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THE PERRYSBURG. OHIO, JQURNAL, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1013.
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SYNOPSIS.
Georgo Pefctval Algernon Jones, vlce
toresldent of the Metropolitan Oriental
StUs company ot New York, thirsting for
romanco. Is rn Cairo on a business trip.
Horaco Ryanne arrives at tho hotel In
Cairo with a carefully guardod bundle.
Ryanno sells Jones tho famous holy Yhl
ordeo rug which he admits having stolon
from a pasha at Bagdad. Jones meets
Major Callahan and later Is Introduced to
STortuno Chedsoyo by a woman to whom
tic had loaned ISO pounds at Monto Carlo
soma months previously, and who turns
out to bo Fortune's mother. Jones takei
Mrs. Chedsoyo and Fortune to a polo
Kamo. Fortune returns to Jones tho
money borrowed by her mother. Mrs.
ChedBoye appears to bo engaged In somo
tayaterious enterprise unknown to tho
faughtor. Jtynnno Interests Jones In tho
totted Romanco und Adventure corn
any, a concern which for a prlco will
arrange any kind of an adventure to or
er. Airs. Chedsoyo, her brother, Major
Callahan, Wallace and Ryanne, as the
United Romance and Adventure company,
jplan a risky enterprise Involving Jones.
Ryanno makes known to Mrs. Chedsoyo
Ills Intention to marry Fortune. Mrs.
Chedsoyo declares she will not permit It.
SPIans are laid to prevent Jones sailing
tor home. Ryanne steals Jones' lotters
bnd cable dispatches. He wires agent In
New York, In Jones' name, that ho Is
renting house In New York to some
friends. Mahomed, keeper of the holy
carpet. Is on Ryanne's trail. Ryanno
Sromlses Fortune that ho will oeo that
ones cornea to no harm as a result ot his
purchase of tho rug. Mahomed accosts
Ryanno and demands tho Yhlordes rug.
Ryanne tells him Jones has the rug and
Suggests the abduction of the Now York
lorchant as a means of securing its re
turn. Tho rug disappears from Jones'
room. Fortune quarrols with her mother
when the latter refuses to explain her
mysterious actions. Fortune gets a mes
sage purporting to be from Ryanno ask
ing tier to meet him In a secluded place
that evening. Jones receives a message
aaklnghlm to meet Ryanne at tho English
Bar the same evening. Jones Is carried
tort Into the desert by Mahomed and his
accomplices after a desperate fight. He
VJIscovora that Ryanne and Fortune also
are captives, the former Is badly battered
and unconscious. Ryanne recovers con
sciousness and tho sight of Fortune In
captivity reveals to him the fact that
Mahomed Intends to get vengeance on
Jilm through the girl. Fortune acknowl
edge3 that sho stole the rug from JoneB
room. Sho offers to return It to Mahomed
U he will free all three of them. Ma
homed ngrees to liberate Fortune and one
-of the men in return for tho rug. A cour
ier Is sent to Cairo for the rug, but re
turns with the Information that Mrs.
-Chedsoye and her brother have sailed for
.New York. Fortune spurns offered free
Joh. hicli docs not Includo her two com
pjinlons. The caravan continues the Jour
oy toward Bagdad. Ryanne tells Jones
that Mrs. Chedsoye Is tho most adroit
smuggler of the age, and Is overheard by
-Fortune. The three captives aro rescued
y Henry Ackermann, who Is In charge
-or a carpet caravan. Mahomed escapes,
ijrs. Chedsoyo discovers the absence of
Fortune and leaves for New York, taking
the girl's belongings with her. Through
forged letters Mrs. Chedsoye, the major
Ana thMr accomplices tako possession of
Jones" New York home.
I
i CHAPTER XVIII.
Tho Man Who Didn't Care.
