The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-05

i The man opened the door, and his
1 felow-servitor OF an eccentric class and
| generation stepped back on the door.
step to let a young lady pass into the {
4 hall. n
"Mr. oscard7" she said. CURLY.
Lett ONE. Miss, replied the butter,
stittly conscious Of walnut-peel on his
| waistcoat. 5
"How long ago7"
A matter Of half an hour, Miss"
Mlllcent Chyne. whose face was drawn
and white, passed farther into the hall.
Seeing the dlning-room door ajar, she
! passed into that stately apartment, fol-
lowed by the butler.
MIR. DISCARD sent me this sote," she
said. showing a crumpled paper. Say
ing that he was leaving for Africa to-
| night. He gives NO explanation. Why
| has he gone to African
''He received q telegram while he. was
at dinner, Miss" replied the butler.
whose knowledge OF the world Indicated
the approach OF at least a sovereign. He
rose and threw down his napkin. Miss
I'm gon to Africa, he sGcs. Come and
help me pack. !"
"Dld you SEQ the telegram--by any
chance7' asked Miss chyne.
well. Miss, didn't rightly read IT,"
! Nlilllcent had given way to a sudden
panic on tho receipt Of Guys note. a
/
with voice which he obeyed with such
alacrity that he had not paused to finish
his dInner--could only mean that some
disaster had happened-some disaster 10
Jack Meredith. And quite suddenly
Aiillicent Chyne's world was emptled OF
| all else but Jack Meredith. For q mo-
| ment she forgot herself. She ran to tho
room where Lady cantourne was afiix-
! ing the family 5ewelry on her dress. and,
| showing the letter. said brcathlessly that
she must see Guy Oscard at once. Lazy
\ Cantourne wise woman OF the world
| that she was, said nothing She merely
| finished her toilet and, when the car
rlage was ready, they drove round ny
Russell Square.
.,yYho was ii from7': asked Milicent..
From a person named Gordon. Miss.
And whnt did IT say"
well. Miss. as said before. aia
not rightly see. But 1t seems that u
/ said. Come at once saw that,
.And what else? Be quick. please
"I think there was mention OF some
body bein surrounded. Miss. Some name
like Denver. thing No! Wait BIT:
It wasn't that; Il was somebody else.
Finishing of the port had also meant
beginning ii, and tho worthy buffers
mind was not particularly clear.
! "Wns there any mention OF Mr. Os-
cards partner. Enthusiastically" ask
ed Nillcent. glancing at tho clock.
Eyes. Mss, there was that name, but
don't rightly remember In what con-
1T didn't say that he Milllcent
paused and drew in her breath with
jerk--.'was dead, or anything like that
"Oh. no. Miss.
Thank you. lam sorry we missed MT.
Osnard.
She turned and went back TO Lady
cantourne. who was sitting In the car
riaee. And while she WAS dancing the
second extra with the first conner Mt
o'clock the next morning. Guy Cscard
was racing out OF Plymouth Sound into
the teeth OF a fine. driving rain, On tha e
Oscard's side. stood a kcen-ayed Channel
pilot who knew ..e tracks OF the
steamers "a and down Channel as
gamekeepcr knows the hare tracks across
q stubble field. Moreover, the tus-poat
caught the big steamer pound'n. down
into the gray OF the Atlantic ocean, ana
in due time Guy Oscard landed on tho
beach at Loando.
He had a telegram still in his pocket,
and he went. not to Maurice Goruoh
office, but to the bungalow.
iocelyn greeted him with little mar
t.culate cry of JOY.
II did not think that you could pos
sibly be- here so soon" she said.
"yVhat news have you?" he asked.
without pausing to explain. He was one
OF those men who are silenced by an un-
limited capacity for prompt action.
That she replied, handing him the
note written by Jack Meredith to Marie
at Msala.
Guy Discard read 1t carefully.
DATED seven weeks last Monday--near-
ly two months ago he muttered. half TO
himself
the window. There were lines OF anxiety
round his eyes. Jocelyn never took her
glance from his face.
"Nearly two months ago" he repeated.
"But you will go?'' she said-and some
thing in her voice startled him. !.
looked down into her face with a vague
question in his quiet eyes; and who
knows what he saw there? Perhaps she
was or her guard Perhaps she read
this man Alright and did not care.
With q certain slow hesitation he laid
thing almost paternal in his manner
which was in keeping with his stature,
"Moreoyer,H he went on. II Will get
there In time. have an immense respect
for Meredith. If he said that he could
hold out for four months, ] should say
is no one like Meredith, once he makes
IN his mind to take things seriously"
1t WAS not very we'll done. and she
probably saw through It. She probably
knew that he was as ANXIOUS as she was
herself. But his very presence was fun
Of comfort. IT somehow brought change
to the moral atmosphere-a sense Of
purposeful, direct simplicity which was
new to the West African coast
II will send over to the factory for
Maurice said the girl. .'IIe has heen
hard at work getting together your men.
II your telegram had not come 10 was
Oscard looked slightly surprised. That
did not sound like Maurice Gordon.
II believe you are almost capable Of
going yourself" said the big man, with
q slow smile,
.'If had been man I should have bsen
half way there by this time"
Where is Durnoyo?" he asked. sud
denly
hean to this house for more than a fort
night; hut Maurice has heard that ne
is still somewhere In Loango."
Jocelyn paused. There WAS an express
aim ar G,,y Oscard's face which she