Evening star., 1912-01-12
CHAPTER X.-Continued.

CHAPTER X.-Continued.
When George rolled out of bed it was
IL. He bathed and dressed. absolutely
content, regretless Of the morning hours
he had wasted. Truth to tell. he hadn t
enjoyed sleep so thoroughly in weeks. He
set to work, ridding the room of its clut-
ter Of books and clothes and what-nots.
Might as we'll get the bulk OF his packing
out Of the way while he thought of 1t.
Why had he been in such dreadful
hurry to pull out? Cairo was just now
the most delightful place he knew OF. To
leave behind the blue skies and warm
sunshine, and to face instead the biting
winds and northern SHOWS. rather dis
pirited him. He paused. a pair Of trou-
sers dangling from his hand. PshaW!
Why not admit it frankly and honestly
Wherever Fortune Chedsoye was or might
be, there was the delectable country. He
hadn't thought to ask her when she was
to leave nor whittier she was to go. the
abruptness with which she had left nlm
the night before puzzled rather than dis
turbed him. Oh well; this old planet was was
neither so deep nor SO round as II nao
once been What with steamships and
railroads, the so-called four ends were
drawn closely together. He would ask
her casually, as If it did not particularly
matter. In Naples 1t would ne an easy
York. From Naples to Mentone was only
a question of few hours.
1T doesn't seem possible. George, old
boy, does it? But it's true. and there
no use trying to fool yourself that it ism t.
Fortune Chedsoye; it will be shame to
add Jones to it; but I'm going to try"
He pressed down the last book the last
collar, the last pair Of shoes, and sat upon
the lid of the trunk He growled little
The lock was always bother1ng him. IL
was wonderful how many things CHAP
could take out of a trunk and how
plagued few he could put back. 1t did not
seem to relieve the pressure ii he added
a steamer trunk here or suit case there;
there was always just SO much there
wasn't any room for. Truly. 1t needed a
his mother in the old school days had got
all his belongings into one trunk was still
an unsolved mystery.
Stubborn as the lock was. perseverance
overcame it. George then. as slight di-
version, spread the ancient Yhiordes over
the trunk and stared at it in pleasurable
contemplation. What a beauty 1t was!
What exquisite blue, what soft reds, what
minute patterns! And this treasure was
his. He leaned down upon it with his two
hands. A color stole into his cheeks. 1t
had its source in an old confusion-school-
from school with a girl. 1t was all rot.
he perfectly knew, this wishing business:
and yet he flung into the sun-warmed,
sun-gilded space an ardent wish, sent 1t
speeding round the world from east to
west. Fast as heat, fast as light it trav-
eled, for no sooner had it sprung from his
mind than it entered the window OF
room across the corridor. Whether the
window was open or shut was OF no inn
portance whatever. Such wishes pene-
trated and went through all obstacles.
And this one touched Fortunes eyes. her
hair, her lips: 1t caressed her in thou
sand happy ways. But, alas! such wishes
are without temporal power.
Fortune never knew. She sat in chair.
her fingers locked tensely, her eyes large
whole attitude ,one Of impotent despair.
George did not see her at lunch, and
did not enjoy the hour. Was
she ill? Had she gone away? Would she
return before he started? He greeted the
major as one greets q long-lost friend J:
clever indeed brought the conversation
down to Fortune. No, the major did not
know where she was. She had gone early
to the bazaars. Doubtless she was lunch
ing alone somewhere. She had the trick
Of losing herself at times. Mrs. Chedsoye
was visiting friends at Shepheard's. When
did Mr. Jones leave for America? What!
on the morrow? The major shook his
head regretfully. There was no place like
Cairo for Christmas.
George called carriage, drove about
the principal streets and shopping dis
-tricts. and used his eyes diligently; but
it was loves labor lost. Not even when
he returned at tea time did he see her.
Why hadn't he known and got up? He
could have shown her the bazaars; and
there wasn't dragoman In Cairo more
familiar with them than he. A wasted
day, totally wasted. He hung about the
lounging room till it was time to go UP
and dress for dinner. Tonight las If the
gods had turned Georges future affairs
over to the care of Momus1 he dressed as
il he were going to the opera-swallow-
tail. white vest, high collar and white
lawn cravat, opera fedora and thin-soled
pumps; all those habiliments and demi-
habiliments supposed to make the man.
When he reached what he thought to be
the glass of fashion and the mold Of FORM
he turned for the first time toward his
trunk. He did not rub his eyes: 1t wasn't
at all necessary: the thing he saw, OF
rather did not see. was established beyond
a doubt. as plainly definite as two and
two are four. The ancient Yhiordes had
taken upon itself one Of the potentialities
of it's fabulous prototype. that OF invisi-
bility-it was gone.