The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-12-07

dishonored me In the eyes Of my
friends, and one Of them you killed"
SIT was my life or HIS" exclaimed
Ryanne. not relishing the recital Of
this phase. "It was my life or his;
and he was upon my back"
Fortune shuddered. Presently she
laid her hand upon Mahomed's arm.
"Would you take my word Of honor?"
Mahomed sought her eyes. eyes.
/ read truth in your eyes. Bring me
the rug, and my word Of b"-or to you,
you shall go free"
But my friends?"
"One of them" Mahomed laughed
unpleasantly. 1t was an excellent idea.
"One of them shall go free with you.
It will be for you to choose which.
Now, you dog, laugh. Taught" and the
tongue of the kurbash bit the dust
within an inch of Ryanne's feet.
What shall do?" asked Fortune
miserably.
Accept" urged Ryanne. IF you
are afraid to choose ono or the other
Of us, Jones and I will spin a COIN"
~ agree" said George, very unhap-
py.
"Have you any paper. Jones?"
George searched He found the
dance-card to the ball at the hotel. In
another pocket he discovered the little
pencil that went with 1t.
"You write," said Mahomed to For
tune.
II intend to-" Fortune took the card
and pencil and wrote as follows:
Mother: Horace, Mr.. Jones and are
prisoners of the man who owned the
rug which you will find in the large
steamer-roll Give it to the courier
who brings this card. And under no
circumstances set spies upon his
track" In French she added: eve
are bound for Bagdad. In case Mo-
named receives the rug and we are
not liberated, wire the embassy at
Constantinople and the consulate at
Bagdad. FORTUNE"
She gave 1t to Mahomed.
"Read 1t out loud" he commanded.
While he spoke English fluently, he
could neither read nor write 1t in any
servicenble degree. The note he had
given to Fortune had been written by
friend Of his in the baza; RS who had
upon q time lived in New York. For
tune read slowly. slightly flushing as
Bhe evaded he French script.
THAT will do" Mahomed agreed.
He shouted for one of the boys,
babe him saddle the hagin or racing
camel, which Of all those twelve, alone
was his, and be of to Cairo. The boy
dipped his bowl into the kettle, ,.te
greedily, saddled the camel, and five
minutes later was speeding back
toward Cairo at gait that would
bring him there late that night
Fortune and George and Ryanne
watched him till he disappeared below
q dip and was gone from view. In
the minds Of the three watchers the
same question rose: would he be too
late? George was cheerful enough
thereafter, but his cheerfulness was
not of the infectious kind.
At noon the caravan was once more
upon Its way. Ryanne was able to
ride. The fumes Of whatever drug
had been Administered him had
finally evaporated. and felt only
bruised, old, disheartened. An evil
day for him when he had set forth
for Bagdad in quest Of the rug. He
was confident that there would be no
rug awaiting the courier, and what
would be Mahomed's procedure when
the boy returned empty-handed was
not difficult to imagine. Mahomed
was right; so far honor had not en-
tered into the contest. According to
his lights, the Arab was only paying
coin for coin. But for the girl. Ry-
anne would have accepted the situa-
ton with shrug. o await that mo-
ment when Mahomed, eased by the
sense Of security. would naturally re-
lax vigilance. The presence of For.
tune changed the whole face of the
affair Mahomed could have his eyes
and heart II he would but spare her.
He must be patient; he must accept
Insults. even physical violence, but
some day he and Mahomed would play
the final round.
His past, his foolish, futile past: all
the follies. all the petty crimes, all
the low dissipations in which he had
INDUCED. seemed trooping about his
camel. hooking and gibbering at him.
Why hadn't he lived clean like Jones
there? Why hadn't he fought temp.
tation as he had fought men? Envi-
ronment was no excuse; bringing-up
offered no palliation; he had gone
wrong simply because his inclinations
had been wrong. On the other hand,
no one had ever tried to help him
back to a decent living. His mother
had died during his childhood, and
her influence had left no impression.
His father had been a money-maker,
consumed by the pleasure of building
up pyramids Of gold. He had never
reasoned with his youngest-born; he
had paid his bills without protest or
reproach; 1t was 80 much month to
be written down in the expense &C.
count. And the first-born had been
hia natural enemy 'nca tho dave NJ