The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-03-16


talks each morning helped me great
| " to Danish the past and to keep m!
mind fixed On the future
I spent the afternoons reading or doz
/ Ing In nay chair, 1ulled by the glintins
| sunlit waves and the soft swish of tn,
water against the steamers sides.
DIR, Z. and his wife were unfailfng
| " kind and often sat with me fol
hours. One day we were together or
deck when a tall athletic young mar
passed.
| That's an Indian of1cer.s said the
doctor. as he strobe by.
WHO is it9" asked his wife.
''Oh, I don't know which particular
one he Is" he replied. smiling. ssIt's
| just the type; would know it any.
| where-tan, lean, bronzed, good look
ing. a certain unconscious air of com
mand, and a military bearingY'
He does look an Englishman, but ]
am not prepared to grant all the rest, .
she replied.
The subject dropped, and "a day or sc
passed with no further allusion to It.
And then late one afternoon as we
were walking we met this same Eng
nshman again.
tsOh, by the way Mrs IT, said,
speaking to her husband. ''you were
right, dear. He is an English officer
Captain Ian Frazer coming home from
India. He was out OF the harbor from
Yokohama when war was declared and
had to come on this way"
You seem to know his history pref
" thoroughly he laughed.
oh Celeste, Of course." and turn
ing TO me she said:
Ny maid is a perfect ferret, I
sometimes think as a maid she's q
waste Of good timber-that the secret
service should have"
ssOh, they are all like thatp' the doc
tor said. Most OF the gossip of a ship
comes first and last through such
sources" After a moments reflection
he exclaimed: "Oh, that's the chap
they were telling me about In the
smoking room this morning! He has
Just been on duty at the Khyber pass
khyber passg That was the last
outpost Of civilization that father and
bis party would have passed through
before going into Afghanistan. Poor
father! He had to give up that long
dreamed Of trip to come to us.
He had told me SO many stories of
that picturesque spot began to be
keenly Interested in the conversation.
You know, Myrtice,'' the doctor said
II was always SO glad to hear him
use her quaint name-sthe Khyber
Pass rifles is one Of the crack reei-
ments Of India, and its officers are
chosen from the unmarried fellows of
all tue Indian army. It takes courage
and initiative plus to make good there.
and it is considered great honor to
be given that post It was of that regi-
ment that the present crown prince of
Germany, when in India several years
ago. wished to be made honorable colo
nell
And was hep asked quickly.
No I believe Sir George Ruse Keep
pei was elected"
Why, wonder, was he not given
{ r. asked his wife
Well, my dear, you will have to ask
Captain Frazer I am sure he could
ell you. 1t does not follow that he
Will SILL you could ask he added
good humoredly
sNonsenser she laughed, and stop
BED suddenly. as at that moment we
net the man OF whom we had been
speaking.
: was interested In seeing him after
rearing the story, especially In think
ng that it would have been his men
who would have picketed the pass for
hem had father gone there [ looked
1t him. He was all DR.. T. had said.
only his big violet blue eyes were soft.
sven wistful. How could he be the
iaring soldier they. had described, I
wondered, when suddenly I noticed
he firm chin, the determined mouth,
After all, the government that had
chosen him for the lonely and danger
ous duty at Khyber pass had doubt
ess chosen well, for with his evident
strength of body and wi1I-1lis eyes in
Heated humanity, understanding, SYM
Municipalities essential to leader
# men.
It was not until two days before
he voyage ended that 1 made his ac-
Iuaintance and then under very De- /
,u1iar and unpleasant circumstances
was sitting in my steamer chair,
-ather late. in fact, very Iate-tt was
lear1yi midnight. There was little
light on deek-the windows were paint
d deep green for fear. of attacks
rom one Of the enemy's cruisers- and
he. deck was deserted except for my
elf and two men, who appeared to be
strangers to each other.
One of these I noticed idly seemed
o be frightfully nervous. He kept
pacing up and down with the short,
erky tread of man under intense
strain The other man observed be
cause of the striking contrast. He was
tall, soldierly looking man of that |
particular type and figure which, was
% learn later, belongs to no other ma
ion than England. He moved with |
In easy grace that betokened assur- |
lnce and bore an unmistakable air of !
.omnland AFTER he had passed once |
,r twice I suddenly recognized hint |
vas Captain Frazer.S
The two men were moving up and |
Town on my side OF the deck, SO that |
hen the Eng1ishman was at the turn |
learest the bow the other was at the |
4...-. e...a - +1,c. dooI- ,rzlafle ruass Iae-