The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-07-25

| veil she seemed to promise uncom.
mon beauty of the English type, full.
COl1rCd aud Of classic mold.
| The lrishman was much too far away
to be certain, but he fancici that her
gaze wandered toward him and--but
this, Of course, was only imagination
that she started slightly.
a all events, she was quick to drop
the veil and turn away. Her maid
joining her, both vanished beneath the
canvas awnings. The boat that had
brought her sheered Off. and ORourke
was permitted to board the Panjnab
Il was n glad day, the O'Rourke told
himself as he trod those decks; 1t
saw him definitely started on his way
to the East
OROurke reused upon his elbow
and peered out of the port OF his
stateroom. The steamer was blowing
through the Bitter Lakes. He saw a
string Of buoys, n width of water like
Jade. a vista Of sand, fat, gray.
patched with gray-green desert shrub.
bounded only by the horizon. q.
Damn :" said he lstlessly.
He slipped down again upon his back,
painted, and wiped his brow.
Danny, recognizing that he was not
expected to respond, and being n
young man remarkably acute to dag.
nose his masters moods, prudently re-
Trained from comment. He sat lunch
ed up on cabin stool, his intensely
red, bullet.shaped head bent low over
a bit OF channels skin, which he was
sewing into rough, sturdy bag.
Az the sun dipped beneath the rim
OF the horizon, pleasant shadow in.
vaded the stateroom, until that mo-
ment bloodred with its level rays.
And Danny Strengthened up, dropping
thimble and thread announcing the
completion Of his needlework by
brief. contented: THERE"
O'Rourke glanced at tho article
dangling from his Wallets fingers, and
slammed the book against the bulk.
head at the foot of his berth.
Finished, is IT." he exclaimed
Faith. It's about time. ye lazy good.
for.naught!"
Danny smiled serenely And a good
job, too. sor" said he proudly.
MANN no onrespect to yer honor"
he added hastily.
ORourke took the subject of discus.
sion in his fingers and examined It
searchingly
Twill do" he announced Twill
serve It's purpose, If no more. Lay
out me evening clothes now" He
stood up, stopping to stare through
the port Good enough" he com.
mented on what he discovered with
out It's passing Suez we are this
blessed minute. Praises be. we
caught boat that doesn't stop here"
Danny scratched an ankle thought
fully. "Yiss, yer honor" he assented,
dubious. But, for all that, phwat's
to hinder annywan from boordn' us
be boat. II they sh'u'd want to-"
ORourke turned and eyed the man
keenly. "'Tis great head ye have
on your shoulders, Danny" he said
Sometimes ye betray almost canine
intelligence. I'm be way of having
hopes of yc. Now get ye on deck and
watch TO see who does come aboard.
II anyone and report to me"
"Yiss. yer honor"
O'Rourke boited the door after Dan
ny and assured himself that the key
hole was properly wadded. that no
crack existed through which his move
ments might be observed from the
gangway. Struggling his broad shout.
ders he returned to the seat vacated
by his valet and thrust hand be-
meath the coat OF his pajamas, with.
drawing Il moment later, fingers
tightly wrapped about a rather bulky
object.
And the Pool OF Flame lay glitter.
ing and stabbing his eyes with shafts
of blood.red light
Into it's depths of pellucid FIRE
O'Rourke gazed long and earnestly. in
the most profound meditation.
But at length. slipping the ruby into
the new receptacle and drawing the
lanyard tight about its puckered
throat, he stood up and threw the loop
over his head. permitting the bag with |
it's precious contents to fall beneath !
the folds Of his jacket; and. shaking |
of tho sober mood inspired In him by
the study Of the stone. rang for n |
steward to whom, when he responded, |
he entrusted summons for Danny
''if so be 1t we're clear of Suez."
In the course OF five minutes or so
Danny himself tapped on the door and |
to his master a beaming |
face.
'Divvle a sowl!" he announced tri, |
Sure. It's ourselves have |
given thin the slip entirely"
He fished a brand new kit-box from |
beneath the berth and, opening 1t, be-
ban to lay out 0'Rourke's clothing.
His master INDUCED In a sigh of re-
lief. Then no boat put off to us at
all?" he questioned indlfferently.
only wan" replied the servant,
land thot wild no wan In ut but q nay |