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Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, January 24, 1913, Image 6

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THE PERRYSBURG, OHIO, JOURNAL, FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1913.
iisiiitSf
A3 the Caravan Was Passing She Screamed.
is I
SYNOPSIS.
George Perclval Algernon Jonci, vice-
firesldent of the Metropolitan Oriental
lug company ot New York, thirsting for
romance, Is In Cairo on a business trip.
Horace Rjnnne arrives at tlio hotel in
Cairo with n carefully guarded bundle.
Ryanno sells Jones the famous holy Yhl
ordes ruRvuhich ho admits having stolen
from a pasha at Bagdad. Jones meets
Major Callahan and later i3 Introduced to
T"ortune Chedsoyo by a woman to whom
ho had loaned 159 pounds nt Monte Carlo
somo months previously, and who turns
out to be Fortune's mother. Jones takes
Mrs Cliedsoyo and Fortune to a polo
game. Fortune returns to Jones tho
money borrowed by her mother. Mrs.
Chedoyo appears to engaged In borao
mysterious enterprise unknown to the
daughter. Ryanne Interests Jones In the
United Romance and Adventure com
pany, a concern which for a price will
arrange any Kind of nn adventure to or
der. Mrs. Chcdsoye, her brother. Major
Callahan, Wallace and" Ryanne, as the
United Romunee and Advonturo company,
Slan a risky enterprise involving Jones.
Lyunne makes known to Mr3. Chedsoyo
his Intention to marry Tortunc. Mrs,
Chedsoyo declares she will not permit it.
Plans are laid to prevent Jones sailing
for home. Ryanno steals Jones' letters
and cable dispatches. He wires agent in
New York, in Jones' name, that he is
renting houso In New York to somo
friends, Mahomed, keeper of the holy
carpet, is on Ryanno's trail. Ryanne
Sromlsen Fortune that ho will seo that
ones comes to no harm as a result of his
purchase of the rug. Mahomed accosts
Ryanno and demands tho Yhlordes rug.
Ryanne tolls him Jones has the rug and
suggests the abduction of tho New York
merchant ns a means of securing its re
turn. Tho rug disappears from Jones'
room. Fortune quarrels with her mothsr
when the latter refuses to explain her
mysterious actions. Fortune gets a mes
sage purporting to bo from Ryanno ask
ing her to meet him In n secluded placo
that evening. Jones receives a messago
asking him to meet Ryanne at tho English
Bar tho same evening. Jonca Is carried
off Into tho desert by Mahomed nnd his
accomplices after a desperato light. Ho
discovers that Ryanno nnd Fortune also
ore captives, tho formor Is badly battered
and unconscious. Ryanne recovers con
sciousness and the sight of Fortune In
captivity reveals to lilm the fact that
Mahomed Intends to get vengeance on
him through the girl. Fortuno acknowi
olges that she stole tho rug from Jones'
room. She offers to roturn It to Mahomed
If ho will free all three of them. Ma
homed agrees to llberato Fortuno and ono
of the men In return for tho rug. A cour
ier In sent to Cairo for the rug. but ro-
. turns with tho Information that Mrs.
Chedsoyo and her brother have sailed for
New York. Fortuno spurns offered free
dom which does not include her two com
panions. CHAPTER XV. (Continued.)
When camp wqb mado that night
It found the captives untalkatlvc. Tho
elrl nnd the two men sat moodily
about the Are, Fatigue had dulled
their bodies and hopelessness their
minds. The men were ragged now,
unkempt; a stubhlo of beard covered
their faces, gaunt yet burned. George
load lost his remaining pump, and as
his stockings wore now full of holes,
ho had, In tho last flicker of personal
pride, wound about them some cast
off clothB ho had found. There was
not enough water for ablutions; there
was scarcely enough to assuage thirst.
By and by, Ryanno, without turning
his head, spoke to George, "You say
you questioned the courier?"
"Yes."
"Ho says he showed tho note to no
one?"
"Yes."
"And so no ono will try to find us?"
"No."
Ryanno bad asked these questions
a aozon times ana uporge naa always
clven tho same answers.
Tip and away nt dawn, for they must
reach tbo well that night. It was a
terrible day for thorn nil, Even tho
beasts showed signs of distress. And
tho worst of It was, Mahomed was
not quite sure of his route. Fortunate
ly, they found the well. They drank
like mad people.
