The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-13
CHAPTER v--Continued.

small group Of people stood by
l. wooden pedestal In the centre OF
H The room, which supported the famous
Fl ctuclforin font fount Mt 1'Iar Ee-seb'n.
M They turned at Spence's entrance. Ae
81 saw some familiar faces OF people VIII
Ii whom lie had been brought III contact
during the time of the first discovery
ii Two English missionaries, one IN or
& ders, the English Consul. and Profess
i sot Theodore Adams, the American ar
Il chaeologlst who oil tho year round IN
the new western suburb, stood speaking
AZ grave tones and with distressed races
90 It seemed to the Intruder.
NJ An Egyptian servant, dressed IN white
Il linen. carrying a bunch Of keys, was with
& them. :,
In his hand the Consul held a roll
6 OF yellow native wax.
An enormous surprise shown out on
the faces Of these people as Spence walk
ed up to him.
Y "Mr. Spence" said the Consul, we
never expected you or heard Of you com
ing. This Is most fortunate, however.
{. You were his great friend. think you
4 both shared chambers together IN Lon
X don r.
Spence looked at him In wonder, me-
chanically shaking the preferred hand.
II don't think quite understand" he
h said. II came here quite by chance
Z Just to see II there was any ono that
4 knew about" #f
."rhen YOU have not heard" said the
clergyman
4" have heard nothing"
.'Your friend, our distinguished follow
Y worker, Professor Hands, Is no more
We have Just received cable. Poor, dear
Hands died Of heart disease while taking
q seaside holiday"
Spence was genuinely affected.
II Hands was an old and dear friend.
His sweet, kindly MIXTURE, too dreamy
and retiring perhaps for the rush and
<. hurry Of Occidental life. had always been
wonderfully welcome for a month or
two each year In ILncon's Inn. His
quaint, learned letters, his enthusiasm for
4 his work had become part Of the journa-
lists life. They We're recurring plea
sures. And now he was gone!
Now 1t was all over. Never more
would he hear tho quiet voice, hear the
water-plpe bubble in tho quiet old inn
] as night gave way to dawn.
His brain whirled with the sudden
shock. He grew very pale waiting to
hear more,
I'VE know little more said the Con-
sui, with sigh. "a cable from the cen-
p
the fact and asked me to take official
y charge Of everything here. We were
Just about to begin sealing up the rooms
when you came. There are many impor-,
: tant documents which must be seen to-.
4 Mr. Forbes, poor Hands's assistant, is
4 away on the shores OF the Dead Sea, but
we have sent for him by the camel gar
rison post. But 1t will be some weeks
before he can DO here, probably"
This is terribly sad news for me-,
said Spence at length. I'VE were, Of
course the dearest friends, The months
b when Hands was In town were always
/ aid not see SO much Of each other; he
K had become public character. lie was
becoming very depressed and unwell,
g terrified, almost think, Mt what was
E going on In the world owing to tho dis
q revery he had made, and he was going
away to recuperate. But / knew moth
.3 Ing of thls!''
& II am sorry said the Consul, ito
Ghave to tell you OF such cad business,
K but we naturally thought that somehow
you knew--thought. OF course, In point
( Of time that would hardly be possible,
/ or only just so.''
II am In the East" said Spence, CIV
~ Ing an explanation that he had previous
\ ~ prepared II It became necessary to
5f account for his pres ence-'I am here on a
n mission for my newspaper-to ascertain
various points about public opinion In
view OF MI these Imminent International
complications"
quite so, quite So" said the Consul.
81 shall be glad to help you In any way
H can, Of couse. But when you came in
we were wondering what we should do
Z exactly about poor Hands's private CT
fects, papers. and! so on. When no went
X on leave all his things: were packed In
Z cases and sent down here from his rooms
4 In tho upper city ! suppose they had
better be shipped to England. Perhaps
n you would take charge OF them on your
4 return?" ~
II expect you will hear from his broth
4 or, the Rev. John Hands, Leicester
B shire clergyman, when the mail comes
z In" said Spence. This Is Il great blow
to me. should like to pay my poor
friend some public tribute. should like
7 to write something Tor English people to
( read-a sketch OF his life and work hero
4, In Jerusalem--hls daily work among you
III ALL"
His voice faltcred. His eyes had fallen
4 on photograph which hung upon the
II wall. A group OF Arabs sat Mt the mouth
OF a rock tomb. In front Of Them. wear
i Ing sun helmet and holding ten-foot
surveyors wand. stood the dead profess
Eor. a kindly smile was on his face as
he looked down upon the white figures
OF his men.
1T would be gracious tribute" snid
4 one OF the missionaries. EVERY one loved
4 him. whatever their race or creed. we
can all tell you Of him us We saw him
T. In our midst, IT Is n great pity that old
Ionides has gone. He was tho confidcn-
tial shnrer OF all the work here, and
Hands trusted him implicitly. lie could
have told you much"
Il " remember Ionides WELL" said Spence
AT the time Of the discovery. OF course,
Y he was very much IN evidence, and no
was examined by the committee. Is tho
II old fellow dead, them"
NO answered the missionary. Some
time ago, just after the commission left
In fact. he came into n considerable sum
Of money. He was getting on In years,
I ana he resigned his position here He
s has taken an olive fom somewhce
II BY Nsbuus. a Turkish city by Mount
Certain ] fear we shall never see him
more. He would srieye a. this news