The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-20

Mpneieuf donquelle, the Pro
FEET Of Police Of Paris told me
this story. We were on the deck
ot his yacht In the Mediterranean
the coast Of Africa was in the dls-
lance We had been talking Of
that strange, famous EnglishmaD
whose tragic death in the North
SEE had stirred the world.
Why had he never married.
the greatest EnglIshman Of his
timer we, did not name him. Mon
stenr Jonquelle called him "Slr
Henry in the story.
The Project Of Police Of Paris
presented the story as though It
we're q detached tale Of an orien-
talstofy teller In a bazar Of Gallo.
And ] listened with my eyes clos
ed, on the cool deck, moving slow
" BY the long swells. ]. liste7-
"a to the tragic love story Of TINS
strange reserved, famous Eng
iishman who had lived in mystery
and died in mystery:
The man who rode north from
the citadel, along the Boulevard
Mphammed Ali, was no Longer
goung.
He sat firmly In the saddle, and
70 the distant eye, he was hard
and lean like q hunter In condl-
ton, but HIS face discolored by
wind and sun, in repose, was tired.
1t was an unusual face, scanned
and crossed with lines, the
muscles developed along the jaw.
But II was not these features that
impressed one.
1twas the man's extraordinary
eyes. They were large and set far
apart. The color you immediate
" saw--a dark metallic blue
the sblue Of certain remote spaces
In the tropic sky. The lids drop
ped; giving the man an expression
q once Of serenity and menace.
he rode gray Arab, and his
clothes were evidently the best
product of q Bond Street tailor.
He rode like a soldler-like one
accustomed to live days aud
nights in the saddle.
The man felt old and tired.
The.yast eternal unchanging as
peet Of Egypt oppressed him. Here
all human effort seemed equally
futile. Here, as in India, one
grew only old and accomplished
nothing. And, on this evening,
he felt acutely the menace Of
Egypt.
England had only extended
fingers on this great desert run
ming south into impenetrable
mystery. She had only the peace
of the bayonet; and behind the
listless resignation Of these de-
sert peoples, there seemed to II.
. vast, inheart hatred Of the in-
yader that never lessened, and
that waited always with an un.
( falling patience. In India, this
thing sskulked in the distance, but
here II seemed TO approach-to
be at. hand.
Perhnps what tho man knew
staged this Impression. The who.e
world OF Islam was uneasy. She
had been despoiled in Turkey and
shamed. She felt that weak rulers
for gain Of the love OF life, had
held her In leash when she ougG:
to have been loosened with a great
shout to a holy war. The heads u
Islam we're quiet. but the tribes
were restless.
England, feeling always with her
delicate antennae, knew this and,
always wise. moved first. She had
Withdrawn this man from India
and sent him here to set tho butt
of the Eee-Endfield little firmer
i'm the sand south toward Khar-
He had a fortnight in Cairo be-
fore he took up this tremendous
labor, and he used 1t to be free, to
he alone, to ride when he liked
without an orderly always at his
heels.
It was great honor that England
did him. He might IN the end, be-
come Yiceroy Of India or SiTdar Of
Egypt. But, on this evening no
was Impressed with the value OF
what he paid-his youth had been
required OF him. When he shouid
come up out Of this desert he
would be old. And what had he got
what would he get out Of these
great honors?
The man. rode slowly, holding
lf6ai aaHVn,1g Arah In Tho rtrop1a
incong ruous current Of the city
passed him, but he was thinking
Of something else, and he gave it
no attention.
There was another thing. He
unused vaguely, He had seen on
this very day, in the shade Of a
magnificent flowing vine, a.
young soldier and an English girl.
They were sitting on a bench:
neither moved, and only their
hands touched. They did not
speak, and yet their faces were
Ike the faces Of angels.
This was a thing that he had
always hated. 1t was not the
eneiny inethe front that threaten.
ed the army, 1t was these loving
creatures in the rear. Ruthless
and determined, he had set his
lace against 1t. The army should
be eelibate. And he had broken
and elbowed out the men who
would cucumber themselves with
i loving heart.
Well, he had lived by the rule
himselfi There had been no wom-
IN about him on the frontiers Of
the Empirel When he came, now