Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1911-01-27
THE FOURTH
ESSENCE
Il Helped Its Owner to Obtain
His Object.
BY cLARIssA MAcKIH
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association.

Association.
G~>~<>~~.~>~~.~
Bob Pendleton and l had been
friends for years until the inevitable
woman stepped in between. Tor a
while we were rivals for Eleanor's love,
and then Pendleton lost out and dis
appeared entirely from cur lives.
Eleanor lived only fow brief years,
and /, who was then bereft Of both
friend and wife. was more alone than
had ever been. My business was Of
such a nature that had much leisure
more than was good for ne and
instead Of returning to my home city.
where old friends and old haunts
awaited me. closed the house where
Eleanor and l had spent the brief and
happy years Of our married life and.
winding up my business affairs, be-
came a wanderer on the face Of the
earth.
beefhe absorbed In the study Of
Byzantine architecture and thus at
the close Of our year was lingering in
Constantinople.
One night | was sitting in my favor
ite cafe dreaming over the events of
the day when Pendleton's name
sounded so distinctly in my ears that
l leaped to my feet and looked around
The cafe was quite empty save for one
or two Turks in distant corner. the
siipshcd walters and myself.
Bewidered. | sank back in my seat.
only to be assailed by the insistent
repetition Of Pendleton's name. 1t
seemed TO be beating against some
inner consciousness and was not. as
had at first supposed, an actual vocal
demonstration.
Then. forgetting the bitterness he
only the pleasure Of our long friend
ship. was impeled to go to him. I
felt that he needed me-that somehow,
in some way. he was calling me to
come to him-and, following some
blind instinct. returned to my house.
placed my courier in charge of Hiy be-
lcnsings. packed a portmantean and
at dawn the next morning had taken
steamer for India.
With me constantly was the sug-
gestioa that PendIeton called me. and.
as If guided by this invisible thread
Of desire. entered a new country
at Dinaghpore secured guides and
FASTENED down to the ruins of the
ancient city of Gaur.
We reached Gaur at sundown OF
brcathlcss day. and my arrival seemed
10 signal the departure of my fancies
concerning Pendleton and his desire to
see me. Once more | was the practical.
level headed Individual who had held
Pendleton's churllsh attitude slightly
in contempt | marveled at the de-
lusion that had brought me thousands
of miles TO the. suburbs of Gaur. yet I
was bousd to take advantage Of the
opportunity and investigate the ruins
Then would return to Constantinople.
for India did not interest me at that
time.
Perhaps we were n couple of miles
distant from any habitable portion Of
the city. for here the ruins Of ancient
edifices werc surrounded by thick
jungle. and my guide. & low caste
Hindu of gigantic stature. told me that
the jungle was infested with man
eating tigers
My men were well armed. and as we
had made camp in the crumhllng
upper ssorv of what had once been a
beautiful tiled temple we felt secure
from marauding beasts.
Before the swift dusk fell and while
my men were preparing the evening
meal picked my way down the
broken ramp that led from the second
story and wandered curiously among
the ruins.
There was little to be learned there.
for most Of the traces OF that once
beautiful medieval city were either
overgrown with vines and shrubs or
else lay at this hour in deep shadow
Rounding high wall. found myself
in small temple.
A tall Brahman priest bent above
stone altar, and at the sound of my
footsteps he turned and without
evincing surprise at my intrusion
calmly advanced and slid into place a
slab Of stone that served as door,
thus cutting off my retreat
"Open that. door, please" I COM
manded sharply.
had spoken in English. and TO my
surprise he answered in the same
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