Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-01-13

welldTesssl Dlen who sat some PAGES
away from him in the shadow of a
great tiled column similar TO his own.
There was this difference, it happened:
the mission lantern with its electric
bulbs above the two men was flashing
brightly, and by some accident that
above the colonel was dark. He could
see the men, himself in the shadow.
The men were rather striking in ap-
pearance they we're evidently gentle
men; the taller one was young, well
set-up, cleanshaven and quietly but
most correctly dressed. His light
brown hair showed slight curl in it's
closely clipped locks; his gray-blue
eyes had long lashes of brown darker
than his hair; his teeth were very
white. and there was dimple in his
cheek, plain when he smiled. Had his
nose heep1straight he would have been
as haHc 5me as a Greek eod,. but the
nose was only an ordinary American
nose, rather too broad at the base;
moreover, his jaw was lnte too
square for classic lines Nevertheless,
he was good to look upon, as we'll as
strong and clean and wholesome, and
when his gray-blue eyes strayed about
the room the dimple dented his cheek
and his white teeth cleaned In kind
of merry good-nature pleasant to see.
But 1t was the other man who held
the colonel's eye. This man was
double the young mans age. or near
that; he was shorter, although still of
fair stature, and slim of build. His
face was oval in contour and deli
cate of feature. Although he wore no
glasses, his brow had the far pucker
of a near-sighted man. There was
mole on his cheek bone and another
just below his ear. Both were small.
rather than large, and in no sense
disfiguring; but the colonel noted
them absently, being in the habit of
photographing a man in glance. The
face had beauty, distinction even, yet
about it hung some association, sinis-
ter as poison label.
Now, where" said the colonel to
himself, where have | seen that
man?" Almost instantly the clew
came to him. by Jove, it's the broth
er!" he exclaimed. Three years ago,
and he had almost forgotten; but here
was Cary Mercer-the name came to
him after little groping-here he
was again; but who was the pleasant
youngster with him? And what we're
they discussing with so little apparent
and so much real earnestness?
One of the coloners physical gifts
was an extraordinary acuteness of
hearing. 1t passed the mark Of fac
ulty and became a marvel. Part of
this uncanny power was really due,
not to hearing alone, but to an alliance
with another sense, because Winter
had learned the lip language in HIS
youth; he heard with his eyes as well
as his ears. This combination had
made an unintentional and embar-
rassed eavesdropper out OF an honest
gentleman a number of times. To set
of such evil tricks 1t had saved his
life once on the plains and had res
cued his whole command another time
In the Philippines. While he studied
the two faces sentence from the
Younger man gripped his attention.
1t was: Il don't mind the risk, but
l hate taking such an old woman's
money"
"She has a heap" answered the
other man carelessly; "besides-" He
added something with averted head
and in too low a voice to reach the lis
tener unassisted. But IT was convinc-
ing, evidently. since the young mans
face grew both grave and stern. He
nodded, muttering: 'Oh, under-
stand; I wasn't backing water; know
we have lost the right to be squeam.
ish. But say. old chap, how long
since Mrs. Winter has seen you?
Would she recognize your"
The colonel, who had been about to
abandon his espionage as unbecoming
a soldier and gentleman, slowed
away all his scruples at the mention
OF the name. He pricked up his ears
and sharpened his eye. but was careful
Iest they should catch his glance The