The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-07-20


| done"
Margery cried over this letter. i
seemed to her as if she detected al
undertone OF hopelessness running
through it. She could only family
imagine the events of that long voy-
age. But she knew that Martin would
persevere to the very utmost.
The letter from Alexandria was a
long time coming She opened it with
feeling of dread.
George has been ill., Martin wrote:
80 i'll that | did not have the heart
to write you until he was better But
he is SO much improved that in a few
days l hope we can start up the Nile.
There was one very gratifying fea-
ture of his illnesS-all his old animos-
ity disappeared. He seemed to want
me near him all the time, and when
the horrors that beset him were at
their worst he would cry out for me
and beg me to protect him. and even
the touch of my hand seemed to soothe
him. | trust that the old feeling will
not return after he fully RECEIVERS. He
has just called to me. Tell sister, he
says, that | am in good hands,
will write to you again before we en-
ter the desert
Then Margery waited for the letter
from the desert and the time seemed,
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. l am writing this
in troop shed. the only quarters We
could get. George is lying on
blanket-covered board within reach of
my hand | do not dare let him leave
my sight. He is very melancholy. and
his antipathy to me has returned. l
have cut down his allowance of brandy
by one-haf and think he Graves it
his lack of appetite for stimulants
does not mean dangerous collapse.
am writing to you frankly, dear girl,
Just as | 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
mad swept away the outpOsts of the
British advance and destroyed much
OF the work upon the new railway.
It had required months to assemble
large force to push these
wild invaders back, and then the adj
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 We're rum
Drs 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
,ortunates. Later on the rescuing
column was reported to its advancing.
There were sharp skirmishes along
he line of march and then another
)attle. And this time the fanatics
we're overwhelmed and their leader
became a friendless fugitive
Six weeks later Margery received a
We are coming home" it told her.
And the name under it was George"
Another long period of waiting fol-
owed, but now Margery's anxiety
vas tempered with hope.
Then came a clear and beautiful
morning in June. and Margery was
'usy with her household duties when
ne bell rang, and two men. one
trong, robust, clear of eye, and rosy
+ cheek, the one gaunt, pale, hollow
yed, confronted her.
Margery gave little scream This
me young fellow, whose hand firmly
lasped hers, was Brother George, and
he figure holding fast to his arm, a
hadow Of his former self, was Martin
Ienley
The tears sprang to Margery's eyes
t this pitiful sight, and she caught