The Ordway new era., 1921-12-30

oaptalh MagnuS, now-he was ouita
MISS Brownies own find, 1 assure you.
Anu as TO old III. H.-Tubbs, you know
miss Browne met up with him on the
boat coming down. The rum old chan
got on her soft side somehow, and first
'hihg she had appointed him secre-
tary and treasurer-as though we
were meeting of something. Shaw
was quite bit upset about 1t. l saw.
Miss Harding, you're bound to like
shaw no end when you know him
mes such wonderfully clever chap I"
mad no wish to blight his faith in
the superlative Mr.. Shaw, and said
nothing. This evidently pained him,
and he continued to sound the praises
OF his idol. 1t seemed that as
soon as Miss Browne had beguiled
Aunt Jane into financing her scheme
"a feat equivalent to robbing an in
fant-class scholar of his Sunday school
nickel-she had cast about for a
worthy leader for the forthcoming
Harding-Browne expedition. All the
winds of fame were bearing abroad
Just then the name of certain young
explorer who had lately added anoth-
er continent or two to the British en-
pire. Linked with his were other
names, those of fellow Adventures,
which shOne only less brightly than
that of their chief. One Dugald Shaw
had been among the great mans most
trusted lieutenants, but now, on the
organization of the second expedition,
he was left behind In London, only
half recovered of wound received
In the Antarctic. His old companions
had taken again the path of glory, and
were far on their way back to the Ice
fields of the South pole. Only Dugald
Shaw was left behind.
"And So" the even voice flowed on.
when l ran on to him in London he
was feeling fearfully low, do assure
you. A chap of his sort naturally
hates to think he's on the shelf.
well, old Shaw was fancying there
was nothing for 1t but to go back to
his place with the P. & o., which
seemed bit fiat after what he'd been
having, and meant he would never get
beyond being the captain Of a liner,
to come, when cable came from this
Miss Higglesby-Browne offering him
command of this expedition. AS
neither of us had ever heard Of Miss
Higglesby-Browne, we were bit
floored for time. But Shaw smoked
bn
chap, If they will give me my figure,
I'm their man. And I said, Quite so,
old chap, and I'll go along, too
81 had to argue quite bit, but in
the end the dear old boy let me come
after wiring the pater and what not.
And 1 do assure you, Miss Harding,
it strikes me as no end Of lark-be-
sides expecting it to put old Shaw on
his feet and give us hatfuls of money
all round"
Well, it was a plausible story, and !
had no doubt, so far as the Honorable
Cuthbert was concerned, an absolute
ly truthful one. The beautiful youth
was manifestly as guileless as small
boy playing pirate with wooden
sword. But as to Mr.. Shaw, who
could tell that it hadn't after all been
trumped-up affair between Miss
Browne and him-that his surprise
at the message was not assumed to
throw dust in the eyes of his young
and trusting friend? So great was
my faith in Aunt James gullibility'
so dark my distrust of Miss Browne,
that all connected with the enterprise
lay under the cloud of my suspicion
Mr.. Shaw, after even casual glimpse
of him. one couldn't picture us victim
I felt that he must have gone into the
enterprise with his eyes wide open
to its absurdity, and fully aware tha'
the only gold to be won by anybody
must come ont of the pocket of Aunt
Jane.
AS these reflections passed through
INV mind I looked up and saw the
subject of them approaching. He lift
ed his helmet, but met my eyes un
smilingly, with a sort Of sober scru'
tinv He had the tanned skin of 9
sailor. and brown hair cropped CLOSE
and showing trace of gray. rms
and certain dour grim look he nae
made me at first consider him quite
middle-aged, though knew later thai
he was not yet thirty-five. AS to the
grImness, perhaps, I unwillingly con
ceded, part of it was due to seal
which scanned the right temple TO ths
eyebrow, in straight livid line.
He was welcomed by Mr.. Vane WIFI
Joyous thump on the siiouider-oiuue
II say, old man, Miss Harding ma,
turned out to be the most fearru
doubling Thomas-thinks the whol'
scheme quite mad and all that sort o.
thing"