Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1911-02-03
THE FOURTH
ESSENCE
1t Helped Its Owner to Obtain
His Object
By CLARISSA NfACKIE
Copyright. 1910. BY American Press
Association.

E>~(NN|Noo|NND~
Bob Pendleton and 1 had been
friends for years until the inevitable
woman stepped in between. For a
while we were rivals for Eleanor's love.
and then Pendleton lost out and dis
appeared entirely from our lives.
Eleanor lived only few 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 me-and
instead Of returning to my home city.
where old friends and old haunts
awaited me. closed the house where
Eleanor and | had spent the brief and
happy years Of our married life and.
winding up my business affairs. he
came a wanderer on the face of the
earth.
became 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 pendletop's name
sounded so distinctly in nv ears that
leaped to my feet and looked around.
The cafe was quite emptv save for one
or two Turks in n distant corner tho
sllpshcd walters and myself.
Bewildered, sank back in my seat,
only to he assailed bv The insistent
repetition of pendle;on's name II
seemed TO be beating against some
inner consciousness and was not as
had at first supposed. an actual vocal
demonstration.
Then. forgetting tbe bitterness he
had held against me and rememberlno
only the Measure If our long friend.
shin. l was lmpelled TO 90 TO him.
felt that he needed me-that somehow.
in e,me wav he was coIlng me 70
c5me to him-and. following some
Mind instinct 7 returned IN NV bouen
nlaced my courier IN charge Of nv he-
loneings. hacked n portmanteou and
at dawn fine newt morning had token
steamer for India.
With me constantly was the suo.
gestion that Pendleton called me. and.
as if guided by This invisible thread
Of desire I entcrad now country
At Dinasbpore I secured anides and
hastened down 10 the ruins of tbe
ancient city of Gaur
We reached Gaur at sundown of n
breafhless dav. and nv arrival seemed
to sirnal the deparure of nv fancles
concerning pen.llefon and his desire 70
see me. Once more was the practical.
level beaded individual who had held
Pendleton's churllsh attitude SLIGHTLY
IN contemnt marvelad NJ tho 40.
lusion that had brought me thousands
of miles 10 the suburbs of Gaur vet
was bound 10 take advantage Of tho
opportunitv and investigate the ruins
Then | vould return to Constantinonle
for India did NOT interest me at tbat
time
Perhaps we were connie Of miles
distant from anv habifable norton of
the CITY. for hero ,he rnins Of oueiap.
edifices were surrounded bv n tbjol-
Jungle. and nv guide low caste
Hindu of gigantic stature told me that
the iunple was infested win man
eating tigers.
MY men were well armed and as we
had made camp in the crumhlinr
upner story Of what had once haen !
beautiful tiled temple we felt secure
from maraudlng beasts.
Before the swift dusk fell and while
my men were preparinr the even,nc
meal nieked my wav down The
broken ramp that led from tbe second
story and wandered curlously among
the ruins.
There was little to be learned tbore
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 deem shadow
Rounding a high wall. | found myself
in a small temple.
A tall Brahman priest bent above
stone altar, and at the sound of nv
footsteps he turned and without
evincing surprise at nv intrusion
calmly advanced and slid into nI,oa
slab Of stone that served as a door
fins cuttine off INV retreat
"Onen that door nlease" j." oon.
manded sharply.
had snokan In Fnel,sb and ~ INV
surprise he answered in the same
tonene and his voice was ragnolr
'It is too late have sent for you.