It was tho first of February when
.'Ackermann's caravan drew into the
anclent city of Damascus. That part
-off tho caravan deserted by Mahomed
-.put out for Cairo immediately they
ratruck tho regular camel-way. For
"tunq. .George and Ryanne were in a
pitiable condition, heart and body
jwcary, in rago and tatters. George,
now 'that tho haven was assured,
dropped his forced buoyancy, his prat
rtle, his Jests." He had dono all a mor
"tal man could to keep up tho spirits
of his co unfortunates; and he saw
'that, most of tho time, ho had wasted
Zhla talents. Ryanno, sullen and mo
rose, often told him to "shut up;"
Which wasn't exhilarating. And For
tune viewed his attempts without
sensing them and frequently looked at
film without seeing him. Now, all this
was not particularly comforting to the
man who loved her and was doing
what ho could to lighten the dreari
ness of tho Journey. Ho made allow
ances, however; besides suffering un
usual privations, (Fortune had had a
frightful mental shock. A girl of her
depth of character could not be ex
pected to rise Immediately to the old
level. Sometimes, while gathered
about the evening Are, he would look
up to find her sad eyes staring at him,
and It mattered not If ho stared In re
turn; a kind of clairvoyance blurred
(visibilities, for sho was generally look
ing Into her garden at Mentone and
pondering when this horrlblo (dream
(would pasB. Subjects for conversa
tion wore exhausted in no timo. Dig
lta-he might, Georgo could And noth
ing new; and often ho recounted tho
p&mo talo twlco of an evening. Sar
donic laughter from Ryanne.
I Ackermann had glvon them up as
hopeless. Ho was a strong, vain, dom
ineering man, kindly nt hoart, how
pvor, but impatlont When he told a
(story, he demanded tho attention of
all; ao, whon Ryanno yawned before
his eyes, and Georgo drew pictures In
jthe sand, and tho girl fell asleep with
per head upon her knees, he drew
bff abruptly and loft them to their
own devices. Ho had, crossed and re
Kroasod tho silences bo often that ho
Jwaa no longer capablo of Judging ac
curate! another man'o mental pro
teases. That thoy had had a strange
and numbing experienco ho readily
understood; but now that they were
tout of duress and headed for tho
Jcoast, ho eaw no reason why they
(should not act like human beings.
L They Bini put u" ibo Dn,a tout for
Fortune, but tho rest of them slept
jupon the sand, under tho stars. Once,
George awoko as tho dawn was gild
fine tho caBt, 8lhouotted against the
wky he caw Fortune. Sho was stand
or' straight, her hands pressed at her
teldea, tier head tilted back a tense
Attitude. Ho did not know it 'but
hn nnu aiUlns Qod why theco tiling,
should bo. Ho throw oft his blanket
and ran to her.
"Fortune, you mustn't do that You
will catch cold."
"I cannot sleep," sho said simply.
Ho took her by tho hand and led
her to the tont. "Try," ho Bald. Then
ho did something ho had never dono
before to any woman save his mothor.
Ho kissed her hand, turned quickly,
and went over to his blanket. Sho
remained motionless before tho tent
Tho hand fascinated her. From tho
hand her gaze traveled to tho man
sottllng himself comfortably under his
blanket Pity, pity! that
was over to bo her portion; pity!
In Damascus tho trio presented
thcmsolvoB at tho one decent hotel,
and but for Ackermann's charges upon
tho manager, It Is doubtful If ho would
havo accepted them as guests; for a
more susplclous-looklng trio ho had
never set eyes upon. (A hotel man
weighs a person by tho quality of his
clothes.) Moreover, they carried no
luggage. Ackermann went sponsor;
and knowing something of the Integ
rity of tho rug-hunter, the manager
surrendered. And when George pre
sented his lotter of credit at the Im
perial Ottoman Bank, again it was
Ackermann who vouched for him. It
had been agreed to Bay nothing of the
character of their adventure. None
of them wanted to be followed by cu
rious ejes.
With a handful of British gold in his
pocket, Georgo faced the future hope
fully. He took his companions in
and about town, hunting the shops for
clothing, which after various difficul
ties they succeeded in finding. It was
Ill-fitting and cheap, but It would serve
till they reached Alexandria or Naples.
"How are you fixed?" asked Ry
anne, gloomily surveying George's
shoddy cotton-wool suit.
"Cash in hand?"
"Yes."
"About four hundred pounds. At
Naples I can cable. Do you want
any?"
"Would you mind advancing mo
two months' salary?"
"Ryanne, do you really mean to
stick to that proposition?"
"It's on my mind just now."
"Well, we'll go back to the bank
and I'll draw a hundred pounds for
you. You can pay your own expenses
as we go. But what are wo going to
do In regard to Fortune?"
"Ryanne, Do You Really Mean
"Seo that sho gets safely back to
Montono."
"Suppose she will not go thore?"
"It's up to you, Perclvnl; It's all up
to you. You'ro tho gay Locblnvar
from tho west. I'm not sure no one
ever Is regarding a woman but I
think she'll listen to you. She wouldn't
give an ear to a scalawag like me.
