Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-20
with supply of food sufficient to last
him for several days, he deserted his
post, abandoned his friends and dis
appeared into the jungle!
PART Ill

PART, III.
The sun was slowly sinking behind
the dense wall of jungle which
!, hens in, on the southern side, the
frontier station of Nampoung. In
the river below there is ford,
which has distinguished claim
on fame, inasmuch as it is one
of the gateways from Burmah
into western China. This ford is
guarded continually by company
| of Sikhs, under the command of an
English officer. To be candid, it is
not a post that is much sought after.
| Its dullness is extraordinary. True,
one can fish there from morning I'M
til night, if one is so disposed; and if
one has TIE good fortune to be a bot
anist. there is an inexhaustible field
open for study. 1t is also true that
Nampoung is only 30 miles or so, as
the crow flies, from Bhamo, and when
one has been in the wilds, and out
of touch OF civilization for months
at time, Bhamo is by no means a
| place to be despised. So thought
| y
Twenty-third regiment, as he threw
his line into the pool below him.
ITS worse than a dogs lifc," he
said to himself, as he looked at the
ford hundred yards or so to his
right, where, at the moment, his SUB
altern was engaged levying toll up
on some ,Yunnan merchants who
|
into China. After that he glanced
behind him at the little cluster of
buildings on the hill, and groaned
once more. 81 wonder what they are
doing in England" he continued.
Trout fishing has just begun, and /
can imagine the dear old governor at
the Long pool, rod in hand. The
girls will stroll down in the after
noon to find out what sport he has
had, and they'll walk home across
the park with him, while the mater
will probably meet them half way.
And here am I in this God-forsaken
hole with nothing to do but to keep
an eye on that ford there. Bhamo
is better than this, Mandalay is bet
ter than Bhamo, and Rangoon is bet
ter than either. Chivvying dakus is
Paradise compared with this sort of
thing. Anyhow, I'm tired of fishing"
! He began to take his rod to pieces
preparatory to returning to his
quarters on the hill. He had lust I'M
shipped the last joint, when he be-
came aware that one of his men was
approaching him. He inquired his
business, and was informed in return
that Dempsey, his sub, would be
glad to see him at the ford Hand
ing his rod to the man he set off in
the direction of the crossing in ques-
| ton, to become aware, as he ap-
preached it, of disreputable figure
propped up against tree on the
| nearer bank
| Whats the matter, Dempsey?'
he inquired. What on earth have
you got there, MANI"
| "Well, that's more than can saw"
the other replied. He's evidently a
white man, and fancy an English
man. At home we should call him a
scarecrow. He turned up from across
the ford just now, and tumbled down
in the middle of the stream like a
| shot rabbit. Never saw such a thing
before. He's not pretty sight, is
hep"
Poor devil" said Gregory. "He
seems to be on his last legs. I won
der who the deuce he is, and what
brought him into this condition"
"I've searched, and there's nothing
about to tell u.s. said Dempsey.
what do you think we had better
do with him?"
"Get him up the HILL" said his su-
perior, without hesitation. "When
he's a bit stronger we'll have his
story out of him. I'll bet few
years pay it will be interesting"
A file of men were called, and the
mysterious stranger was carried up
to the residence of the English Off
GERS. 1t was plain to the least OBJ
servant that he was in very serious
condition. Such clothes as he pos
sessed were in rags; his face was
pinched with starvation, and more
over he was quite unconscious.
When his bearers, accompanied by
the two Englshmen, reached the
cluster of huts, he was carried to a
small room at the end of the officers
bungalow and placed upon the bed.
After little brandy had been adj
ministered, he recovered conscious.
ness and looked about him. Heav.
ing sigh of relief, he inquired
where he might be.
You are at Nampoung," said
Gregory, land you ought to thank
your stars that you are not in King
dom Come. If ever man was near
it, you have been. We won't ask YOU
for your story now; however, later
on, you shall bukh to your hearts
content. Now am going to give
you something to eat. You look is if
you want it badly enough
Gregory looked at Dempsey and
made sign, whereupon the other
withdrew, to presently return carry
ing bowl of soup. The stranger
drank it ravenously, and then lay
back and closed his eyes once more.
III