Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-12-31
tling down yet?" gently ana sus'
gestiyely.

Parliament, and behaving generally
as well-bred and somewhat am
bilious young Englishman ought 10
do, according to precedent"
~ have no respect for precedent
mother"
"Nor l. But why not give UP wan
dering, Win, and go into Pariia-
ment?" she added softly. "A man
who has mastered specially, as you
have this Russian question, is cer'
| tain to get on there" =.
but have not mastered 1t /et'
"Well-you and the colonel are
the accepted authorities upon the
matter. do not see what more you
can reu lire. Whether you have mas
tered it or not, you know more than
any other man."
Eyes, but 1t Is like exploring new
| country-there l. 40 end to 1t. one
must keep up to the \ mes and be
ever in the front, or it is c>eless COM
peting. Once the ground has been
travelled over by another man the IN
terest is lost. While l am here, the
Russians are ut by any means tdle
and II started for Central Asia to-
morrow, should find that things
had moved onward since | was there
before-onward for them, backward
for u.s."
"Then you have not altered your
| olans. You intend to continue being
wanderer On the face of the earth
man whom the Cabinet keeps In
sight as being reckless enough and
| clever enough to send on any wild
| goose chase they may have in hand
| do they keep me in sight on thai
| account, mother?"
81 was told SO by a Minister"
IL am glad to hear it. A man nay
yet very good sport after wild geese
| 3nd who knows what may come ol
his knowledge of the c@untry at some
| future day. tell you, mother, his
| is an age of specialties-un universality
| is at an end. My specially is this
Central Asian question. At any
| time, at any moment. we may find
| ourselves upon the brink OF the big
gest fight the modern world has
seen; then my time will come. Thd
| the first words of the War Office wiz
be: Send for Colonel Wright and
! Winyard Mistley'-the one to plan
the other to execute. When that
time comes, mother-nous verrons!
''In the meantime, it seems to me
that your entire life is being sacri
feed to be in readiness for an event
which may never occur"
| Mother" said VINEYARD, with q
CHEEKY laugh, you arc getting sentl'
mental, and that will never do. II
| you infect me, ! shall die off in q
week. And as for talking in that in
| sinuating manner about settling
| down, how about a certain elderly
lady who is always flying about the
| world - Scotland, London, Paris
| Rome, and even st. Petersburg
| nursing the stricken, and consolins
such as are love-sjck or martyrs tc
indigestion?"
| when you marry, | 81 settle
down in cottage near at hand, take
| to needle-work, and worry abou,
your wife. There Is Lena coming
alone; run away and meet her while
60 in and take off my bonnet"
They were now upon the stone
terrace, and Mrs. Mistley pointed
down the valley as she walked to-
ward the house.
II expect" said Winyard, partly
to himself, that Charlie has beer
caught by the Sandfords."
At the head of the narrow steps
which he had just assembled, he drew
the note handed to him in church
from his pocket. 1t was in French
one line, in a fine, clear handwriting
| meet friend tonight at the bot
tom Of the small steps. I. M"
II. M" unused VINEYARD. "Ivar
Meyer; and he calls himself a friend
am gradually getting into a fos
tors"
| Then he thrust the note back into
his pocket, and ran lightly down the
steps to meet Lena.
You are polite!" was her greet
ing
II am" he replied, bowling low
II am nothing II not polite"
"Then you are nothing" she an
swered saucily.
THANK you. I was afraid you die
not think 30 much of me-"
You have allowed me-" she con
tinued, severely, Ito walk HON,
from church alone. and to carry thi
nnassisted.
She held out for his inspection ;
tiny prayer-book, of which th'
weight might safely be set down a
three ounces.
Good gracious!" exclaimed Win
yard, you do not mean to say tha
you carried that all the way!" Ant
he gravely took the burden from hel
hands. II thought Charlie was witt
you," he continued, apologetically.
mo, Mr.. Mistley, 1 was alone"
ut shall not occur again, Mis-!
Wright"
"It is not polite to mimic people
Mr.. Mistley," said Lena, looking
straight in front Of her. They were
at the foot Of the stone stairs cut in
the wall, which were just broad
enough for two persons to pass
Then her humor suddenly changed.
How very foolish we are!" she
exclaimed, laughing. Just as she
spoke she slipped backward, and hel
laugh turned into a little cry OF
fright.