Ryanne, who had discovered a pack
of cards in his pocket, played patience
upon a spot smoothed level with his
hand. He became absorbed in the
game; and the boys gathered round
him curipusly. Whenever ho succeed
ed in turning out tho fifty-two cards,
ho would smile and rub his hands to
gether. The boys at length consid
ered him unbalanced mentally, and in
consequence looked upon him as a
near-holy man.
Between Fortuno and George con
versation dwindled down to a que-'y
and an answer.
"Can I do anything for you?"
"No, thanks; I am getting along
nicely."
To-night she retired early, and
George joined Ryanne's audteuoe.
"It averages about nine cards to the
play," ho commented.
Ryanne turned over an ace. Ten or
fifteen minutes went by. In the sev
eral attempts he had failed to scoro
the full complement.
George laughed.
"What's in your mind?" cried Ry
anno peevishly. "If it's anything
worth telling, shoot It out, shoot It
out!"
"I was thinking what I'd do to a
club-steak Just about now."
Ryanne stared beyond the lire. "A
club-steak. Grilled mushrooms."
"Sauco Bordelalse. Artichokes."
"No. Asparagus, vinaigrette."
"What's tho matter with endives?"
"That's so. Well, asparagus with
butter-sauce."
"Grilled sweets, coffee, Benedictine,
and cigars."
"And a magnum of '1900' to start oft
with!" Ryanne, with a sudden change
of mood, scooped up the cards and
flung them at George's head. "Do you
want us both to become gibbering
idiots?"
George ducked. He and tho bos
gathered in the fluttering paste-boards.
"You're right, Perclval," Ryanne ad
mitted humbly. "It will not hurt us
to talk out loud, and we are all brood
ing too much. I um crazy for tlio want
ot tobacco. I'd trade tho best dinner
over cooked for a decent' cigar."
George put a hand reluctantly Into
his pocket. He brought forth, with ex
treme gentleness, n cigar, the wrapper
of which was broken In many' places.
"I've saved this for dayB," ho said.
With his pon-knlfo he sawed It deli
cately into two parts, and gave one to
Ryanne.
"You'ro a good fellow, Jones, and
I've turned you a shabby trick. I
shan't forgot this .bit of tobacco."
"It's tho last we've got. Tho boys,
you know, refuse a pull at tho water
pjpo; defiles 'em, they say. Funny
beggars! And if they gave us tobacco,
wo shouldn't have paper or pipes."
"I always carry a pipe, but I lost' It
In tho shuffle, I nover looked upon
smoking as a bad habit. I suppose
it's because I was never caught before
without It. And U 1b a bad habit,
since it knocks up a chap this way
for the lack ot it. Where do you get
your club-steaks In old N. Y.?" 1
Xnd for an hour or more thoy sol
emnly discussed tho cooking here and
thero upon the face of tho globo.
HAROLD MACGKATH ' 3P
Avitkor of JEAETS AND .MASKS
JDho rm ON THE BOX .
lllvistraiianLS k jM.G.Kettjvtbr-
COPYR.IGHT lgil jby BOBD3 - TnERRILL COMFWSY
By judicious inquiries Georgo ascer
tained that tho trip to Bagdad, barr
ing accidents, would take fully thirty
fivo days, Tho dally journeys pro
ceeded uneventfully. Mahomed main
tained a taciturn grlmncss. If ho
aimed at' Ryanno at all, It was In
trifling annoyances, such as forget
ting to give him his rations unless lie
asked for them, or walking over the
cards spread out upon the sand.
Ryanno carried himself very well. Had
he been alone, ho would have broken
loose against Mahomed; but he
thought of the others, and restrained
himself somo consideration was due
them.
But Into tho blood ot the two men
there crept a potty irritability. They
answered one another sharply, and
often did not speak. Fortune alone
seemed mild and gentle. Mahomed,
since that night she had braved him,
let her go and como ns she pleased,
nor once disturbed her. Had she
Bhown weakness when most she need
fed courage, Mahomed might not have
altered his plans. Admiration of cour
age Is inherent in nil people. So,
without appreciating it, that moment
had been a precious one, saving them
nil much unpleasantness.
By tho twentieth day, tho caravan
was far Into tho Arabian desert, and
early In tho afternoon, they came up
on a beautiful oasis, nestling like an
emerald in a plaque of gold. So many
dayB had passed since tho beloved
green of growing things had soothed
their Inflamed eyes, that tho sight of
this haven cheered them all mightily.
