Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-11-13


amability they set to work to tor
ture us. My companions tongue they
cut out at the roots, while, as l 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 thousand deaths every day.
1t would have been better il we mad
come through. Can you take us to
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"
az think it can be managed" said
Grantham. AT any rate we'll try"
Turning to the little Shan he dis
patched him with 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 we'll as he could with his hand
kerchicf.
That's the best I 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 will 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 compa MON,
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 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 a start, while
the little man seized his hand and
| 10 o,,;l
upon it with his fingers.
my friend wants to know il you are
aware of that mans name2" he said.
1--WE lost a companion, and he tn nks
that he may be the man. For beav-
ems sake tell us what you know.
You have no idea what it means
TO us"
"Since you are so interested in him
I am sorry to have to say that l do
not know very much. You see he had
very little to do with us. AS I have
said, he turned up while our prede-
cessors were here. From what I
heard about him from Gregory, he
gathered that he was a tall, thin
man, who had come through from
ny way VI
Are you sure it was from Yum
nan?"
That's what they told me-" said
GraItham. "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"
"Iou don't happen to remember his
name, I supposed"
The blind man tried to ask the
him.
"As far as I remember his name
was George Bertram," Grantham an
swered.
There was a pause for few sec
onds, after which the blind man be
gan again
"Ie didn't tell you, suppose
whether he had any money abou
, him?"
He hadn't red cent" said Grant
ham. THE Chinese cleared him out
They lent him the money to get t,
, RanGoon. l happen to know that be
cause he cashed my friends check il
. Bhamo."
There was another and somewha
. longer pause.
you did not hear whether he hac
, any precious stones in his posses
, sion?"
Good gracious, no! From wha
they told me gathered that the ma
3 hadn't a halfpenny In the world
: Why should he have been likely t,
have had jewels? In point of fac
I'm sure he hadn't, for | was givel
! to understand he was about as woe
begone customer as could be foun,
anywhere"
| The blind man uttered heavy sigl
and sank back to his former position
1 upon the ground
q An hour and a half later, Just a
= the shadows of evening were drawin
t in, party of Sikhs put in an appear
d ance, bringing with them a dhooly
e in which they placed the injured mar
n Ii was almost dark when the
e reached the station, where Gran,
= hams superior officer was awaitin
!. their coming.
a what on earth's the meaning o
{ this?" he asked, as the cortege DIRE,
n up before the bungalow. "Who ar
Y these men? And where did you fin
= them?"
=.