The midland journal., 1904-03-18

Ills first act, therefore, upon lnding
himself alone in his room, Is to draw
chair near the window, throw HIM
self into it, produce igar, strike
match and start the engine.
As with all old smokers this pro
duces a train of reflection. He goes
back to the moment when he opened
his eyes on board the dahabeah and
met his frienls, Sandy and Mr.. Grimes.
| Then it Is easy to follow the track OF
events down to the present, and there
are several places where Joe fingers
| tenderly.
What strange series Of adventures
| he looks back upon.
"And the end is not yet" he mutters,
| IS he contemplates the past through
the halo of the blue smoke that cir
| .les around him, "for, unless I'm
1eucedly mistaken, there's going to be
4 continuation of this warfare. 1t
may extend even to India's coral
strand, If this little beast Of baron
makes up his mind that he's bound to
possess Molly. Right now and here
make a vow that such thing shall
never be. Molly belongs to him
The deuce! I'll see him hanged first.
And vet I don't underrate the fellow.
He's dangerous as a dynamite bomb.
and must be handled with extreme
care"
This is Joe's way to dot. He Is
known as a brave, but careful man,
one not called a Hotspur in any sense
of the word. and yet ready to lead a
forlorn hope or attempt a most peril
Gus mission. In battle his strong right
arm has been worth half dozen ordi
nary men, and those under whom he
fought have been accustomed to de-
pend on him when difficulties arose.
He smokes and ponders.
Somehow the business makes him a
trifie drowsy. and he thinks he might
as well lie down for spell. It will be
several hours before day comes, and
there can be no telling what may &C.
cur to exhaust him ere another oppor
tunity occurs to get any sleep.
Rising, he tosses the butt Of his ci-
gar out of the window. At the same
time he stands there and glances
around.
The poor apology for an Egyptian
moon has reached a respectable point
up in the heavens, and as Joe looks
out he can see the grand plaza before
him. Beyond are white-walled houses,
the cleaning don1es Of mosques and
needle-like minarets, from which per-
chance at sunrise the muezzin will Ds
calling all the faithful Mussulmans to
prayer.
Giving q yawn he looks down and
notes that the ground is not so far be-
low but what an agile man could
jump to it safely.
Then Mynheer Joe throws himself
upon the clean bed. 1t feels very COM
Portable, and he gives grunt of satis-
faction. 1t Is not very often man of
his calling finds chance to rest upon
such couch. More generally he lies
upon a bed of leaves or the hard side
of a plank on board some exploring
boat. Certainly, Joe has been given
no cot of roses while with Gordon in
Khartoom. This fact does not pre-
vent a traveller used to roughing 1t
from enjoying a soft thing when
chance throws it in his way.
He finds his senses fading. and then
all becomes blank as sleep Overpowers
him. The hour passes on. All is ST.
ience around the famous hostelry save
for the discordant barking Of NANCY
ours upon the streets-a sound every
sojourner in the land of Egypt be-
comes accustomed to- as 1t Is unmerci-
fully dinned into his ears In every city
Of size.
Mynheer Joe has moved restlessly
several times, as though his dreams
take him back to the exciting scenes
at the beleaguered city on the Nile.
Suddenly his eyes fly open. Could
that be the effect Of vivid dream or
did he really hear siblant whisper:
"Mynheer Joe. awake! Danger!"
Never in all his life has this man of
iron nerve been more completely
aroused. He lies there as still as
rock, and yet with his senses and
nerves on the qui vive.
Ha! Is that sound that reaches
him from the direction Of the window?
Gently he raises his head to look.
What he sees In that one glance Is
quite enough to take away an ordi-
aary mans breath.
ITO be Continued