Once under the shade of tho palms,
tho trio picked up heart. Fortuno sang
a little, Georgo told a funny story, and
Ryanne wanted to know If they
wouldn't take a hand at euchre. In
deed, that oasis was the turning-point
of the crisis. Another week upon tho
dreary, profitless Bands, and their spir
its would have gone under completely.
This oasis was close to the regular
camel-way, there being a larger oasis
some twenty-odd miles to the north.
But Mahomed felt safe at this distance,
and decided to freshen up tho caravan
by a two-days' rest.
George Immediately began to show
Fortune little attentions. Ho fixed her
saddle-bags, spread out her blanket,
brought her somo ripe dates of his
own picking, insisted upon going to
the well and drawing the water she
was to drink. And oh! how sweet and
cool that water was, after the gritty
fiat liquid they had been drinking!
Just before sundown, he and Fortune
"set out upon a voyage of discovery;
and Ryanne paused in his game of pa
tience to watch them. There wa3
more self-abnegation than bitterness
in his eyes. Why not? If Fortune re
turned to her mother," sooner or later
tho thunderbolt would fall. Far better
that she should fall In love with Jones
than tc go back to tbo overhanging
shadow. A smile lifted the corners of
hip lips, a sad smile. Perclval didn't
look the part of a hero. His coat was
variously split under tho arras and
across tho shoulders; his trousers
were ragged, and he walked In his
cloth pads like a man who had gout
In both feot. A beard covered his
face, and the bare spots were blistered
and peeling. But there was youth In
Perclval's eyes and youth In his heart,
and surely tho youth in hers must
some' day respond. Sho would know
this young man; she would know that
adversity could not crush him; that
the promise of safety could not make
a coward of him; that he was loyal
and brave and honest. She would
know In twenty days what It takes the
average woman twenty years to learn,
tho manner of man who professed to
love her. Ryanne left tho game unfin
ished, stretched himself upon the
ground. Oh, tho bitter cup, the bitter
cup!
Round tho fire that night, tho camel
boys got out their tom-tomB and reeds,
and tho corlo music affected tho white
people hauntlngly and mysteriously.
For thousands of years, the high and
low notes of the drums (hollow earth-en-jars
or large gourds covered with
goat-skin at ono end) and the thin, me
tallic wall ot the reeds had echoed
across tho deserts, unchanged,
Fortuno always remembered that
night. Wrapped In her blanket, sho
had lain down just outside the circle,
and had fallen Into a doze. When the
muslo stopped and tho boys left the
prisoners to themsolves, George and
Ryanno talked.
"I never forget faces," began
George.
"No? Thnt'B a gift."
"And I have neyor forgotten yours.
I waB In doubt at first, but not now."
"I nover met you till that night at
tho hotel."
"That's true. But you are Horace
Wadsworth, all the same, tho Bon of
tho millionaire-banker, tho man I used
to admlro In tho field."
"You still think I'm that chap?"
"I am sure of It. Tho firs 1 - ng
you gave yourself nway."
"What did I say?" nnxlov
"You mumbled foot-ball')
it
"Ah!" Ryanno was vastly relieved.
Ho seemed to bo thinking.
"Do you persist In denying It?"
"I might deny It, but I shan't. I'm
Borneo Wadsworth, nil right. Fortune
knows something about that chapter,
but not all. Strikes you odd, eh?" con
tinued Ryanne, Iron In his voice.
"Every opportunity in the world; nnd
yet, hero I am. How much do you
know, I wonder?" '
"You took somo money from the
bank, I think thoy said."
"Right-O! Wine, Perclval; cards,
wine and other things. Advico and
warning went Into ono ear and out of
the other. Always 80, eh? You have
heard of my brother, I dare say. Well,
he wouldn't lend mo two stamps were
I to write for the undertaker to como
and collect my remains. Beautiful his
tory! I've been doing somo tall think
ing these lonely nights. Only tho
straight and narrow way pays. Bo
good, oven if you are lonesome. When
I get back, If I ever do, it's a now leaf
for mine. Neither wine nor cards nor
women."
Silence. Tho Are no longer blazed;
It glowed.
"Who Is Mrs. Chedsoyo?" George
finally began anew.
"First, how did you chance to make
her acquaintance?"
"Somo years ago, at Monte Carlo."
"And she borrowed a hundred and
fifty pounds of you."
"Who told you that?" quickly.
"She did. She paid you back."
"Yes."
