The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-12-31

come from2" gasped Ralph, too aston.
tshed to give other greeting to this I'M.
expected guest.
Il heard you were here, and 1 want
ed to talk with you again. returned
Beale easily.
Smoker" asked Ralph, extending
pipe and tobacco box.
The other shook his head. mot
now"
"You are not sick, are your" que.
ried Ralph anxiously. He could not
understand Francis BeaIe declining a
smoke. In the old days he had earned
the nickname Of The Chimney" be-
cause he was rarely without pipe or
cigar between his lips.
Never felt better in my life" re-
turned Beale. leaning back against the
trunk Of a beech tree. How have
things gone with you, old man?'
Fine and dandy" said Ralph; ''only
l wish I'd eve started forth on this
trip ~alone-had the beastliest time all
alone. If I'D known you were within
hailing distance of Chicago I'd have
made connections and waited for you
to join me. When did you strike my
trail?"
mot long ago" evaded Beale. "That's
another story as some one has already
said"
well, II you want to be close mouth
Cd about your movements latterly. at
least you can spin me a yarn of your
oriental trip went on Ralph in an
injured tone. what about something
to eat-cofeeY'
The other shook his head and gazed
modify into the fire. That's what |
came for" he said gravely.
Ralph was puzzled. Game for7
The coree?"
"No-to spin you a yarn of what hap
pened."
Happened whenY'
1.-THE 9Th of July"
1.-THE Sth Of July-why, that was
yesterday! Oh. | forgot-of ours
you've been gone a year. You meaD
the 9Th of last July"
Francis Beale made no comment
For awhile he sat there, silent, morose,
his dark eyes fixed on the fire. The
dancing flames cast a rosy glow yer
his face and hands and lighted up the
rough travelling clothes that he wore.
Ralph thought it strange that trained
woodman as Beale was, he had not ar
rayed himself for this long and tedious
fishing trip. He carried no impedimen-
ia, and his friend attributed this to
Beale's having made a small camp of
his own near by or else be had drop
ped his kit beyond the circle of fame.
Yarn away" prompted Ralph lazily
as he lounged on the warm ground.
He reached out and laid his hand on
Nip's bristled neck and felt the dog
trembling like an aspen. "Nip's get
ting white hvered over something" re;
marked Ralph.
II went to Kaoling on the China
coast, you know" began Beale abrupt!
". "You remember / was searching
for some stray pieces of that rare old
Kaoling porcelain. and l had been put
on that trail by Hudnuth of San Fran
CISCO"
Ralph nodded.
II was the only white man within a
hundred miles In any direction OF the
little village, and their courtesy dis
armed me Of any fears l may have en-
tertained as to their hospitality. The
steamers boat which landed me re-
turned to the big vessel, and she
steamed away into the horizon, leav-
ing me all alone on the yellow mud
shore, surrounded by a chattering, tit
tertng crowd Of native Chinese as yell
low as the mud.
"Of course there vas n inn to speak
of, only IN infested hole, into which
/ poked my head only once. On the
outskirts of the village ] found the de-
serted home of a prosperous merchant
and made a deal With hia relatives