Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-02-06
"rhat Is go" answered. oscaru.

"That Is 3d." answered Oscaru.
= "And Joseph won't go back?"
Motif you were to give him that
$4,000 worth of stuff"
"And you will not go back?"
"Not for 100000. There Is a curse
on that place."
II believe there is" said Meredith.
And such was the end of the great
simiacine scheme = the wonder Of a
few seasons. Some day, when the
great Sahara is turned into an inland
sea, when steamers shall ply where
sand now flies before the desert wind,
the plateau may be found again. Some
day, when Africa is cut from east to
west by railway line, some adven-
turous soul will scale the height of one
of many mountains, one that seems no
different from the rest and yet is held
in awe by the phantom haunted deni-
zens of the gloomy forest, and there
he will find pyramid Of wooden cases
surrounded by bleached and scattered
bones where vultures have fed.
In the meantime the precious drug
will grow scarcer day by day, and the
human race will be poorer by the loss
of one of those half matured discov-
cries which have more than once in
the worlds history been on the point
of raising the animal called man to
higher, stronger, finer development of
brain and muscle than we can con-
ceive of under existing circumstances.
Who can tell? Perhaps the strange,
solitary bush may be found growing
elsewhere in some other continent
across the ocean. The ways of nature
are past comprehension, and no man
can say who sows the seed that crops
up in strange places. The wind blow
eth where it listeth, and none can tell
what germs it bears. 1t seems hardly
credible that the plateau, no bigger
than cricket field, far away in tho
waste land of central Africa, can be
the only spot OH this planet where the
magic leaf grows in sufficient profu-
sion to supply suffering humanity with
an alternating drug, unrivaled "a
strength giving herb unapproached in
power. But as yet no other slmiacine
has been found. and the plateau is
lost.
And the end OF it was two men who
had gone to look for it two years be-
fore young and hearty = returning
from the search successful beyond
their highest hopes, with a shadow in
their eyes and gray upon their heads.
They sat for nearly two hours in
that room in the quiet house in Rus
sell square, where the cabs do not
pnss and their conversation was of
money. They sat until they had closed
the simiacine account, never to be re-
opened. They discussed the question
Of announcement and after due consid-
Grafton concluded that the gain was
rightly theirs, seeing that the risk had
all been theirs. Slaves and slave own.
er had both taken their cause to n
higher court, where the defendant has
no worry and the plaintiff is at rest.
They were beyond the reach of money
beyond the glitter of gold-far from
the cry of anguish. A fortune was set
aside for Marie Durnovo, to be held
in trust for the children of the man
who had found the simiacine plateau;
another was apportioned to Joseph.
"Seventy-seven thousand one hun
bred and four pounds for you," said
Jack Meredith at length, laying aside
his pen; "seyenty-seven thousand one
hundred and four pounds for me.
And" he added, after little pause,
at was not worth it."
| Guy Oscard smoked his pipe and
shook his head.
"Now," said Jack Meredith, 81 must
so. must be out of London TO-
morrow morning. shall go abroad
America or somewhere"
He rose as he spoke, and Oscard
made no attempt to restrain him.
They went out into the passage to-
gether. Oscard opened the door and
followed his companion u the step.
II suppose" said Meredith, I'VE
shall meet some time, somewhere?"
YES"
They shook hands.
Jack Meredith went down the steps
almost reluctantly. At the foot Of the
short flight he turned and looked NJ
at the strong, peaceful form of his
friend.
what will you do?" he said.
| II shall go back to my big game
replied Guy Oscard. II am best al
that. But l shall not 80 to Africa"