This carayan business has put ras out
side tho pale. I've lost caste."
"You'ro only desperate and discour
aged ; you can pull up straight."
"Much obliged!"
"You havon't looked at Ufo normal
ly; that's what tho matter Is."
"Solon, you'ro right. There's thnt
poor devil back In Bagdad. I've killed
a man, Perclval, It doesn't mix well
In my dreams"
"You said that H was In- self-de-fense."
, .
"And God knowa tt waa. But If I
hadn't gona after that damned ru,
SSdF!
Aviihor of HEARTS AND rsk$&,
-Cho JHAN ON THE BOX v.
XIlvistraLlioTv by M.Q.KJettjnjisr-
COPY3.rOHT lgil by BOBB3 - iERRILL .COMPAMY
he'd havo been aljlvo today. Oh, damn
It all; lot's go back to tho hotel and
order that club-Bteak, or tho best Imi
tation they havo. I'm going to havo
a pint of wlno. I'm as dull as a ditch
in a paddy-field."
"A bottle or two will not hurt any
of us. We'll ask Ackermann. For
God knows whero we'd have been to
day but for him. And let him do all
tho yarning. It will pleaBo him."
"And while ho gabB, we'll get tho
best of the steak and wine!" For tho
first time In days Ryanne's laughter
had a bit of the crstwhllo rollicking
tone.
Tho dinner was an event No deli
cacy (mostly canned) waB overlooked.
Tho manager, as ho heard the guin
eas jingle In George's pocket, was
filled with shame; not over his origi
nal doubts, but relative to his lack
of perception. The tourists who sat
at tho other tables were scandalized
at tho popping of champagne-corks.
Sanctimonious faces glared reproof.
A Jovial spirit In tho Holy Land was
an anachronism, not to bo tolerated.
And wine! Horrible! Doubtless,
when they retired to their native back
porches, they retold with never-ending
horror of having witnessed such
a scone and having heard such laugh
ter upon tho sacred soil.
Even Fortune laughed, though Ry
anne's ear, keenest then, detected tho
vague note of hysteria. If tho meat
was tough, tho potatoes greasy, tho
vegetables flavorless, the' wine flat,
none of them appeared to bo awaro
of It If Ackermann could talk he
could also cat; and the clatter of
forks and knives was the theme rath
er than the variation to tho symphony.
George felt himself drawn deeper
and deeper into those tragic waters
from which, as In death, there is no
return. Sho wan so lonely, so sad
and forlorn, that there was as much
brotber as lover In his sympathy.
How patient she had been during all
those inconceivable hardships! How
bravo and steady; and never a mur
mur! The single glass of wine had
brought the color back to her cheek
and the sparkle lntp her eye; yet he
to Stick to That Proposition?"
was sure that behind this apparent
liveliness lay tbo pitiful desperation
of tho helpless. Ho bad not spoken
again about old Mortimer. He would'
wait till after ho had sent a long
cable. Then ho would speak and
show nor tho answer, ot which he
had not a particle ot doubt As mat
ters now stood, ho could not tell her
that he loved her; his quixotic sense
of chivalry was too strong to permit
this step, urge as his heart might
upon it. Sho might misinterpret his
lovo as born of pity, and that would
bo the end of everything. Ho was con
fident now that -Ryanne meant noth
ing to her. Her lack of enthusiasm,
whenever Ryanne spoke to her In
those days; the peculiar horieontallty
of her llpo and brows, whenever Ry
anno offered a trifling courtesy all
pointed to distrust Georgo felt a
guilty gladness. After all, why
shouldn't she distrust Ryanne?
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George concluded that ho must ac
quire) patience . Sho was far too loyal
to run away without first giving him
warning. In tho event of hor refus
ing Mortimer's roof and protection, ho
know what his planB would bo. Somo
one else could do tho buying for Mor
timer & Jones; his business would be
to revolve round this lonely girl, to
watch and guard her without her be
ing aware of it. Of what use were
riches If ho could not put them to
whatever use ho chose? So ho would
wait near her, to see that she came
and went unmolested, till against that
time when sho would recognize how
futllo her offorts wero nnd how wide
and high tho vall of tho world was.
