The Irish standard., 1912-11-23

mp to It He had been bested at his
own game. dupltcttx. and that irked
him. Death, he. as his kind, looked
upon with Oriental passivity. All,
~elll The game was to have . Sec
pnd inning. and he proposed to play
It IN strictly Oriental ways.
"How much did he give you for it?'
Tho expression upon Ryanne's face
would have deceived any one but Ma
homsd. "Give tor I'll" Indignantly.
why. that's the whole trouble. All
my trouble. all the hard work, and
not plaster. not a piasteri Cant you
anderstand. I had to do it,"
IFS he going to sell TT"
Sell it, Not hel He's . collector.
and crazy over the thing"
Mahomed nodded. He knew some.
thing Of the habits Of collectors. els
hs still In Cairo. and where may he
be found7"
Ryanne began to believe that the
game was going along famously; Ma
homed was sure Of it.
"He is George P. A. Jones, of Morti.
mer & Jones. rich rug dealers Of New
York. Money no object"
Though his face did not show it, Ma
homed was singularly depressed by
this news. II this man Jones had
money, Of what use was his little pack
1t Of notes?
q must have that rug. effendi.
There are two reasons: 1t is holy, and
The loss Of 1t means my head"
Good riddance!" thought Ryanne, q
sympathetic look upon his face.
What have you to suggest in the
way of plan3" asked Mahomed.
Ryanne felt tingle Of jubilation.
He saw nothing but plain-sailing into
port. But Mahomed had arranged to
guide his craft into the whirlpool. I'm
10 himself he kept up a ceaseless re.
iteration of-"Patience. patience. pa.
tience!"
Said Ryanne: "You do not care how
vou get the rug, so long as you do get
t?"
, mo, eftendi." Mahomed smiled.
"A little rough work wouldn't dis
mrb your"
mo. it would not"
"Well, then, listen to me. Suppose
Tou arrange to take my friend Jones
Into the desert for little trip. Be
his dragoman for a while. In fact,
kidnap him. abduct him, steal him.
You can hold him in ransom for the
rug and a nice little sum of money
BESIDES"
"Can they do such things these days
meCairo1"
''Why note"
'::Truly, why mott" Mahomed sat
shoughtfully studying the outrageous
prints on the cracked walls. Had he
dared he would have laughed. And
be had thought this dog cunning be-
Vond all his kind! II agree. But the
arrangements l must leave to you.
Bring him here at nine o'clock to-
night" he continued, leaning across
the table impressively, land will
give you one hundred pounds Eng.
tish."
Ryanne quickly assumed the expires.
sion needed to meet such splendid
news. II say, Mahomed, that is pretty
square, after what has passed between
u.s."
1T is nothing" CALAMITY.
If Ryanne laughed in his sleeve, Ma
homed certainly found ample room in
his for such silent and figurative each
lnnations. He knew very we'll that
Ryanne had received goodly sum for
his adventure. No man took his life
In his hand to cancel an obligation
which was not based upon disinterest-
ed friendship; and already the man
had disavowed any such quality. Also.
be had not been seller of rugs him
self, or guardian Of the Yhiordes all
these years, without having had some
contact with collectors. Why, If there
was one person dear at this moment
to @Mahomed El-Gebel's heart, 1t was
this man sitting opposite. And he
wanted him far more eagerly than the
rug; only, the rug must be regained.
tor it's loss was passport into para
disc: and he wasn't quite prepared to
be received by the houris.
MI. JOuSSS tuSAs o1AoAl VIC ASA0
promptly at nine," declared Ryanne,
reckoning the barmaid. What will
you have?"
Mahomed shook his head. His two
companions, gathering the significance
Of the gesture. likewise declined.
"A smoke, then?"
A smiling negative.
Beware Of the Greek bearing gifts, -
laughed Ryanne. "All right. You
won't mind If 1 have q beer to the suc'
cess of the venture?"
mo effendi."
Ryanne drank the lukewarm bev.
erage, while Mahomed toyed with his
turquoise ring, that sacred badge Of an
honorable pilgrimage to Holy Mecca.
The young lady. etfendi; she was
very pretty. Your sister," casually In
quired Mahomed.
"Oh, no. She is young lady ! met
Ut the hotel the other day."