Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
The End Of
The Story.
MARY b. MAO DERMorr

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~ MARY B. MAO DERMoTT
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Courtfand sat quietly through the
dinner as II troubled. Even the beau
tiful Miss Clarion. opposite him, who.
rumor 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 a train
wreck. and young Thornton retailed
some new social gossip, Courtland
vouchsafed no comment.
Not unIil Thornton mentioned the i'll.
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 rather
reckless young man eight years before,
had recently returned from South
Africa laden with honcrs as an en-
gineer.
! am sorry for him." he said. you
have no idea of the feeling of despair
and loneliness that overcomes man
who Is Ill in foreign country"
Won't 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. Just 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. 100. 60 -
Well" said CORTLAND, after mo-
ment of reflection and glance at
Miss Charlton, who was watching him
intently, "I'll tell you of a young
chap OF whom l am reminded by
6trayer's illness, but must warn you
that cannot tell the end Of tho
story. So
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 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 gang OF
kaf1rs. 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.
ly one OF the superintendent noticed
I his energy, made a few inquiries and
he was appointed general overseer
with half dozen gangs under him.
1T wasn't long afterward that he was
put on surveying corps, for it, de.
veloped that he was college man and
had taken his G. e. at Harvard.
He did fairly good work with the
transit; in fact. it was he WHO really
made the new survey through the
Lokinga Pass and saved the company
80 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 i'll 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 a reputation as worthless sort
and ne'er-do-well, when he met the
girl, for of course there was a girl
In this as in all other stories. She
was the turning point for him. He
breced up. tried to redeem his years
Of dissipation and make himself
worthy of her.
Women had not figured much In
his life and this girl opened a 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 MS
thought he had momentarily lost the
thread of his narrative. Her influ.
ence was ever for the good, but i
fear he did not always realize it,"
Miss Charlton made half exclama-
tion. then, recovering herself leaned
forward, not taking her eyes from
CORTLAND.
He fancied she was a bit vain"
courtland went on; "that she cared
900 much for the attention Of many
suitors and at times he despaired OF
ever winning her. Finally he had a
FOOLISH quarrel with her over anoth.
or man. lost his temper and said
things for which he was sorry. From
his club he sent her note of apology.
put she did not notice 1t.
He was broken-hearted and reso,v.
ed to go far away, where there were
no people-or associations to remind
him of the girl he had lost. He shin.
ped aboard sailing vessel and final
~ landed in the camp.
His illness became serious. and
during the long. hot nights when the
fever set his blood on fire, he talked
OF her. of places he had been with
her, Of her prettiness. His mini
would wander among the scenes OF
his college days. but the girl was al,
way uppermost in his thoughts. Dur