That mother of., hers I', To his mind
It was positively unreal that ono so
charming and lovely should bo at
heart strong as-thowlnd and merci
less na the sea. His mothor had been
everything; hers,, worse than none,
an eternal question. What a drama
she had moved about In, without un
derstanding! Georgo did not posaesa that easy
and adjustable sophlBtry which made
Ryanno look upon smuggling as a
clever game between two cheats. His
point of view coincided with For
tune's; it was thievery, moro or less
condoned, but tho ethics covering It
were soundly established. Ho had
come very near being culpable him
self. True, ho would not have been
guilty of smuggling for profit; but
none the less ho would havo tried to
cheat tho government. His sin had
found him out; ho had now nolther
tho rug nor his thousand pounds.
All these cogitations passed through'
his mind, dlsjolntedly, as tho dinner
progressed toward its end. They bade
Ackermann good-by and Godspeed, as
he was to leave early for Beirut, upon
his way to Smyrna. Fortune went to
bed; Ryanne sought tho bllllard
room and knocked about the balls;
whllo George asked the manager If
he could send a cable from U10 hotel.
Certainly he could. It took somo
time to compose the cable to Morti
mer; and It required somo gold be
sides. Mortimer must havo a fair view
of the case; and Georgo presented It,
requesting a roply to bo sent to Cook's
In Naples, whero they expected to be
within ten days.
"How much will this be?"
The porter got out hla telegraph
book and studied tho rate carefully.
"Twelve pounds bIx, sir."
The porter greeted each sovereign
with a genuflection, the lowest being
the twelfth. Georgo pocketed the re
ceipt and went In search of Ryanne.
But that gentleman was no longer
In the billiard-room. Indeed, ho had
gone quietly to the other hotel and
written a cable himself, the codo of
which was not to bo found In any
book. For a long tlmo ho seemed to
be In doubt, for ho folded and refold
ed his message half a dozen times be
fore his actions became decisive. He
tore it up and threw the scraps upon
the floor and hastened into tho street,
as If away from temptation. Ho
walked fast and indirectly, smoking
innumerable cigarettes. Ho was fight
ing hard, the evil In him against the
good, the chances of the future against
the irreclaimable past At the end of
an hour he returned to the strange ho
tel. His lips were puffed and bleed
ing. He had smoked so many ciga
rettes and had pulled them so Impa
tiently from his mouth, that tho dry
paper had cracked the delicate skin.
He rewrote his cable nnd paid for
the sending of it Then ho poked
about tho unfamiliar corridors till he
found the dingy bar. Ho sat down be
fore a peg of whisky, which was fol
lowed by many moro, each a bit stlffer
than Its predecessor. At last, whon
be had had enough to put a normal
man's head upon tho table or to cover
his face with the mask of Inanity,
Ryanno fell Into tho old habit ot talk
ing aloud.
"Horace, old top, what's tho use?
We'd Just llkoto bo good If wo could,
h? But they won't let us. We'd
grow raving mad in a monastery, We
were honest at tho tlmo, but we
couldn't stand tho monotony of watch
ing greon olives turn purple upon the
silvery bough. Nay, nay I"
Ho pushed tho glass away from him
and studied the air-bubbles as they
formed, rose to tho surfaco, and wore
dissipated.'
"No matter what tho game has
been, somehow or other, they've
bashed us, and we've lost out."
He emptied the glass and ordored
another. He and' the bartender were
alone.
"After nil, lovo Is like money. It's
better to live frugally upon tho inter
est than to squander the capital and
go bankrupt. And who cares, any
how?" He drank once more, dropped a half
sovereign upon the table, and pushed
back his chair. His eyes were blood
shot now. and tho brown f Wi 'akin
had become a slaty tint A' he
walked steadily enough Int 1
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"la It Bad
tng-room, where ho wrote a short let
ter. It was not without a perverted
Bcnso of humor, for a smllo twisted
his lips till he had sealed the lotter
and addressed tho envelope to
George Perclval Algernon Jones. He
stuffed it into a pockel and went out
whistling "The Heavy Dragoons" from
the opera of "Patience."
Before the lighted window of a shop
ho paused. Ho swayed a little. From
a pocket of his new coat he pulled
out a glove. It was gray and small
and much wrinkled. From tlmo to
timo he drew If through his fingers,
staring the whilo at the tawdry trin
kets In the shop-window. Finally he
looked down at the token. He became
very still. A moment passed; then
he flung the glove Into tho gutter, and
proceeded to his own hotel. He left
the letter with tho porter, paid his
bill, and went out again into tho dark,
chill night
He was now what he had been two
months ago, the man who didn't care
CHAPTER XIX.
Fortune Decides.
