Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-03-11


She tried to do it as calmly and
quietly as she could, but there was
something dramatic even In her In
tense self-possession. She drew In
long, uneven breath, and rose from
her seat, looking toward the door.
Already there were footsteps Gown
stairs in the hall. Then came little
laugh of one voice only, and Adonis
literally shrieked at the sound of 1t.
Like a battering ram he sprung at
the door, endeavoring to seize the
handle in his strong teeth. He fell
back and threw himself against the
door again. Then Mrs. Mistley
opened the door. =
On the threshold stood VINEYARD.
The colonel's arm was round him,
and he had one hand on the old trav-
eler's shoulder, for he could not
stand alone.
Mrs. Mistley stood on tiptoe with
an almost girlish grace, and Win
yards free arm went round her. No
one spoke word.
Then Mrs. Wright came forward
and assisted him to chair. AS he
sunk into it she stopped and kissed
him. do not be too kind to me. "
he said, smiling. II am rather weak,
and kindness has been known to kill
people, believe"
He looked up to shake hands VITA
Lena, and she saw that there were
tears in his eyes. Adonis was stand
ing on his hind legs, with his fore
paws resting on the arm of the low
chair. His faithful eyes were lumin-
Gus with love, and he whined con-
tinually with his square chin up
raised.
At this moment Charlie entered the
room. He was laden with sundry
wraps and packages, which he set
down rather absently upon polished
table.
"The return of the prodigal," he
said, cheerfully. II do wish l liked
cold veal!"
This brought Mrs Wright's
thoughts back to practical matters.
Beef teal" she exclaimed. "You
must have some beef tea"
VINEYARD pointed solemnly at the
colonel.
ASK him." he said. II know
nothing about it. The affair has lost
all interest for me. He has taken
charge of the matter. am not al
lowed to say what like or what
dislike-in fact, am the bane of my
own life"
Beef tea," said Colonel Wright,
severely. as he drew off his gloves.
"Yes, beef tea"
This was soon brought out, and the
whole party stood around the sick
man to see that he consumed 1t.
And have you done all you wanted
to do, VIM" asked Mrs. Mistley
presently.
"Oh, yes.' replied he, breathlessly.
between the sips. Wont you let me
of the rest? am going down to the
sediment now"
But Colonel Wright was not con-
tent with this laconic account of his
pupils exploits.
He has done that, and more!' he
said exultingly. "He has done what
no man living las done before him,
or could hope to do again. He has
been right through to Peshawur and
back. He has mapped out every fea-
sible route. and noted the position
of every we'll, and obtained every i'm
aginable item Of information that the
officer comm. .nding division could
require. And that quite outside his
own diplomatic work, which has been
carried out to the letter"
Such was the home coming Of Win
yard Mistley.
1t was only by degrees that they
extracted from him the details OF his
perilous journey. How he escaped
detection by the readiness Of his wit
How. encompassed by danger
treachery and fanaticism on every
side. he came through 1t all by sheer
self-reliance and intrepidity. How
he lay for months Ill In Turcoman
! tent. nursed and tended by the SIM
4 pie nomads. How. time after time
the combination seemed too strong
| for him to fight against, and how his
good fortune attended him to the
: very end. But all this had to be
guessed at by his loving listeners
The story OF that unique and wonder
full journey was never fully told
Partly by aid Of their own imaglna'
tion, partly by persistent questioning
they succeeded in putting together 9
more or less connected narrative;
but Vineyards own account was de-
cidedly unsatisfactory, as we'll Nigh,
have been expected. A man cannot
tell his own story advantageously
There was no one else to tell the
tale OF VINEYARD Mistley's achieve
ment, and SO it was never told. Fai
away on the sands OF the Khivaiar
desert, out of the caravan route, in
trackless waste untrodden by the feet
of man for years together, a few
whitened bones picked clean and
scattered by the quarreling vultures
lay beneath the cleaning sun, wait'
ing the end of all things. This, and
nothing more, was what remained ol
the young Englishman's daring com
panion during the greater part of his
wonderful journey, and the story ol
it lay silent with those bones.
CTo be contlnued.)
A Moving Man.