"And she hadn't Intended to. You
poor Innocent!"
"Why do you call me that?"
"To lend money at Monte Carlo to a
woman whose name you did not know
at the time! Green, green as a paddy
field! I'll tell you who sho Is, because
you're bound to learn sooner or later.
Sho -is one of the most adroit smug
glers of the ago; Jewels and rare laces.
And never once has tho secret-service
been able to touch her. Her brother,
tho Major, assists her when ho Isn't
fleecing tender lambs at all known
games of chance. He's a card-sharp,
ono of the best ot them. He tried to
teach me, but I never could cheat a
man at cards. Never makes any false
moves, but waits for the quarry to of
fer itself. That poor child has always
been wondering and wondering,' but
sho never succeeded In finding out tho
truth. Brother and sister have made
a handsome living, and many a time I
have helped them out. There; you
have me In the ring, too. But who
cares? Tho father, bo I understand,
married Fortune's mother for love;
she married him for his money, and
ho hadn't any. Drink and despair dis
patched him quickly enough. Sho is a
remarkable woman, and if she had a
heart, sho would bo tho greatest of
them all. She has as much heart as
this beetle," as he flipped the green iri
descent shell Into tho fire. "But, after
all, she's lucky. It's a bad thing to
have a heart, Perclval, a bad thing.
Some one Is sure to come along and
wring It, to Jab It and stab It."
"Tho poor little girl!"
"Perclval, I'm no fool. I've been
watching you. Go In and win her; and
God bless you both. She's not for me,
she's not for me!"
"But what place have I in all this?"
evasively.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Why did Mrs. Chedsoyo pay me
back, when her original Intention had
been not to pay me?"
"You'll find all that written In the
book of fato, as Mahomed would say.
More, I cannot tell you."
"Will not?"
"Well, that phrase expresses It."
They both heard tho sound. For
tune, hor face white and drawn,
tood Immediately behind them.
CHAPTER XVI.
Mahomed Rides Alone.
It was as if the stillness of tho des
ert itself had encompassed tho two
men. In their ears the slither of tho
brittle palm-leaYcs against ono an
other and tho crackle of the fire were
no longer sounds. They stared at
Fortuno with that speechless wonder
of men who had como unexpectedly
upon a wraith. What with tlio faint
glow of tho fire upon one Bide of her
and the pallor of moonshine upon the
other, she did Indeed rcsemblo man's
conception of the spiritual.
Ryanno was first to pull himself to
gether. "Fortune, I am sorry; God knows
I am. I'd havo cut out my tongue
rather than havo hurt you. I thought
you wore asleep In tbo tent"
"Is It true?"
"Yes." Ryanno looked away.
"I had not quite expected this: tho
daughter of a thief."
"Oh, come now; don't look at it
that way. Smuggling is altogether a
different thing," piotested Ryanno.
(Women wore uncertain; hero sho
yas, apparently (lie least agitated of
tho three.) "Why, hundreds of rjion
and women, who regularly go to
church, think nothing of beating
Undo Sam out of n fow dollars. Hero's
Jones, for Instance; bo would have
tried to smuggle In that rug. Un't
that right, Jones?"
"Of course!" cried Georgo eagerly,
though scarcely knowing what he
said. "I'd have done It."
"And you wouldn't call Perclval a
thler," with a forced laugh. "It's llko
this, Fortune. Undo Sam wants al
together too much rake-off. He doesn't
glvo us a Bquare deal; and so we even
up tho matter by trying to beat him.
Scruples? Rot!"
"It Is stealing," with quiet convic
tion. "It Isn't, cither. Listen to mo. Sup
pose I purchase a pearl necklace In
Rome, and pay five-thousand for it.
Undo Sam will boost up the value
more than one-half. And what for?
To protect Infant industries? Bally
rot! Wo don't make pearls In tho
States; our oysters aren't educated up
to it." His flippancy found no re
sponse In her. "Well, suppose I get
that necklace through the customs
without paying the duty. I make
twenty-flvo hundred or so. And no
body Is hurt. That's all your mother
does."
"It Is stealing," sho reiterated.
How wan she looked! thought
George.
"How can you make that stealing?"
Ryanno was provoked.
"The law puts a duty upon such
things; If you do not pay it, you steal.
Oh, Horace, don't waste your time
in specious arguments." Sho made, a
gesture, weariness personified. "It is
stealing; all the arguments in the
world can not change It into anything
else. And how about my undo who
fleeces the lambs nt cards, and how
about my mother who knows and per
mits It?"