George and Fortune wero seated at
breakfast. It was early morning. At
ten they wero to depart for Jaffa, to
take tho tubby French packet there to
Alexandria. They could Just about
make It, and any delay meant a week
or ten days longer upon this ragged
and Inhospitablo coast.
"Ryanno has probably overslept
After breakfast I'll go and rout him
out. The ono thing that really tickles
me," Georgo continued, as ho pared
the tough rind from tho skinny bacon,
"Is, we shan't havo any luggage.
Think of tho blessing of traveling
without a trunk or a vallso or a
steamer-roll!"
"Without oven a comb or a hair
brush!" "It's groat fun." George broke bio
tonst
And Fortune wondered how she
could tell him. Sho was without any
toilet articles. Sho hadn't oven a
toothbrush; and it was quite out of
the question for her to bothor him
about trifles, much as sho needed
them. Sho would have to live in tho
clothes she wore, and trust that the
ship's stewardess might holp her out
In tho absolute necessities.
Here tho head-waiter brought
George a letter. Tho address was
enough for Georgo. No ono but Ry
anno could have written It. Without
excusing hlmBelf, ho rippod off the
envelope and read tho contents. For
tune could not resist watching him,
for she grasped quickly that only
Ryanno 'could have written a letter
here In Damascus. At first the tan
upon George's checks darkenod the
sudden effusion of blood; thon It be
came lighter, and tho mouth and eyes
and noso becamo stern.
"Is it bad nwo?"
"It all depends upon how you look
at It. For my part, good riddance to
bad rubbish, Here, read it yourself."
Sho read;
"My Dear Perclval; After all, I find
that I can not reconcllo mysejt to tho
dullness of your ollve-grovos. I shall
send tho Ave hundred to you when I
reach New York. With me It Is as
it was wjth the devil. When ho was
sick, he vowed he woMld faa a saint:
but when, ht cot well, tH tt
Newt?"
wns he. There used to be a rhyme
about It. but I have forgotten that
Anyhow, thero you are. I feel that
I am conceding n point In regard to
the money. It Is contrary to tho lawe
and by-laws of tho United Romance
and Adventure Company to refund.
Still, I Intend to hold myself to it
With halo affoctlon,
"RYANNE."
"What do you think of that?" de
manded Georgo hotly. "I nover did
a good notion In my Ufa that wasn't
served 111. I'm a soft duffer. If there
ever was one."
"I shall never be ungrateful fol
your kindness to me."
"Oh, hang It! You're different;
you'ro not llko any other woman in
tho world," ho blurted; and Immedi
ately was selzod with a mild specie!
of fright
Fortune stirred her coffee nnd dell'
catcly scooped up tho swirling circles
of foam.
"Old maids call that money," be
said understanding, eager to cover
up his boldness. "My mother used
to tell mo that thero wero lota of
wonders in a tea-cup."
"Tell mo about your mother."
To him It was a theme never lack
ing In now expressions. When he
spoke of his mother, it altered the
clear and boyish note In his voice;
It became subdued, reverent Ho
would never be aught than guileless;
It was not in his naturo to divine any
thing save his own Impulses. While
he thought ho was pleasing her each
tender recollection, each praise, wae
in tact a nail added to her crucifixion,
self-imposed. However, she nover
lowered her eyes, but kept them
bravely directed Into his. In the midst
of ono of his panegyrics he caught
sight of hla watch which he had
placed at tho side of his plate.
"By Jovo! quarter to nine. I've
got an errand or two to do, nnd
there's no need' of your running your
feet off on my account. I'll be back:
quarter after." He dug into his
pocket and counted out' fifty pounda
in paper and gold. "You keep tola
till I get back."
She pushed it "aside, half rising
from her chair,
"Fortune, listen. Hereafter I am
George, your brother George; and I
do not want you ever to question any
nction of mine. I am leaving thla
money in enso some accident befell
me. You never can tell." Ho teok
her hand and firmly pressed It down
upon the money. "In half an hoar,
sister, I'll he back. You did not think
that I waa going to run away?"
"No."
"Do you understand now?"
"Yes."
While he was gone she remained
seated at tho table. She ma.de little
pyramids of the gold, divided tho even
dates from the odd, arranged Maltese
crosses nnd circles and stars. . . .
Pity, pity! Well, why should she re
bel against it? Was it not more than
she had had hitherto? What' should
she do? She closed her eyes. She
would trouble her tired brain no more
about the, future till they reached
Naples. She would hit this ono weelr
drift her how It would,
v ' (TO BB CONTINUED.)
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