Evening star., 1912-01-08

Of his neck and thrust bodily into this
tangled web OF scheme and underschenne
II was infinitely humorous.
He had had a vague plan reearding Ma
homed. guardian OF the holy Yhiordes.
but 1t was not possible Tor him to be In
Cairo at this carly date. That he would
eventually appear Ryanne never doubted.
Hc knew the oriental mind. Mahomed
effective than death. II was a serious
matter TO the Moslem. If he returned 10
the palace at Baadad minus the rug. II
would mean free transportation to the
Arabian gulf. bereft OF the most I'm
portant part OF his excellent anatomy. his
head. Some day. IL he lived. Ryanne in
tended telling the exploit to some clever
chap who wrote: II would look rather weli
In print
being the instigator would be an adroit'
bit OF work: and II would rid him OF both
Of them. Gioconda said that she wanfed
no rough work. How like woman
Here was a mans game. desperate
one; and Gioconda. not forgetting that IL
was her inspiration. wanted II handled
with gloves, 1t Was bare-hand work. and
the sooner she was made TO realize this.
the better. II was no time for tuning nd
dies.
Mahomed out of II, there was a certain
English bar in the Quarter Rosetti. .
place OF dubious repute. Many dereiicts
drifted there in search Of employment,
bottom and the top Of the kettle. out
casts. whose hand and animus were di-
rected against society: black and brown
and white men; not soldiers OF fortune.
like Ryanne, hut their camp followers. Ia
short II was there land Ryanne still felt
n dull shame Of ~ that Wallace, carry
ing the final instructions of the enterprise.
had found him, sleeping OF the effects or
shabby rout of the night before. 1t MAS
there also that he had heard OF tho his
tory and the worth OF the Yhordes rug
and the possibility of its theft. He
laughed. To have gone upon an adyen-
ture like that. with nothing but the fumes
Of wine in his head!
For q few pieces Of gold he might en-
roll under his ehady banner three or four
shining lights who would undertake the
disposal Of PercivaL Not that he wished
the young man any harm-no; but bust
ness was business. and In some way or
another he must be made to vanish from
the sight and presence OF men for At
least two months.
AS for Mai. Cailahan's unforeseen dan
ger, the devil could look out for that.
Ryanne consulted his watch. a cheap
but trustworthy article. costing dollar
not to be considered rs IN available asset
He would give IL away later In the day
for he had decided that while he was I'm
funds there would be wisdom In the pur-
chase Of q fine gold Long1nes good
watch, as every one knows, is always as
easily converted into cash a. a London
bank note, providing, or course, one IL
lucky enough to possess either. Many
watches had he left behind. in this place
or In that; and often he had exchanged
the ticket for . small bottle with q green
neck. Wherever fortune had gone against
him heavily at cards. there he might find
his latest watch. Besides getting new
| timcpiece. he was strongly inclined to
leave the bulk of his little fortune I'm the
hotel safe. One never could tell.
And another good idea, he unused. as he
swung the timepiece into his vest pocket
would be TO add the splendor OF small
white stone TO his modest scarf. There is
only one well defined precept among the
sporting fraternity-when flush, buy jew
eiry. Not to the cause Of vanity. not at
all: but precious stones and gold watches
constitute a kind OF reserve fund against
the evil day. When one has money In the
pocket the hand is quick and eager to find
it But jew-lry is protected by a certain
quality OF caution; It Is not too readily
passed over bars and gaming tables
While the pawnbroker stands between the
passion and the green baize there's food
for thought.
CTo be continued tomorrow.)