Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-03-10
II will not dwell on this part or my

WliiI. In the morning. we SoI up ste"h'
mnd began to make good headway.
"Uutil half way to the Second Cata-
rnct we were not molcsted. Then
tros1, Of scouting followers of the
Nraaadi sighted us, and riding into tho
r,xxr attempted to take the steamer.
I'VE had prepared for this. There
xa,s a small cannon OH board. which
we kept IN readineas for just such an
| emergency as this, and when we sent
R hts contents into the midst of the black
rascals they scattered to the winds.
Below, we had another fight. and
this time they very nearly took the
! vessel, but .ur fire was trihe too
A warm, and they finally allowed us to
4 go on.
LAS we drew near the cataract we
knew we would have to abandon the
4 little steamer. but We had determined
\ to continue the voyage In her light
4 yawl, which could be carried around
the cataract ry two stout men.
This was finally done. and we kept
I on down the river. Fortune had been
/ kind until now. We ran upon some
| hippopotami. and in Il rage one OF the
| monsters crushed our boat. 1t was in
the night. l believe my poor Kassee
must have fallen victim to the say.
age beasts. for l saw him no move.
/ "My own escape was very miracu.
ions I landed a mile down the stl cam.
At break of day l pushed OIL. Fate
threw me in with Il native, WHO car
rsal me MS far as the First Cataract
| N his boat. Here | me, an English
| hhu,er. a bold fellow wbD, with some
rui,,rs. had been up the river shooting
river horses, rs he called the hippo
pe1ami.
lie was Mortified. Mt my news, ana
GLADLY gave me a place in his comfort
mile boat, after which we set out for
/ Cairo. hundreds of miles away.
All went well until we were about
| txa days run above the city. when
snEden s0uall tool us unawares; the
saiat capsized and l found myself
wrecked again In the darkness.
II spent weary hours clnsinS to the
,natch which had somehow coiie un-
der my hands. Several times boats
came near ME in the morning. but no
,ne would take me OH. They pre-
tended not to hear Ne; in fact. |
lmight as well have been thousand
miles away for all they noticed me.
You see. they have dread of being
held as witnesses, and ii part of Il
l.. ,lt I.. ~
| legal inquiry, which will compel them
| to be In town aud lose time from their
| work
| "As the day was passing l felt that |
I must leave my raft and try to gain the
/ distant shore where the railroad runs
H unless soon rescued. Just then this
k boat came down the river, running
\ close by l called to the captain, tell.
4 ing him I was from khartoom, with
4 news of Gordon; he at once put about
4 and came to my rescue. The rest you
\ already krow. my friends
4 Thus Mynheer Joe finishes his story.
I 1t has not taken a great while to tell
\ the facts, but volumes could be filled
\ with the detais He cndeavors to
\ control himself when speaking of Cor.
\ don's death, but 1t is evident that,
| event has made IL powerful impression
. on the sturdy explorer. who so often
F.; has fought side by side with the Chris.
! tian hero.
Sandy has censed making his hero"
glyphics upon the pages OF his note
book. His face beams with enthusiasm
Mt the thouc 1T Of being tirst with this
| authentic account of Gordons death.
| At the same time. out Of respect for
\ the feelings of Mynheer Joe. he en-,
| deavors to subdue :hls mark of jour
| nalistic pride and appear sober, but j.
4 Is really beyond him.
As for Mr.. Grimes, he has observed
the narrator with deep interest all th,"
while he tells of the strange things
! which happened to him. Whatever is
| passing in the mind of the silver kin;"'
he does not allow it to be shown UPON
his face. which is as cXpressionless as
that of the Sphinx.
The messenger from Khartoom sits
! there tor brief interval. with that
| look of sadness on his face, as though
the thoughts surging through his mind
have been too much for him.
Come, rouse yourself. my boy, You
are among friends at las7, th:u,k
heaven. and VIII be the lion of Caro-
when 1t is publicly known that you
we're with gallant Gordon when lie
fell" says Sandy, but the other holds
up his hand. and says quietly:
"That is distinction | do not crave.
Somehow l feel guilty in not leaving
my body beside Gordon. AT best, l
see nothing to boast of in having es-
capped his fate"
"The brave are ever modest" says
| Sandy AT least, you will make re.
port to the proper officials tomorrow
and verify my dspat tches?'
"Yes. a very brief one That is only
! just. | would. for certain reasons OF
my own which you cannot understand,
keep 1t as quiet as possible
Just so" remarks the liver king,
in such n peculiar way that Mynheer
Joe glances at him, and then finds his
attention caught by n photograph on
| the wall, which he sees for the first
time.
THAT face ngain Whose picture
have we herey he demands, with
an alarming interest.