The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-04-13

GedI sood reason. i nave always desired TO be loved ZOE
my own sake and not for the money I have"
Money" repeated the Colonel. Never had he in any
way associated this healthy young hunter with money.
Did he not make a business Of trapping and selling wild
animals like he himself? Money! I did not know that
you had any, Bruce"
" I am the son of Roger Bruce"
What! The man who owned nearly all of Peru and
half the railroads in South America 2"
Yes. You see, Colonel, we are something alike We
never ask questions. 1t would have been far better if
we had. Because I did not question Kathlyn when I
first met her / feel half to blame for her misfortunes.
1 should have told her all about Alfalfa and warned her
TO Keep out OF it. l should have advised her to send
native Investigators, she to remain In Peshawur till she
learned the truth. But the name Hare suggested moth
ing to me-. not till after 1 had left her at Singapore. So
l shall go back with you. But please let Kathlyn con-
hnue to think Of me as q man who earns his own living"
God bless you, my boy! You have put a new back-
bone in me. It's hard not to have a white man to talk to,
to plan with. Ahmed expects that W. shall be ready for
the return in the morning. He, however, intends to 60
back on a racing camel, to so straight to my bungalow,
II 1t isn't destroyed by this time. Perhaps Winnie Las
not arrived there yet. I trust Ahmed"
SO do I. I have known him for a long time-that
is, I thought I did-and during the last few weeks hs
has been q revelation. Think of his being your headman
all these years, and yet steadily working for his Raj, the
British Rail-"
"They can keep secrets"
"Wen. we have this satisfaction: when Pundita rules
it win be under the protecting hand of England. Now
let us try to look at the cheerful side Of the business.
Think of what that girl has gone through with scarcely
a scratch! Can't you read something in that? See how
strong and self-reliant she has become under such mis-
fortunes as would have driven mad any ordinary womanI
Can't you see light in all this? I tell you, there is good
md OWL working FIR mi voins ~, a-S AInA A.. ~.
fakir will In the end prove stronger than your bally old
guru. When I am out of the orient laugh at such
things, but I can't laugh at them somehow when I'm In
India"
"Nor l." .
That night Kathlyn signifed that she wished to 90
down to the beach beyond the harbor basin. Bruce
accompanied her. Often he caught her staring out at
the t%winking lights on board the Simla. BY and by they
could hear the .windlass creaking. A volume Of black
smoke suddenly poured from the boats slantine funnel
The ship was putting out to sea.
"Why do you risk your Life for usf' she asked sud.
denly. , -.
Adventure is meat and drink to me, Miss Hare"
The prefix sounded strange and unfamiliar in her ears,
Formally. She had been wronS, then only comradeshlp
and the MASCULINE sense Of responsibility. Her heart was
like lead. ..-.
ut is very Kind and brave of you, Mr.. Bruce; but Z
will not have it." ~. s"
Have whatT' he asked, knowing full well what aha
meant.
"This going back with us. Why should you risk your
life for people who are almost strangerap'
"StrangersT He laughed softly. "Has it never
occurred to you that the people we grow up with are
never really our friends; that real friendship comes
only with maturity of the mind? Why, the best man
friend / have In this world il q young chap I met but
three years ago. 1t 10 not the knowing of people that
makes friendships. 1t is the sharing Of dangers; of bread
in the wilderness of getting a glimpse of the soil which
Lies beneath the conventions Of the social pact. Would
you call me a stranger2'
go, no" she cried swiftly. 1T i merely that I do
not want you to risk your life any further for uA. IL
there no way ! can dissuade you n
None that | can think of. ! Inn going back with You.
That's settled. Now let US talk of something else. DONE
you really want me to goT"
"Ah, that isn't fair" looking out to sea again and
following the lights aboard the Simla.
It was mighty hard for him not to sweep her into ha
arms then and there. But he would never be sure "a
her till she was free Of this country, Tree Of the yense
Of gratitude, free to weigh her sengiments carefully ami
unbiasedly. He rat down abruptly on the wreck of an
ancient hull imbedded in the sand. She sank down 4
little way from him.
He began TO tell her some Of his past exploits: the
Amazon, the orinoco, the Andes, Tibet, and China: OF
the strange aotsam and jetsam he had met in his travels.
But she senaed only the sound of his voice and the de-
70 reach out her hand and touch his, friendship
Bread In the wilderness!
Ahmed was lean and deceptive to the eye Like many
TIfudfg. ne suneara6 auanaio. amd vat tha ha,raenu &ha