The searchlight., 1912-12-27

to smile reassuringly Mt the girl.
You are better7" she asked.
There was In the tone OF that ques-
tion an answer to all HIS dreams. One
nights work had given him his ticket
to the land Of those weighed and
found wanting. She knew; how much
he did not care: enough to read his
guilt.
II appeared to George that she was
accepting the situation with q philos-
ophy deeper than either his or Ry-
anne's. Not a whimper. not = plaint.
not n protest so far had she made.
She was Roland In petticoats.
"oh. I'm dashed up . Bit" said Ry-
anne. "l'll get my legs In day or
SO. Fortune. will you answer one
question:"
As many ~ you like"
How did you get here7''
Don't you know7'
George wasn't certain. but the giri's
voice was cold and accusing.
"I?"
Yes. Wasn't II the note that you
wrote to 2"
Ryanne took his head In his hands.
wearily. Il wrote you no note. For
tune; ! have never written you . note
OF any kind. You do not know my
handwriting from Adams. In Gods
name. why didn't you ask your mother
or your uncle7 They would have rec
ognised the forgery at once. Who
gave II to your"
"Mahomed himself"
Damn HIM" Ryanne grew strong
under the passing ft OF rage. mo.
don't tell me to be silent. ] don't care
about myself. I'm the kind OF q man
who pulls through. generally. But
this takes the spine out Of me. I'm
to blame: It's all my fault"
Say no more about IT," She be.
lieved him. She really hadn't thought
him capable Of such baseness. though
at the time Of her abduction she had
been inclined to accuse him. Tha,
he was here. . prisoner like hsrself,
was conclusive evidence. 20 far a. she
was concerned. Of his innocence. But
she knew him to be responsible for
the presence Of Jones; knew him TO
be culpable OF treachery Of the mean.
est order; knew him to be lacking In
generosity and magnanimity toward Q
man who was practically his benefac-
tor. What does Mahomed wantf"
The baliy rug. Fortune. And Jones
here. who had II. says that Il 10 gone"
Vanished. magic-carpet.wise."s sup
plemented George.
And Jones would have given II up"
And thousand like II, II we could
have bought you out Of this."
Jones and ] could have managed
to get along"
I'VE shouldn't have mattered."
And would you have returned 70
Mr.. Jones his thousand poundsf"
"Yes. and everything else ] have"
quite honestly.
Don't worry any more about the
rug. then. know where II L."
"Youi" cried the two men.
Yes. ] stole Il. ! did 30. thinking
to avert this very hour: to save you
from HARM" to George. "and you from
doing q contemplate thing" to Ry.
anne. 1T 10 In my room. done up in
the big steamer.roll. And now ] am
glad that ! stole It."
Ryanne laughed weakly.
Said George soberly: what con.
temptible thingi" He remembered
Mahomed's words In regard to Ry.
anne a. the latter lay insensible In
the sand.
Ryanne. quick. to seise ihe opportu,
nifty Of solving. to his own advantage,
the puzzle for George. and at the Same
time guiding Fortune away from Q
topic. the danger OF which she knew
nothing. raised . hand. II bribed Ma
homed to kidnap you. Jones. Don't
be impatient. You laughed at me
when ] laid before you the prospectus
Of the United Romance and Advsn-
ture Company. ] wished to prove TO
you that the concern existed. And %
here 10 your adventure upon approval.
thought. Of course. you stu had the
rug. Mahomed was to carry you into
the desert for q week, and by that
time you would have surrendered the
rug. returned to Cairo. the hero Of
full.nedged adventure. Lord! what .
mess Of II I've made. ! forgot, next
to this bally rug. Mahomed loved me-"
The hitherto credulous George had |
Of late begun to look into facts In |
stead OF dreams. He did not believe |
. word OF this amazing confession. Do |
spite the additional testimony Of For
tune. relative to Ryanne's statements
made to her In the baxaars.
The bitter bitten" was Georges
solA comment.
Ryanne breathed easier.
CrO BE CONTINUEDJ
When philosophy Comes easy.
A philosopher who died recently lsf, l