The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-05-10


will write to you again before we en-.
ter the desert"
Then Margery waited for the letter
from the desert and the time scemed.
oh, so long! At last it came.
more delays" Martin wrote, "but
now our equipment is ready and we
enter the desert tomorrow. l do not
/ know when you will hear from US
again. We are going to be cut OFF
from the usual means of communica-
ton. But will do my best to re-
lieve your anxiety. I am writing this
in a troop shed, the only quarters we
could get George is lying on
blanket-covered board within reach OF
my hand. l do not dare let him leave
my sight. He is very melancholy, and
his antipathy to me has returned.
have cut down his allowance OF brandy
by one-half and 1 think he Graves 1t
less and less. 1 can only hope that
his lack of appetite for stimulants
does not mean dangerous collapse.
am writing to you frankly, dear girl,
just as l am sure you would have me
write. We had hard battle and the
outcome is not at all certain. Good
by and heaven keep you"
That was the last that Margery
heard from Martin many months.
A year wore away and still no mes
sage came And then Margery almost
ceased to hope. She knew there had
been an uprising of the savage tribes
of the Soudan. The fanatic followers
of leader long supposed to be dead
had swept away the outposts of the
British advance and destroyed much
of the work upon the new railway.
1t had required months to assemble a
sufficiently large force to push these
wild invaders back, and then the ad-
vance, harassed by the foe and ham
pered by fever, was very slow.
And Margery shivered when she
read all this. Where was that little
railway post? Did it lie in the red
pathway of the galloping hordes?
Was there any hope that it could
have escaped?
Later on came the tidings of bat
tie in which the British forces had
routed the fanatics with great loss.
But their own loss was heavy and the
advance was slow. There were rum
ors of white prisoners somewhere in
the interior, and as soon as re-en-
forcements arrived there would be
vigorous attempt to rescue the I'M
fortunates. Later on the rescutng
column was reported to it's advancing.
There were sharp skirmishes along
the line of march and then another
battle. And this time the fanatics
were overwhelmed and their leader
became a friendless fugitive.
Six weeks later Margery received
cablegram.
eve are coming home" it told her.
And the name under it was George"
Another long period of waiting fol-
lowed, but now Margery's anxiety
was tempered with hope.
Then came a clear and beautiful
morning in June, and Margery was
busy with her household duties when
the bell rang, and two men, one
strong, robust, clear of eye, and rosy
of cheek, the one gaunt, pale, hollow
eyed, confronted her.
Margery gave little scream. This
fine young fellow, whose hand firmly
clasped hers, was Brother George, and
the figure holding fast to his arm,
shadow of his former self, was Martin
Henley.
The tears sprang to Margery's eyes
at this pitiful sight, and she caught
hold of Martins wasted hand and
drew him into the little sitting room
and gave him the easiest chair.
There he is" cried George. HE
took me away from home, and I've
brought him back Sister, Margery, if
l talked for a month Of Sundays, I
couldn't begin to tell you what that
man has done FOR me-"
Don't, George" murmured Martin.
Look at me, Margery," cried
George. "See what I have become!
This is a man. Oh, you needn't be
afraid. My craving for the stuff has
gone 1t was burned out of me and
starved out of me and beaten out of
me! A thousand temptations could
mt harm me now And this man
stood by me and nursed me back to
life and saved me from the Arab
swords, and dug me OUT of the Arab
prison" He paused, his eyes were
SUDDENLY suffused. He caught up Mar
tins hand. What horrors we have
been through, brother!" he half
sobbed.
"a fine fellow, Margery,' murmured
Martin with a smiling nod at George.
"He brought me through the desert
fever"
"That was the only chance he gave
me-" cried George. "He broke down
at last and then it was my turn.
twice thought I'd lost him, but when I
whispered 'Margery' in his ear he raj
lied and fought on. Oh, but he's going
70 hn al r.inht now sister The one