The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-02-19
CHAPTER VII.
NEWS FROM OVER THE OCEAN

Mynheer Joe. for once in his life,
feels a cold Precipitation come out
upon his forehead. ,5rhich he nervously
wipes away. He|wonders is this fear
The man who has braved all manner
Of dangerstfn the past. faced death in
its most horrible forms. in the poison
Gus swainps of interior Africa, through
the jungles OF India, where eobras. til
gers and vengeful natives lie in wait:
meeting the crazed Mohammedan der
wishes of the False Prophet face to
face in many an assault at Khartoom
this man actually trembling with
fear because he breads the scorn of u
woman.
He laughs at himself for the fancy,
but it is nervous laugh, not at all
natural, and turning, finds Mr.. Grimes
surveying him in q comical sort of q
way.
Tell me, did you really think that
little nincOmpoop was Demosthencs
TaDner?" asks the silver king, in a
half-choked voice. for to him the
whole situation is inexpressibly funny
dering if it will remedy matters any If
he should pass over and shake the lit
tie terrier until his teeth rattle in his
head; he has conceived /, sudden ha-
tired for him.
"A terrible mistake. my dear fell
low" grins the other, nodding his
head seriously
We'll, rather. under the circum-
stances. Tell Tsr who that man is"
Not that he is particularly anxious.
to know, but the question is a natural
one, and will help to carry him out Of
4 predicament.
The little man? That's the baron.
one of Miss Slolly's most devoted al.
m;rers.''
Confusion. How came it that lie
quarreled with her father, them"
Il don't know. He must have met
Tanner before. but it may not have en-
tered his head that he is her father.
Anyhow, the baron is used to serfs,
and imagines he can run things with
a high hand wherever he goes"
"A Russian?'
Heaven knows what he isn't-Rus-
sian. German and Austrian-he has
served under all their flags. At pres
emf, I have learned. he is under Alex
ander. and bound FOX India by stages.
Russia has dark designs on the rich
possessions OF England on the Indian
Ocean, and some day the hosts OF the
White Car hope 10 rush over the
mountains and overrun the whole OF
the empire along The Ganges. Wc
may not live to see ii, but it will come,
as sure as the world moves"
Mr.. Grimes talks in this way with
an object in vicw-he is interested IN
the subject, and at the same time
hopes to divert the mind of his friend
from the awful coatrcmps into which
he has stumbled.
In this latter lie meets with fair
measure of success. As traveller
and explorer Joe Miner ia Interested
in the movements of armies Oh the
chessboard or Europe, though IT'S
knowledge of diplomatic entaIsle-
ments is very small compared with
that of the war correspondent.
Ey this time Tanner is on his fcet.
His late antagonist feels as though he
would like to stink out of sight. rot
that he is in the least ashamed oe the
part he took in the recent engage
ment. but because he breads the mo
mcnt when AIolly's eyes must fall
upon him after her father has pointed
out the man to whom he owes his
downfall.
He does nothing of the sort. how
ever, but manfully holds his own.
They pass on to the hotel without no
ticing him. whereupon Joe heaves a
sigh of relief
Then he takes himself mentally 20
task. Why should he care whether
this young girl detests him or not?
She is nothing to him-can be nothing
to him. Her coming across his path
has been mere accident "a gentle
ripple on the broad sea OF his plans
and existence. Then his mind goes
back-he sees himself struggling IN the