Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-01-18
Vv.
"was he very great scoundrelT

| flood Of recollection. For the moment
he did not notice how he had beer
trapped into. speaking Of himself, MOI
did he see the quiet content on Iris
face when she ELECTED the information
| that his chief foe was man. A Ger
tain tremulous hesitancy in her man
ner when she next spoke might have
warned him, but his hungry SOU
caught only the warm sympathy of hel
words, which fell Hike rain on parched
soil.
you are tired" she said "Won't
you smoke for a little while and talk
TO mcY'
He produced his pipe and tobacco.
THAT is first rate pipe" she de-
cared. my father always said that a
straight stem, with the bowl at right
angle, was the correct shape. You evil
IDENTIFY agree with him."
Absolutely
"You will like my father when you
meet him. He is tho very best man
alive I am sure"
you two are great friends, then?"
Great friends! He IL the only friend
! possess in the world"
what! Is that quite accurate"
"Oh. quite. OF course, Mr.. jerks, I
can never forget how much I owe to
you. like you immensely, too al
though you are $3.50 grufr to me at
times. But-but-you see, my father
and l have always been together.
have neither brother nor sister, not
even cousin My dear mother died
from some horrid fever when l was
quite little girl. My father is every
thing to me-
Dear child" he murmured, appsr-
emily utteI1rg his thoughts aloud rath-
err than addressing her directly. 80
you find me gruff, ehT'
"A regular bear when you lecture me.
But that 10 only occasionally. You can
be very nice when you like, when you
forget your past troubles. And pray,
why do you call me child?"
Have done SO"
Not moment ago. How old are
you, Mr.. jerks? I am twenty-twenty
last December"
And l." he said, Twill be twenty
eight in August"
Good gracious! she gasped Il am
very sorry, but l really thought you
were forty at least
Il look it. no doubt. Let me be equal
ly candid and admit that you, too.
show your age markedly"
She smiled nervously. What a lot
of trouble YOU must have had toto
to give you those little wrinkles in the
corners of your mouth and eyes" she
said.
"Wrinkles How terribler
Il don't know. l think they rather
suit you. Besides, it was stupid of me
to imagine you were so old. l suppose
exposure to the sun creates wrinkles.
and you must have lived much in the
open air.
early rising and late going TO bed
are bad for the complexion he de-
clared solemnly.
II often wonder how army officers
to exist" she said. "They
never seem to get enough sleep, in the
east at any rate"
$50 you assume have been in the
army?'
Il am quite sure OF it."
May ! ask why!'
Your manner, your voice. your quiet
iir Of authority, the very way you
walk. all betray you"
Then he said sadly. Il will not at
empt to deny the fact. held COM
mission in the Indian staff corps for
line years. 1t was a hobby Of mine,
Miss Deane, to make myself acQuant-
ID with the best means Of victualing
ny men and keeping them in good
health under all sorts of fanciful con-
iitions and in every kind of climate,
specially under circumstances when
ordinary stores were not available. |
With that object in view I read I'D
very possible country in which my
eglment might be engaged, learned |
he local names Of common articles of |
God and ascertained particularly what |
provision nature made to sustain life
he study interested me- Once. dur |
ng the Sudan campaign, it was really
Iseful and procured me promotion"
Tell me about It,"
During some operations in the desert
was necessary for my troop to fol-
)w up small party Of rebels mounted
n camels, which, as you probably
now, can go without water much long
r than horses. We were almost with.
1 striking distance when our horses
gave out, but l luckily no.
Iced Indications which showed that
here was water beneath a portion of
he plain much below the general level.
Half An hours spade work proved that
was right. We took up the pursuit
again and ran the quarry to earth, and
got my captaincy."
WAS there no Hghtr'
He paused an appreciable time be-
ore replying. Then he evidently made
Up his mind to perform some disagree
ible task. The watching girl could
Zee the change in his face, the sharp
from eager interest to angry
resentment
YES" he went on at last, "there was
| fight. 1t was q rather stiff affair. be.
'ause a troop Of British cavalry which
should have supported me had turned
Jack owing to the want of water al
eady mentioned. But that did not
ave the officer in charge Of the Tween.
y-fourth lancers from being severely