South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-14
1t OW. BroWnson. I'll tell you
VI all about II, only FIRST shut
y out that awful sand"

soneNiul2S C0ntenA just 10 prove now
u~nendurabie life can De. and then pass
on At other times unsatished until II
has ground and twisted the surface
until all semblance OF It's original
shape has vanished.
This bowling wilderness II lift the
Whole blessed sandhiu ~ Il kicks a
Bit higher" gEowleS Brownson. VEN
turing o glance out towards the rest
OF the carevan-ghadowy figures OF
eamsls and t~rioesmen. huddled to-
gether TO seek what shelter they could
as the storm swept remorselessly
round and over the protecting dune.
Then he looked back into the tent.
where lay the man who had just ad-
dressed him; n who, for all his care
less clothes. bors the Eomistakable
Imprint OF ths English gentleman. At
q rough guess he was thirty-hve. but
the worn look OF one who was OBJ
Siously suffering agonies OF pain
might have added a few years 70 his
Legitimate age.
81 only wtsh tt would first let me
"a my w little bit OF kicking in
besce.@h he said with a wan smile which
for q moment deceived the man.
SYouae betteD sir" he cried. Eager
~ eft you've a kick left at all"
'qt's only the bucket Tn thinking
OF kicking. No, no." as Bronwson
made signs OF protesting, ITS no good
blinking the fact That hooded viper
did It's work too we'll I might have
won. trough II I could have had my
arm cut of at once. but now-now
I've no earthly chance without the
medicine which the scoundrelly Riffs
bagHed when they stole that camel
"a sideways sort OF death 10 die. as
poor old Stevens said at L~adysmith
I shouldn't mind II so much II only
I had found what ] came for-and
this awful sandstorm would cease.
Heavens. how IL blowsl"
you said you would tell me all
about II. sir" said Brjwnson, at his
wits' end TO know VIA to do or say.
"Yesi before It's too late. You
know. OF course. that we didn' set
out 20 cross the Sahara merely for
the fun OF the thing. and that what
I was after is a~manuscript that has
been missing for nearly a hundred
years; but I want you now TO under
stand all the facts. and then tell me
whether you prefer TO carry my job
through alone. after I am gone. or
take the caravan back 10 the coast.
First OF ali you had better read this
clipping. which started US of. Read
Il aloudi I should like TO hear whether
IL sounds as tempting now as 1t did
when / first saw IT,"
Tho clipping ran as follows:
"A strange story Is brought back
by a British officer who has Just trav-
elled TO Timbuetoo across the great
Sahara. He followed IN the footsteps
OF the great explorer, Major Laing,
who. though the first European 20 en-
ter TtmbuctOo, achieved this distinc-
ton only TO be waylaid and killed In
the desert on his way back by the
~uranhnrNnU Fanaffrn1 NTahn,--oI--
infesting those inhospitable regions.
The officer who has just returned
learnt for the first time that LainR
was killed by the Kountah tribes. and
that his priceless diary and papers. re-
lating the whole story or his adven-
lures down TO within a day of his
death In 1926, remain in the posses
sion OF the present chief Tt is said
that the chief would restore these. but
for his fear OF heing punished COR his
Erandfather's misdeeds. What a
chance for some e~nterprising publish
srl"
That's what brought US here.
Brownson. It's hard lines 20 miss the
prize" he continued, almost TO himself.
gazing wistfully into space. after
struggling so near 10 II . " and
it'll just about finish poor old Baker
when he hears. What I'm worrying
about" he added. turning 10 his or
derby, els that my old Cambridge
friend. Baker. who's a struggling pub
Usher, has staked his last card on this
expedition.
II we had recovered this manuscript
for him II would have made his repu-
tation at once: and II we return with
out IL. as he told me himself-fOr pub
fishing SCENE a rotten game, unless
you've plenty OF money, and can at
ford TO wait-he's bound 20 go under"
That's all right. sir; don't you wor-
ry," said Brownson, wiz affected
c~heerfulness; for he knew enough
about snake bites TO remember thai
one OF the essential things was 20 keen
up the patients spirits at ali costs
Though he had himself sucked the
wound. and cut out the affected part
all the bathing and dressing and ban
daging had failed to stop the frightful
Inflammation from spreading: and ne
needed no telling now that his mas
ters condition was desperate.
"Brownson"-the voice was fainter
now. and showed signs OF distress af-
ter its undue exertion-"I don't want
you 10 decide straight away You
know that I have the written promise
OF the French officials 10 this chief
that he has full permission 10 par
with the manuscript, and since you'C
have less than three days march q
rach him. and plenty OF presents q
bribe him with, ! think you nigh
manage 81 after I've started my longei
Journey. Think IL over Tell me pres
ently-if I'm not asleep"
Tut sleep, as Brownson was wei
aware. would mSan the lethargy pre-
ceding death In the cas- OF fatal SNAKE
bites; so he insisted upon redressint
the arm and postponing his decision
uphill the next day. while he spun al
his yarns Of the past
Memories came hooding his mind AZ
he did so OF Wagon Hill, when his mas
ter won the ID. s. o.. and deserved al
his orderly could testify. the Vtctori'
Cross; Of a dozen other glorious nght'
IN that loug-drawn-out campalgni o
big-game shooting in East Africa
when there was no more fighting q
be done. and they both went on tn
Reserve: and OF the old West Couh'
try home, where the youns squire
thought he would settle down Tor Z
While.
Then OF the morning when the wan
cerlust had seized him once more
and without a word OF warning. n
had said, Pack up. Brownson. An
other day Of his will stihe me-"
And that same evening, he remem'
bered. they were in London. 20 hear
"a 81 fate had deliberately planned j
of the mysterious manuscript Whlci
had lured them to this accursed end
A sideways sort OF death, indeed. az
- - ~ lara