Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-02-07
tr.angest Case
BY GUY BOOTHBY.
Arthcr OF CDR. NlKoLA,'' BEAUTIFUL WHITE DEVIL"
:. PtAROs. THE EGYPTIAN" Etc.
BY GUY BooTHBY.
copyrighted, 1901, BY Ward. Lock = COL

an En2QSnman, no SalQ, III b VOlCe
that shook with emotion. "I'm glad
we have found you. I heard your
rifieshot and hailed you. We are in
sore distress, and have been through
such adventures and such misery as
no man would believe. / have poi
soned my foot, and am unable to
walk any further. AS you can see
for yourself am blind, while my
companion is dumb"
This statement accounted for the
smaller mans curious behavior and
the others closed eyes.
you have suffered indeed" said
Grantham, pityingly. But how did
it all come about?"
1--WE were traders, and we fell into
the hands of the Chinese" the taller
man answered. with their usual
amiability they set to work to tor
ture US. My companions tongue they
cut out at the roots, while, as have
said, they deprived me of my sight.
After that they turned US loose to
go where we would. We have wan
dered here, there and everywhere,
living on what we could pick up, and
dying q thousand deaths every day.
1t would have been better If we had
died outright-but somehow we've
come through. Can you take us to
a place where we can procure food?
We've been living on jungle fruit for
an eternity. My foot wants looking
to pretty badly, too"
well do all we can for you," said
Grantham. That's if we can get you
down to the ford, which is about five
miles away"
you'll have to carry me, then,
for I'm too far gone to walk"
II think it can be managed" said
Grantham. "At any rate we'll try"
Turning to the little Shan he dis
patched him with a message to
Handiman, and when the other had
disappeared. knelt down beside the
tall man and set to work to examine
his injured foot. There, could be no
doubt that it was in very serious
condition. Tramping through the
jungle he had managed to poison it.
and had been unable to apply the
necessary remedies. Obtaining some
water from the stream Grantham
bathed it tenderly, and then bound it
up as well as he could with his hand
kerchief.
That's the best 1 can do for you
for the present" he said. I'VE must
leave it as it is, and, when we get
you to the station, we win see what
else can be managed"
He looked up and saw the little
mans eyes watched him intently.
There was look of almost dog-like
affection in them for his companion,
that went to the young soldiers
heart.
by Jove,' he said. I'm sorry for
you fellows. You must have suffered
'agonies. The Chinese are devils. But
yours is not the first case we have
heard'of. We only come up here for
a month at time, but the man we
relieved told us a strange tale about
another poor beggar who came into
the station some two months ago
He had been wandering in the jungle,
and was nearly at deaths door"
The blind man gave start. while
the little man seized his hand and
made number of rapid movements
upon it with his fingers.
My friend wants to know il you are
aware Of that mans name?" he said
1--WE lost companion and he thinks
that he may be the man. For heav-
ems sake tell US what you know
You have no idea what it means
to u.s."
"Since you are so interested in him
am sorry to have to say that do
not know very much. You see he had
very little to do with us. AS l have
said, he turned up while our prede.
cessors were. here. From what ]
heard about him from Gregory, he
gathered that he was tall, thin
man, who had come through from
Picking by way of Yunnan."
Are you sure it was from Yum.
nan?"
That's what they told me-" said
Grantham. "Since then have heard
that he was on his way from Picking
to Burmah, and that his coolies had
robbed him of all he possessed
You don't happen to remember his
name. supposed
The blind man tried to ask the
question calmly, but his voice failed
him.
AS far as I remember his name
was George Bertram," Grantham an
swered.
There was a pause for a few sec.
onds, after which the blind man be.
gan again
HE didn't tell you, I suppose
whether he had any money about
him?"
"He hadn't red cent" said Grant.
ham. "The Chinese cleared. him out
They lent him the money to- get to
Rangoon. ] happen to know that be.
cause he cashed my friends check in
Bhamo."
There was another and somewhat
longer pause.
you did not hear whether he had
any precious stones in his posses.
sion?"
Good gracious, no! From what
they told me gathered that the mar
hadn't halfpenny in the world
Why should he have been likely tc
have had jewels2 In point of fact
I'm sure he hadn't, for I was give1
to understand he was about as woe
BECOME g customer as could be founi