The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-21

conveniencing anyone"
st rather believe we shall hit 1t
off. I'm like that. They tell me you
did ripping fine work down thsre."
shall not deny that felt flat
tered. Science has never been able
TO crush completely that human att
tribute called vanity.
How long will you be making
your stop~
Three days longer, perhaps"
THAT falls in nicely. We shan't
be making friends of each other in
that short time"
I thought this observation match
for his previous one regarding
death and beauty.
You don't believe in friendship"
'I believe in It," he answered So
berly, but / no longer find it adj
visab1e to practice it. But enough
of that. Suppose we start for the
club? We can have our pegs in
quiet. They are all at the Residency
tonight
4 agreed readily. I wanted to see
more of this chap who thought it
ideal to die near something beautiful
and who no longer made friends
of men. He uttered these peculiar
sentiments neither lightly nor dole
fully, but in matter of fact tone
that carried conviction.
The night before 1 left Agra one
of his Brother officers talked him
over. I gathered that the lieutenant
was "queerish," lonely and aloof by
preference, had plenty of money, and
was a thorough soldier though a
reckless one in action. He hunted
his tigers afoot, and that in India
is the final word in the matter of
physical courage.
Queerl He was all right a few
years ago, worked and played like
the rest of US. But when he re-
turned from England in 1910, he kept
by himself His mother died while
he was home. But those things
wear off, you know. We've all tried
to get back on the old footing, but
he won't let US.
The only intimate he has is old
0'Hara, and O'Hara is about on a
par with him. 1 believe he got a
bit of sun somewhere. You know
how that acts. He spent two weeks
at Alden before coming up; and we
think he got it there without real-
fzing it.
Ever notice his eyes? When he
looks at you, he fairly digs through
you. But he's clean as a whistle,
and there's no family history, though
we all take to the idea that there's
woman somewhere. Rummy!"
i've noticed his eyes," 1 comment
ed-as indeed I had. They were
gray, deep-set and melancholy.
Hes a bit uncanny these days,
too" went on my informant. HE and
Lieutenant Bradford-an old chum-
went up to Nepa1 to do some tiger
shooting.
As they were about to start out
one early morning, he suddenly de-
clined to go. He wouldn't give his
reasons, and he askel Bradford to
put away his guns.
But Bradford stormed about, and
when lie. threatened to go alone-the
natives had beaten up a ripping old
man eater-there was nothing to do
but accompany him. Both crack
shots, they missed the brute, who
charged them.
Bradford stumbled, and the tiger
mauled him SO badly that he
died that night. There was a lot
of whispering IN the bazars after he
brought back Bradford's body-na-
tive talk. 1t got about that he knew
Bradford was going to die All bally
rot, you know. You can't tell what's
on the card for tomorrow 1t isn't
humanity possible You're a doctor;
you know all about those things.
Have you ever come across a case
where a chap could really take a
peek into tomorrow"
II never have: and honestly don't
believe anyone ever has.
"Rummy!'
The subject of this trifling illumi-
nation came over to the station to
see me off.
we may meet again some day." he
said as we shook hands. II shouldn't
mind that. I suppose I'm drawn
toward you because you seen lonely.
Is it by preference"
I've never given it thought"
answered honestly.
In truth. he had quietly driven
home the fact that I was a home
less wanderer. On the other hand.
/ hadn't had the time to be lonely.
AS have said, I was his COM
panion, off and on, for three days.
There were fits Of brooding, q
strange, rapt brooding which had in
it resignation rather than melan-
choly; and yet at a word from me he
would have become a cheerful COM
panion. He never spoke of England,
of home, of kith or kin.
When next / saw him, he was
standing at the edge of a Zeppelin
bonob in the capfar nf CT in