Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-07-29

Presently he turned away, salts
fed, and waited for the old mans
eye. He waved hand.
Old lib shouted; but it was not for
this that Col Sale, with the first step
desperately taken, stood rooted where
he was. He had seen Jack Alleyn's
fave above the opposite brink. a few
PAGES down stream
Jack advanced quite slowly. until
his pert little figure showed complete.
He was looking intent at first, as If he
had not recognized his friend; but his
red face relaxed in the funny little
smile down his nose that Sale knew.
He danced a little dance above the
torrent, came out of the dipping rock
and dropped over.
Col. Sale let him speak the first
word. 1t was dumbshow, like every
thing else he had done in the catar-
acts roar; and, for the first time In
life the man who would have relin-
pushed life so boldly was at a loss
from fear. Jacks living and warm
grasp gave him a great shock, more
over.
Instantly he drew Jack away, but
with hand which became so wise
like, and with such evident nervous
ness, that his friend was shocked at
the change In him. Privately, Jack
swore at the war for 1t, yet thought 1t
strange In such a gallant man. He
was pulled up to the fringe of a wood
ed bank before the colonel spoke
MY dear old chap What brings
you here? How the deuce did you
find me?"
The little cotton merchant continued
to act facetiously. All" said he,
pushing a chest out, blow me If can
tell you that! Genius, think. The
British army lost a very good man
when I stopped growing, Art. .........
Had you seen me Were you going to
Jump up that silly rock ?"
"Jove, how you started mel" the
miserable man ran on. do you kcow,
| had you In mind at that moment, as
II | should see you directly.
How long are you here? Where are
you staying, old Jack? Wasn't
that strange, thought
Jack thought his friends behaviour
stranger He was not unaware Of the
card-play. rumor of which had reached
as far as Liverpool. Devonshire
Arms" he said, laconically. Got
any fish,"
II was over the after-dinner smoke
that both men came to an awkward
was not endurable; he waited for some
more intimate talk. hoping good from
1t, and then set about with delibera.
ton to put his friend at ease.
He said very quietly, 81 know what
you're thinking of. Art"
The colonel controlled himself with
difficulty He had little doubt left
just at that moment that Jack had
seen through his bad acting but he
looked up, saw him admiring The ash
of his cigar, and still kept silence.
dreading the word that would shatter
selfrespect.
You're as superstitious as ever;
wondering what the deuce that coin.
cidence' portends of my turning up so
adroitly. o, know you of old" He
laughed gently. my dear fellow, I'm
sorry to disabuse you. but It's simply
no coincidence at all. I've been hunt
ing you about town for week, of
and on; got your address from your
wife. and here I am, on a most prosaic
business mission But confess. You've
been thinking 1t odd all day haven't
you?"
The comfort Of this was worth a
explanation 1t did nothing 20 shake
the saved mans faith in the supernat-
ural.
well, yes" he replied to the chal-
lenge.
Just so. You're the old dream
er. and It isn't good for the nerves.
Art Are you game" proceed
ed Jack. in his very quietest tones.
ITO do big journey nowadays? One
Of your old adventures"
Col Sale gazed at his friend with
strange eyes.
TITS this. You know the state Of
the Egyptian fiber market Or, OF
course, you don't; that wouldn't inter
est you Egyptian fiber is at fam
Inc price; perfectly frightful In Liv-
erpool. we've formed the Imperial cot
ton-grOwing extension association.
pooling little capital to look for new
fields and promote enterprise. What
we want now. as soon as ever we can
lay our hands on him. is the right
sort OF man to go down the railway
route from Cairo to the Cape-taking
his own time about II. of course
and spy out possibilities, Well, told
the other directors about you and the
Mahdi. I'm to ask you II you'll under
take the trip. old chap. It's dangerous
know; but what they offer to do,
apart from cost Of equipment and all
that. is to put down $4,000 a year for
say. three years, and I am empowered
to nav N into vOur hank ~ Won ron.