My Strangest Case

is a Ford, which has a distinguished claim on fame, inasmuch as it is one of the gateways from Burmah into Western China. This Ford is guarded continuall

study. It is also true that Nampoung is only thirty miles or so, as the crow flies, from Bhamo, and when one has been in the wilds, and out of touch of civilizatio

e hill, and groaned once more. “I wonder what they are doing in England,” he continued. “Trout-fishing has just begun, and I can imagine the dear old Governor at the Long Pool, rod in hand. The girls will stroll down in the afternoon to find out what sport he has had, and they’ll walk home across the Park with him, while th

en was approaching him. He inquired his business, and was informed in return that Dempsey, his sub, would be glad to see him at the Ford. Handing his rod to the man

?” he inquired. “What on ea

an. At home we should call him a scarecrow. He turned up from across the Ford just now, and tumbled down in

REGORY. ‘HE SEEMS TO B

on his last legs. I wonder who the deuce he

out to tell us,” said Dempsey. “What d

ion. “When he’s a bit stronger we’ll have his story out o

sessed were in rags; his face was pinched with starvation, and moreover he was quite unconscious. When his bearers, accompanied by the two Englishmen, reached the cluster of huts, he was carried to a small room

ver a man was near it, you have been. We won’t ask you for your story now; however, later on, you shall bukh t

it ravenously, and then lay back and closed his eyes once more. He would have been a clever man who could have recognized in the emaciate

“and then perhaps you’ll feel equal to joinin

onal utterance of an English gentleman, which was not

erandah a few minutes later, “he has evidently seen better days.

d clean away. I am not more curious than my neighbours, but I don’t mind admitting that I am anxious to hear what he has to sa

em they had managed to fit him out with a somewhat composite set of garments. He had shaved off his beard, had re

may be like, but you certainly have more the appearance of a man, and less that of a skelet

through was so vivid, that the man

in for worlds,” he said. “You

e border alone?”

shook

s there my servants deserted me, taking with them every halfpenny I possessed. Being suspected by the Mandarins, I was th

said Dempsey; “but you’ve managed to come o

replied. “Then I shall ship for England as best as I

reticent upon this point, and feeling that perhaps the recollection of all he had

r had retired to rest. “If he has walked from Pekin here, as he says, he’s more than a little

is own room he had removed a broad leather belt from round his waist. From the pocket of this belt he shook out upwards of a hundred rubies an

shave — a very close shave. I wouldn’t do that journey again for

e could not suppress a shudder. Then he arranged the mosquito-curtains of his

looked in upon the stranger to find him slee

own at him. “One meets some extraordinary characters out here.

bed with a look of abject terror in his eyes. The sweat of a living fear wa

urself together, man, there’s nothing f

f he did not recognize him. Then, taking

id. “I thought the Chinese were after me ag

self, left Nampoung for Bhamo, with Gregory’s

f the assistance. “Treat it as a loan if you like. You can return it to me when you are

e said nothing to him upon the subject. He merely pocketed the cheque with an expression of his gratitude, promising to repay it as soon as he reach

ly conventional to attract little or no attention, so he negotiated the Captain’s cheque, fitted himself out with a few other things that he required, and then set off for Mandala

way slowly down the sluggish stream with the rice-fields on either side, Hayl

y are sold and the money is in my hands, the leaf shall be turned, an