The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1917-03-30

There would be no englnzerif Tint
ranch on the nlopes Of Tie he
could settle the question THE
Winters was glad TO see hlm. IL and
Rodney and Meade had been rs warm
est of friends. OF course MeSt could
not tell Rodney the truth on. ,count
of his newspaper connections mt he
decided finally that he could All Wuld
tell Winters under assurance aso-
lutte secrecy. For one hing tie big
cattleman had bluntly refused Il crsdit
his friends first statements: and. when
he at last heard the truth. he halaed
him roundly while he appreciated fully
the nobleness of his self-sacritlce The
clear-headed, practical Winters rat Ii
this way: Meade was capable o. 10
ing splendid service TO humanity is an
engineer and babe fair 10 be even
greater than his father, vet for the
sake of the fame Of dead man. TO
whom after all it would matter g,tle,
he had thrown away that splendid ap-
portunity!
This was a new thought to Meade
and disturbing one. Unfortunately,
as even Winters was forced to ac-
knowledge, the suggestion came too
late. The course had been entered up
on. 1t would be cowardly to try TO
change it now. Indeed 1t would have
been impossible with the disappear
ance of the written protests and notes.
Even If Shurtliff had been willing, NJ
one would have believed a delayed .
traction and explanation, and Shurt [
would not have been Willing Mea 9
well knew. Neither for that III T
was Meade himself. He was glad :,
the affair had been settled and wol
not change 1t even now though w
ters' rough-and-ready presentation
the situation disquieted him.
Winters, who saw how greatly oy
wrought and unstrung his friend WI
contented himself with the assertion
He did not press the point or argue
with him. He rested quietly con6d
that matters would right themsel
some way in the long run. He tres
Meade exactly right. He left hi {
his own devices. He did not fore
company upon him. Sometimes th on.
gineer would mount a horse--anG ail
at the ranch were at his disposal--and
would ride away into the woods and
mountains with camping outfit. Some.
times he would be gone for several
days, coming back white and haggard
and exhausted but victor in some hard
battle fought out alone. A X
One day there came to the ranch O
letter to Winters from Rodney, full OF
friendly chat and pleasant remini.
scence.
Meade has disappeared absolutely
wrote Rodney in closing. "Even Miss
Illingworth, to whom he was reported
engaged and upon whom have called
occasionally, says she does not know
his whereabouts. OF course you saw
in the papers his connection with the
tragedy and failure of the Internation-
al? Although his frank statement was
corroborated by that of the Older
Meade's private secretary, .Ahave never
RafYfg ahlhagwt6orfh6f.' b. re i,ss,srAsr
does she. We can't accept even hls
own testimony. We have been work
ing together to establish the truth, but
with very faint prospects of success SC
far. There's some tremendous mystery
about it. / have thought that maybe
Meade might have come to you. If hi
has show him this letter and beg hin
to tell us the truth at any rate"
Winters passed the letter over t.
Meade without comment. The en-
gineer read it with passionate eager
ness. He was hungry for any news O
Helen nlingworth. Rodney was call