The Argosy, August 1905 — page 85: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

i the third day, May Farrar could no longer doubt that Mohun’s new cold- ness of manner and actual avoidance of her were intentional. That he was unhappy she could plainly see. That his disquiet had to do with her she readily guessed. Woman-like, and eonscious of free- dom from offense, she was too proud to seek an explanation or to try to force her society on a man who was obviously seeking to avoid it. Thus it was that with umseeing eyes the two young people gazed on scenes fraught with the world’s most marvel- ous history and most sacred religious associations. It is a day’s journey by fairly easy stages From the Valley of the Jordan to Jerusalem. Part of the route lies over a rough road laid in the days of Roman. rule, and little improved in the past nineteen centuries, and part hes over a mere narrow, rock-girt path where carriages cannot pass and where horsemen must ride single file. The first portion of the journey is through .shaded orchards of olive, orange and lemon trees laden with frnit and flower. The latter part is over a mountainous, barren, desolate traet where dull-gray rock and duller brown earth blend into a monochrome of dreariness. “Tt is like a Land of the Dead,’ com- mented Mrs. Sharpe to the major, who rode beside her palanquin. “It is a land of the dead,” he an- awered gravely. “A land whose glory is departed. But there are more holy memories roused by the outlines of these barren hills and by the very dust of these roads than by all the beauties of the rest of the world. “This land is the cradle of our faith. I feel that with every step I take I am treading on holy ground. I only wish,” he added with a sigh, “ that I could in- stil a little feeling of the sort into our young people here.” He indicated with his head Sir Arthur and May, who were riding together a hundred yards in advance of their elders, langhing and chatting gaily. “Youth is youth!” responded Mrs. Sharpe oracularly, “but evidently the : Sriahealst love affair’ is no longer tri- ~ * hy es - y 4 P a ie . 4 ¢ + il - “ee 7 “an we ‘ ‘, : hy - f id = r e . a rooted eo MEE = AD te en, nee ie angular. Where is Mr. Mohun? Have he and May had a tiff?” “1 hope not,” said the major, turning in his saddle to locate the missing swain, “for I like the boy. Pd be sorry if May had trifled with his heart to any serious extent. He’s too good a chap for her to torture. There he is now, riding with Imbarak nearly half a mile behind us. What ails the lad? On the journey from Jerusalem to the Jordan he never left May’s side.” “1 wouldn’t worry. Probably some silly misunderstanding such as young people enjoy. You seem fond of Mr. Mohun. Ave you prepared to welcome him as a nephew-in-law ? ” “Well, I’d hardly say that. You see I know so little of him. We met him aeeidentally in Cairo and liked him and insisted on his joining us. Hie is from Beston, is recently out of Harvard, and is spending a year in travel before set- tling down to business. That is all he has told me about himself. He seems to have plenty of spending money and plenty of leisure, and from his manner I can see he is a gentleman by birth and breeding. “ That’s all I really know of him. Lf he and May come to an understanding it will of course be my duty as her uncle and guardian to make strict inquiries as to his family, finances, antecedents, etc. But.it has struck me that for the past day or so he and May don’t seem as fond of each other’s society as of old —cever since he helped her out of the quicksands, in fact. Queer, isn’t it? But young Cole is getting his innings on ae- eount of it.” “Tve lived in and around Boston all my life,’ said Mrs. Sharpe reflectively, “and I know, by name or personally, nearly every family of any account in the whole city. But I recall no name such as Mohun. Nor, though I’ve ques- tioned him once or twice, can I make him speak of any acquaintances in Bes- ton. Besides, ve noticed that though we have all been together for more than a month he has never received any mail. Not a single letter. “ Nor have I ever seen him writing so much as a posteard m the hotel writing- rooms on steamer-days. It is none of . we Se = ‘ — a“ comicbooks.com Ae a