The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1912-02-28


The bulk of the great ruby In his
pocket brought his thought back in a
wide swing to the girl who would be
waiting for him at Rangoon. Faith.
and must be getting below and max
Ing a dab at writing letter to her.
That was nothing"
He nodded with meaning towards
the bold profile of Algiers. -.
An Ill wind 1t was that blew Colonel
oRonrke into Athens. 1t has
blown Itself out and been forgotten
this many a day. praises be! but that,
once 1t had whisked him thither, i'm
mediately 1t subsidized and stubbornly
1t refused to lift again and watt him
forth upon his wanderings. in the
course OF time came to be matter of
grievous concern to the Irishman.
All OF which is equivalent to saying
that the dropping breeze Of his
finances died eltogether upon his
arrival In the capital of Greece. He
disembarked from a coasting steamer
In the harbor OF the Piraeus encum-
bered with hundred francs or SO. an
invincible optimism, a trunk and
ht-box. and kings ransom on his
person In the shape of the Pool Of
Flame: which latter was hardly to
be esteemed negotiable asset. There
after followed days of inaction. while
his hopes diminished.
Nearly two months had elapsed
since he had promised two people
himself and one infinitely more dear
to him-to be In Rangoon In ninety
days. In little more than a month
shed be waiting for him there.
And where would he bef Still was
he FAR by many a long and weary
mile from the FIRST gateway to tho
East-Suez; and still he lacked many
an aloof and distant dollar the funds
to finance him thither.
IL only he could eontrive to get to
Alexandria! Danny was there
Danny Malone. he of the red, red
head and the ready lists; Danny, who
held the O'Rourke as only second to
the Pope In dignity and Importance;
who had been O'Rourke's valet In a
happier time and Of late In his hum
bier way an adventurer like his mas
ter. He was there. In Alexandria.
half partner In a tobacco importing
house. by virtue Of money borrowed
from O'Rourke long since. at . time
when money was to be had of the
man for the asking. And
Danny would help.
You must see O'Rourke revolving In
his mind this unhappy predicament Of
bis. on-the last Of the many Afternoons
that he spent In Greece. Draw down
the corners Of his wide. mobile mouth,
stir up the devils In his eyes until
they flicker And issh their resentment,
place quicker between the brows Of
his habitually serene and unwrinkied
forehead; and there you have him
who sat beside the little table In the
purple Of the Zappeion, with . head
barred to the cool Of the evening
breeze. alternately pufiing at . me-
diocre cigar and slipping black coffee
from the demi.tasse at his elbow.
Now Just as the sun was sinking be-
hind the mountains and Hvm~tfna vas
clothing It's long slopes In vague violet
light Of mystery and enchantment (for
this view alone O'Rourke took himself
to the Zappeion daily the Irishman's
somber meditations were interrupted.
"Phew! 'Otter'n the seven brass
'inges Of ELL" remarked q cheerful
voice. not two feet from his ear.
ORourke turned with an imper-
ceptible start-he was not easily sta.
tied. True for ye," he assented. TAX
ing stock Of him who. with his wealth
er-wise remark for an Introduction.
calmly possessed himself Of the va
cant chair at the other side Of the
table and grinned . rubicund grin
across II.
He showed himself man in stature
no whit inferior to the Irishman, as
to height; and perhaps he was
stone the heavier of the two. He
lacked. otherwise. O'Rourke's alert
habit, was of a slower, more stolid
and beefy build. The eyes that met
oRourke's were gray and bright and
hard. and set In a countenance fam
ing red-a color partly natural and
partly the result of his stroll through
Athens heated streets.
His dress was rough. and there was
this and that about him to tell
O'Rourke more plainly than words
that his profession was something
nautical; he was most probably cap
tain, from certain air of determine
uon and command that lurked be-
Meath his free-and-easy manner.