The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-06-19

current Of the river favors their re
turn to Cairo, they make fair pro
gress, and the glittering city, with 1t!
MOSQUES and minarets, its ancien
buildings and modern quarters, seem!
to draw closer all the while.
Mr.. Grimes seems thoughtful, Whll'
Sandy can hardly keep quiet, so ex
uberant are his spirits over the sue
cess of his friend.
When Mynheer Joe notices this, he
does not hesitate to speak to the pseu
do silver king.
"You don't look satisfied, Mr.
Grimes"
That's q fact" replied the other.
Didn't the affair turn out to suit
your
mot exactly"
"Ah! You wouldn't have had the
boot on the other leg, my friend"
Never! But that man should just
now be lying there under the palms
They used to say out West, the only
good Indian is q dead Indian; and
I'm sure the only time the baron will
be gentleman in the true sense OF
the word, is when he is laid out"
"Well, we needn't worry; we leave
Cairo before many hours, bound fol-
India. Let the baron fume and the
heather rage; We'll sail away over
the seas and be happy"
Joe is thinking Of Molly, for he al
ready knows she and her father are
to be members of the company on
board the Alhambra, when the steam
er leaves Alexandria for Port Said
and the Suez Canal.
Don't count on that, MILFORD" re-
marks Sandy, looking up from his
| drawing.
What d. ye mean, old fellow?" asks
Joe, while Mr.. Grimes, who already
knows, mods his head and looks very
wise.
"The baron goes to India by the
same steamer, the Alhambra."
Mynheer Joe frowns; he sees trou-
BILE ahead, knowing as much as he
does of the man.
THAT is too bad. 1t will spoil all
our pleasure on the voyage. I am sure
Miss Molly will regret to hear of it,"
he says.
Like a deaths head at feast"
from Sandy.
IF we could postpone our fitting
until the next steamer" suggests Mr..
Grimes.
impossible for me-" he says sober
ly.
1--WE got it?" exclaims Sandy, be-
ginning a war dance on the roof Of
the cabin, paper in one hand, pencil in
the other. "Yes, I've got itp'
What! The Nile fever?" demands
Mr.. Grimes.
"a subject for a dancing dervish,"
suggests Joe.
Wrong, both Of you, gentlemen.
What I've got concerns us all. It's an
idea"
At this both Mr.. Grimes and Joe
make out to be dreadfully excited,
appealing to Sandy not to let it get
away and to be very careful lest his
brain should burst.
These sudden ideas are danger
ous," declares Grimes, with great Sob
erness.
They may be for you, but my bread
and butter depends on them, you see."
returns Sandy, not at all annoyed by
their joke.
"Well, share it, old fellow"
Don't you see we're anxious to hear
all:"
But Sandy takes his time.
1T concerns you both, Of course,
but, most of all, it interests the baron. -
"Ah, yes; of course, it does.'
The next steamer after the one we
take arrives week later at Alexan-
dria. 1t is called the Malwa. What
l propose is that the Russia bear shall
miss the Alhambra and be compelled
to lie over a week at Alexandria.
The others soberly take his hand
and squeeze it to show their appre-
citation of his brilliant idea, which ap-
pears to strike them in a favorable
light. At the present they do not
stop for investigation.
How will you do it, Sandy?' asks
Joe, his eyes bent upon the wonder
city ahead on the east bank Of the
Nile, the environs of which they have
now reached.
II haven't bothered myself about
that yet, but this brain of mine can
be depended on to bring out the prop
er thought when the time comes,
Count upon it as settled fact. The
baron will remain in Alexandria when
the steamer leaves; more than that
do not feel able to promise"
1t is just as well he does not, since
he may be unable to fulfill the condi.
tions.
Their attention is now directed in
another quarter, and the conversation
wheels around to different subjects
Both of Joe's companions have haI
their respect for the explorer increased
on this morning, first by the brave
manner in which lie went to meet {
foe, who, up to this time, has proven
invincible, and in the second place by
his deXterity in vanquishing that same
individual. They have regarded hin
with respect before, but now theil
feelings are almost like those of &
brother. He is 4 wonder and q mar
vel to them.