Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-06

they'll follow you round the world ten
times. if need be. I never worry need
lessly, but l lay out before me all the
points in the game. There Is one man In
Bagdad who will never cease to think OF
.. me. This fellow is an Arab, Mahomed-
El-Gebel by name, the real article, proud
and savage, into whose keeping the holy
Yhiordes was given; Mahomed-E l-Gebel,
the pasha's right hand, sneik IN his
own right
But you haven't got the rug now"
mo, Mr.. Jones' I haven't; but, on the
other hand, you have. So. here we are
together. When he gets through with
me, your turn
George laughed. Ryanne grew thought
full over this sign. Percival Algernon did
not seem exactly worried.
aren't you little afraid?
II? Why should be?'' inquired George.
| innocently. Certainly, whatever your
Arab friends arguments may be. moral
or physical. I'm going to keep that
Yhiordes."
Was he blufing? Ryanne wondered.
forty-eight hours there would come test.
Say, do you know, I rather wish you d
| been with me on that trip-that is. II you
| like a rough game" Ryanne said this
| in all sincerity.
IT have never been in a rough game. as
you call It: but I've often had a strong
desire to be, just to find out for myself
| what sort Of a duffer am"
Ryanne had met this sort Of man be-
fore: the fellow who wanted to know
what stuff he was made of and was ready
to risk his hide to find out. His expert
| ence had taught him to expect nothing
| of the man who knew just what he was
going to do in a crisis.
did you ever know, Mr.. JONES' said
Ryanne, his eyes humorous, that there
is an organization in this world of ours.
| company that offers a try-out to men
| of your kidney"
whats that? What do you mean?"
"What I say. There is an established
concern which will. upon application for
| liberal purchase of stock. arrange any
kind of adventure you wish"
''What?" George drew in his legs and
sat up. What sort of a jolly Is this?"
You put your finger upon the one great
obstacle No one will believe that such a
concern exists. Yet it is fact. And
| why not?''
Because it wouldn't be real: it would
be going to the moon Ia Coney Island, :,
you that am a stockholder In this COM
pany. and that the adventure OF the
Yhiordes rug was arranged for my special
benefit. what would you sayT'
| "SayT' George turned a serious coun-
tenance toward the adventurer. why.
the whole thing is absurd on the face OF
it. AS a joke. 1t might go: but as a
genuine affair, utterly impossible"
NO" quietly. 7 admit that It sounds sounds
1
have locked up. as insane. man who
said that he could fly But think Of last
summer at Paris. at Rheims. ct Frank
fort: the continental air was full Of flying
machines Bah! It's pretty difficult to
impress the average mind with something
| new. Why shouldn't we cater to the
poetic. the romantic side of man? We've
concerns for everything else. The fact Is.
mediocrity is always standing behind the
corner with brickbats for the initiative.
| Believe me or not, Mr.. Jones, but this
company exists The proof Is that you
| have the rug and I have the scars"
But In these prosaic times!' MUIR
INJURED George. still skeptcal.
"Prosaic timeSn shifted Ryanne
/ There's one of your brickbats. They
swung 1t at the head of the first printer.
| Prosaic times! My friend. this Is the most
romantic and bewildering age humanity
has yet seen. There's more romance and
adventure going about on wheels and
steel bottoms than ever there was in the
| days of Drake and the Spanish galleons.
There's an adventure lurking round the
nearest corner-romance. too. What this
organization does is to direct you; after
/ that you have to shift for yourself But,
| like q first-rate physical instructor. they
| never map out more than a man can do.
| They gave me the rug. Your bones. on
| such a quest. would have been bleaching
| upon the banks of the Tigris.'
| What the deuce is this company
| called?" George was enjoying the con-
versation immensely.
1.-The United Romance and Adventure
! Company, Ltd. OF London, Paris and
New York"