be dead
men now. ! don't know whether we
shall ever be able to repay your kind
ness, that is with Allah, but if the OPP
portunity should ever arise you may
be sure we will not neglect it. What
ever we may be now, you may take it
that, we were gentlemen once. There's
just one favor l should ike to ask of
you, sir, before we part!"
what is it?" Grantham inquired.
Il want you, sir, to give me a letter
of Introduction to the gentleman in
your regiment who looked after the
stranger you told me of, when he came
here out of China. I've got sort of
| notion in my head that even if he is
not our friend, that is to say the man
We are searching for, he may happen
to know something of him"
II will give you the letter with pleas
ure," Grantham replied. ~ am sure
Gregory will be only too pleased to
help you as far as lies in his power"
The letter was accordingly written
and handed to Kitwater, who slowed it
away in his pocket as if it were price
less possession. Then, when they had
bade their protector farewell, they in
their turn set off along the track that
Hayle had followed two months be-
fore, and in due course arrived at
Bhamo. Here they presented the let
ter they had obtained to Capt. Charles
Pauncefort Gregory, who, as may be
supposed, received it with manifest
astonishment.
We'll" said he, "of all the stories I
have heard since have been in the
east, this is the most extraordinary.
I thought that other chap was about
as unfortunate a beggar as could well
be, but you beat him hollow at every
turn. Now, look here, before go any
further, I must have my friend with
me. He is the man who discovered the
other chap, and I'm sure he would like
to hear your story"
Dempsey was accordingly sum-
moned, and his wonderment was as
great as his friends had. been.
Now" said Gregory, when Demp-
sey had been made familiar with the
others story, what is it you want to
know about the man we picked up?