The evening world., 1912-04-25

the UTe. tIuD btenH.
drilled mushrooms"
And for an hour or moro they SOL
EMMY discussed the cooking here and
there upon the face Of the globe.
BY judiclous Inquiries. George ascer-
tained that the trip Il BagdAd. bsrrln4
accidents. would take fully thirty-tiva
days. The daily Journeys proceeded I'M
eventually. Mahomed maintained "a tao
turn grimness. II ne aimed at Ryanne
at all. II was In trinlng annoyances
such as forgetting to give him his RAJ
lions unless he asked for them. or ak
Ing over the cards spread out upon the
sand. Ryanne carried himself very we'll.
Had he been alone he would have broken
loose against Mahoned: but he thought
OF the others. and restrained himself
some consideration was due them.
But into the blood OF the two men
there crept q petty irritabtiity. They an
swered n another sharply. and often
ala not speak. Fortune alone seemed
mild and gentle. Mahomsd. since that
night she had bra we'd him. let her 20
and come as abe pleased. nor once dis
turbed her. Had she shown weakness
when most she needed courage, Ma
homed might not have altered hiS plana.
Admiration OF courage IL inherent In
all peoples. so. without apr ciating Il,
that moment had been q preclous one,
saving them all much unples santness.
by tho twentieth day. the caravan was
lar into the Arabian desert. and early In
the afternoon they came upon q beau
tlfnl oasis, nesting like an emerald In
a plaque or sold. No many days had
passed since the beloved green Of grow
Ing things had sO0thed their inHamed
eyes that the sight Of this haven chesred
them all nightly. Once under the
shade or the palms. the trio picked up
heart. Fortune SANK a little. George told
a funny story. and Ryanne wanted TO
know II they wouldn't take a hand at
euchre. Indeed. that oasis was the turn
ing point OF the crisis. Another week
upon the dreary. proftless sands and
their spirits would have gone under
completely.
This oasis was close to the regular
canel-way. there being a larger oasis
some twenty-oid miles to the north.
But ahome felt safe at his distance,
and decided to freshen up the caravan
by a two days rest.
George Immediately began 10 show
Fortune little attentions. lie fixed her
saddle bags. spread out her blanket.
brought her some ripe dates OF his own
picking. insisted upon going TO the
well and drawing the water she was
tn drink. And oh! how sweet and cool
that water was after the gritty nat
liquid they had been drinking. Just
before shutdown he and Fortuna set
out upon a voyage OF discovery. and
Ryanne paused In his game OF patience
to watch them. There was more self
i~bnogation than bitterness In his eyes.
Why not? II Fortune returned to her
mother, soone or later tho ~thunderbolt
| would fall.
Far better tibet she should fan In
love with Jones than to go back to the
oV~erhanging shadow. A smile lifted
the corners OF his lips. Il sad smile.
Percival didn't look the part OF a hero.
His coat was yariousiy split under the
arms ana across the shoulders. his
trousers were ragged. and he walked
In his cloth pads like a man who had
govt In both feet. A beard covered his
face and the bare spots were blistered
and peeLng. Hut there was youth in
Percival's eyes and youth In his heart.
and surely the youth ir hers must
some day respond. She would snow
this young man. she would know that
adversely could not crush him. hat
the promise OF safety could not make
a coward OF him; that he was loyal
and brave and honest.
She would know In twenty days what
II takes the average woman twenty
professed to love her. Ryanne left the
game unfinished. stretched himself upon
the ground with his face hidden In the
crook Of his arms Oh. the bitter cup.
the blttY cup!