The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-05-14
The End Of
The Story
BIZ MARY B. MAO DERMorr

COurrtand sat quietly through tue
dinner as If troubled. Even the bea,l-
tiful Miss Clarion, opposite him, who,
rlmor said, had refused both titles and
riches in marriage, failed to move his
strange reserve. He listened in pre-
occupied manner as old Colonel War
burton related his time-honored war
story. AS Miss Priscilla Lee recalled
her oft-repeated experience in tram
wreck, and young Thornton retailed
some new social gossip. CORTLAND
vouchsafed no comment.
Not unlil Thornton mentioned the ill
ness of Jack Strayer in the asphalt
fields of Venezuela did CORTLAND raise
his voice. The attention of the COM
pany was given him Immediately, for
CORTLAND, who had been a rather
reckless young man eight years before,
had recently returned from South
Africa laden with honors as an en-
gineer
II ann sorry for him." he said. "You
have no idea of the feeling of despair
and loneliness that overcomes a man
VINO is i'll in foreign country"
Wont you tell US of some OF your
adventures in African" asked Mrs.
Winston, his hostess.
Really, l had nothing worthy OF
the name," he answered. Gust a
ceaseless round of work, digging and
building, though occasionally our
nights were enlivened by the bowling
of the animals in the Jungle"
But you must have had some ex-
traordinary experience" persisted
Mrs. Winthrop.
Welt" said CORTLAND, after a mo-
ment Of reflection and a glance at
Miss Charlton, who was watching him
intently, 'Tll tell you OF "a young
chap Of whom am reminded by
Strayer's illness, but must warn you
that cannot tell the end Of the
story.
They were building the great stone
bridge over the Luapula River when
he turned up in the camp, and none
OF the men ever learned to a certain
ty how he found his way there. He
was a white man, an American, by
the way. and when he asked for work
they put him in charge of a gang OF
Kafiirs. AS 1t turned out, the fellow
really wanted to work, and 1t wasn't
long before the men under him under
stood they had new kind of boss.
He did not stand around giving or
ders, but when an extra pair of hands
was needed he supplied it, Present
~ one OF the superintendent noticed
MS energy, made few inquiries and
ne was appointed general overseer
with half dozen gangs under him.
It wasn't long afterward that he was
put on surveying corps, for it de.
veioped that he was a college man and
had taken his G. E. at Harvard.
He did fairly good work with the
transit; in fact. it was he who reaI.y
made the new survey through the
Lokinga Pass and saved the company
so much money that he might have
had almost any position he wanted.
had he not fallen i'll of tropic fever.
by this time he was living in the
barracks with the officials, and dur
Ing the weeks he lay Ill his story be-
came known. l imagine there was
mighty little of his past life that he
did not reveal during his delirium.
He had lived pretty fast pace in
the States and had managed to ac-
Quire reputation as a worthless sort
and ne'er-do-well, when he met che
girl, for of course there was a girl
in this as in all other stories. She
was the turning point for him. He
braced up. tried to redeem his years
or dissipation and make himse.E
worthy of her.
women had not figured much in
his life and this girl opened new
vista to him. She was very Charming
and very beautiful, the kind of won.
an who can make, or mar a mans
future"-then CORTLAND continued as
thought he had momentarily lost the