Rj'Anne had no plausible argument
to offer ngalnst these queries.
"Is not my undo a thief, and is not
my mother an abettor? I do not know
of anything so vile." Her figure grew
less erect To George's eyes, dimmed
by the reflecting misery In hers, she
drooped, as a flower exposed to sud
den cold. "I think tho thief In the
night much honester than one who
cheats at cards. A card-sharp; did
you not call It that? Don't Ho, Hor
ace; it will only make me sad."
"I shan't Ho any more, Fortune. All
that you believe Is true; and I would
to God that It were otherwise. And
"She lo One of the Most Adroit Smugglers of tho Aqs"
I'vo been a partner In many of their
exploits. But not at cards, Fortune;
not at cards. I'm not that kind of a
cheat."
"Thank you. I should havo known
some time, -and perhaps only half a
truth. Now I knoT? nil there Is to
know.," She held hor hands out bo
fore hor and studied them. "I shall
nover go bade"
"Good Lord! Fortune, you must.
You'd be ob helpless as a babe. What
cquld you do without money and com
fort?" "I can become a clerk In a shop. It
will bo honest. Bread at Mentone
would choke mo;" and, sho choked a
1HUU UlUIl UB BllW BIJUUU.
"My dear Fortune," Bald Ryanne,
'calling Into life that persuasive
BwectncBS which upon occasions ho
could put iutc his tones, "liave you
lover thought how beautiful you aro?
No, I don't bellevo you have. Sorxo
ancestor of your father's hnsybeen ro
Incarnated In you. You aro without
vanity and. dishonesty; and I havo
found that these usually go togethor.
Well, at Mentono you had a little ex
porlcnco with men. You' woro under
protection then; protection It was of
a sort. If you go out into tho world
alone, there will bo no protection; and
you will And that men aro wolves
generally, and that tho sport of tho
chaso Is a woman. Must I make It
plainer?"
"I understand," her chin once mora
resolute. "I shall become a clerk in
a shop. Perhaps I can tench, or bo
como a nurse. Whntovor I do, I shall
nover go back to Mentonc. And all
men aro not bad. You're not all bad
yourself, Horace; and so far as I am
concern i, I believe I might trust you
anywhere."
"And God knows you could!" genu- "
inely. "But I can't help you. If I
had sister or a woman relative, I
could send you to her. But I havo no
orio but my brother, and he's a worso
scoundrel than I am. I at least work
out In tho open. Ho transacts his
villainies behind closed doors."
Georgo listened. Bitting as motion
less as a Buddhist Idol. Why couldnt
he think ot something? Why couldnt
ho come to tho aid of tho woman ho
loved In this her hour of trial f A fine
lover, forsooth! To sit there like a
yokel, Btupldly! Could ho offer to
lend her money? A thousand tlmos,
no! And he could not ask her to
marry lilm; It would not have been
fair to either. Sho would have mis
understood; she would have seen not
love but pity, and refused him. Nei
ther she nor Ryanno suffered moro la
spirit than ho did at that moment
''Jones, for God's sake, wako up and
suggest something! You know lot
of decent people. Can't you think of
somo ono?"
But for this call George might havo
continued to grope in darkness. In
stantly ho saw a way. He jumped to
his feet and seized her by tho hands,
boyishly.
'IFortune, Ryanne It right. 1'to
found a way. Mr. Mortimer, the pres
ident of my firm, Is an old man, kindly,
and lovable. He and his wife aro
childless. They'll tako you- Why, K'o
as easy as talking."
Sho leaned iack against the draw
ing of his hands. She was afraid that
in his eagerncs3 he was going to tako
her in his arms. Sho wondered why,
of a audden, sho had becomo so weak.
"I'll cable the moment wo reocfc
port," ho said, aa if reaching port un
der tho existing conditions wna a
thing quito possible. ''Will you go to
thorn 7 Why, they will give you or
cry care in tho world. And they will
love you as . . . aa you ought to
be loved!"
Ryanno turned awny his head.
Fortune was too deeply absorbed by
haV misery to jioto how near Georgo
had como to committing himself.
"Thank you, Mr, Jones; thank you.
I am going to tho tent. I am tired.
Arid I um not so bravo no you-think
Inm." J,
"But will you?"
1 "I shall toll you when -co
port." Ana wttb that aho fled to
tent
(TO na CONTINUBBJc)
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