Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-01-26

was dark aud silent--so silent, in
! ueeu, that In the very Stiffness one
1unnd 4 menace, n hint of some sub
VIC, hidden treachery Every man OF
them felt this. None. apparently.
was able to thrust aside It's sinister
Z snggestlon. A tense atmosphere of
suspense hung thick about them AS
they talked in low voices they hud.
died closely together. utterly numind.
dul8of the oppressive heat The con-
s unued absence of tho scouts who
We're accommodating TO find way of
escape was nerve racling.
The captain and the lieutenant sat
some distance apart from the rest
on the platform which had once been
used for the altar. They were. it
seemed. the only men In the place
VINO had managed to retain their Gus.
tonary poIsc OF manner. Face to face
With grave danger, with, perhaps. nj.
most certain death. they were as cool
s and calm as ever. quito content to
remain together Whiting for 1t in the
frank silence of firm friendship.
This strange friendship had always
puzsied the men who followed them
Never We're two men more dissmilar.
lieutenant Browning was Young,
alert, lmpulsIve. boy who seeming
without effort won the hearts OF
All who knew him. Captain Ransomc.
on 4 no other hand. was cold and aus.
q tnrc. a grim and silent man whose
q Evlorless face seemed always shroud.
cd behind n mask of impenetrablc
moiancholy. No one had ever seen
" hiE bloodiess lips curve I'm smile
= Until tho md Browning had met at
ssHtnur, no ono had ever known him
70 have friend.
Nevertheless. from their first meet
Ingw-thnt had been on Drowning's
i hFFival from Manila, whence he had
sohie TO Join Ransomc's company
suey mad been friends not In the por
!aactory sense OF two men who are
tnrowns In contact with each other by
& c'rcnmstances. but with tho warm I'm.
,imacy OF a mutual regard anu affcc.
uoh. Browning, Il seemed. was tho
oniy person who had ever found tho
;'Wsy to Ransomc's cold heart, the only
one VINO had ever brought mn cxpros.
sion OF tenderness to his steel blue.
usep set Dyes. II was In them now,
rs nc glanced at tho boys face. lie
mao suddenly remembered how from
Y tue tirst they had shared everything.
Until at last. II seemed. they were
&; oven TO meet death together.
For long time the silence con.
: unued between the two. while Ran.
some gaSed down at the 10y who.
lying full length on HIS hack, was
staring above into the dim shadows
fnat olnstcred beneath the vaulted,
roor At last he spoke.
ss.s.s&lls You ind it hprd to meet this
2 ue'trn, Harry ~ no asked in a cold
4 even voice. There WAS no trace OF
feeling in II, no trace of curiosity,
even.
Browning stirred ana turned his
eyes toward him. yes" he an.
awcred, simply enough.
kSsmile 10 faint that after all was
a smlle at all, but rather vague OK.
pression OF contempt, rested for an
instant ON the Others face. "Yon
are afraid " he asked. a mild wonder
In his tone,
Once again the other was staring
up Mt the roof. "Not for myself
4 There was no resentment ut the 9th.
er's question in HIS slow voicc.-"not
for myself; but YOU SEQ there Is n
girl. lie paused for just percopti
bic instaut,-it was the only way In
which he revealed that he felt the
dread of his position Mt all,-and
then added. "at home"
Oddly enough. X was the first conf.
I dence of a tender or intimate nature
that had been exchanged between The
two men. Both realized this at the
Same instant. and the realization
brought them suddenly closer To each
other. or the two IL was Ransomc
who seemed the more affected. He
s loaned toward tie 1ther faint tinge
Of color on HE pale cheeks.
VA girl at hsmc." nc echoed. and
paused. He meant apparently 10 say
something moro. Possibly he intond.
cd 10 match confidence for conf.
+ donce; but he found no opportunity
TO do So for before he had time to
speak again. Browning. who still star.
ed at the ceiling above him said:
ITS the thought of leaving her
4 aloha that hurts"
Ransomc had suddenly STOPPED bc.
fore him and rescued a piece Of M.
s per from the floor. which now no idIv
twisted in his long fingers. ewing It
& meanwhile with curious intontness
Yes. he said, IL can understand
that
live never spoken to YOU of
hers Browning continued for the
first time q shade OF embarrassment
I orceping into his voice; but. II Won
don't mind. / should Ike to tonight
should like to have YOU" the
otner returned gravely land then with
sccrtain curious shyness he asked,
fou are engaged to her?''
ASudHen shadow flew across Brow.
tping's boyish. face and fingered In his
dark bright eyes. No" he rcplicdd.