Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1912-11-08

forgotten these days. From the tail
OF his eye he gave swift scrutiny to
his chance acquaintance, and he found
nothing to warrant suspicion. 1t was
not an unusual procedure for men to
hunt him up In Cairo, In Constantinople
in Smyrna, or In any Of the Oriental
cities where his business itinerary led
him. The house Of Mortimer & Jones
was widely known. This man Ryanne
might have been anywhere between
thirty and forty. He was tall, well SET
I'D, blond and smooth-skinned. True,
he appeared to have been ill-fed re
Gently. A little more flesh under the
ch%eek-bones, a touch Of color, and the
Irishman would have been a handsome
man. George could read a rug q league
off, as they say. but he was a child In
the matter Of physiognomy, whereas
Ryanne was a postmaster In this re
gard; it was necessary both for his
business and safety.
Certainly, III take a look at NJ
But ! tell you frankly" went on
George, that to interest me It's got
to be a very old one. You see, it's q
little fad of mine, outside the business
end Of It. I'm crazy over real rugs,
and | know something about every
rare one In existence, or known to ex'
list. Is It a copy?
mo. III tell you more about II
when we get to my room"
Come on, then" George was now
quite willing to discuss rugs and car
pets.
Having gained The room, Ryanne
threw off his coat and relighted his
cigar. which, In q saving mood, he had
allowed to go out. He motioned George
to be seated.
Just a little yarn before l show you
the rug. See these cuffs"
Yes"
"You will observe that l have had
to reverse them. Note this collar
Same thing. Trousers-hems q bit
frayed, coat shiny at the elbows
Ryanne exhibited his sole fortune
-Four s~overeigns between me and
jail"
George became thoughtful. He wat
generous and kind-hearted among
those he knew intimately or slightly
but he had the instructive reserve O
the seasoned traveller in lik'
this. He waited.
1.-THE truth Is, Pm all but done for
And II | fail to strike a bargain her
with you. . . Well, | should hat
to tell you the result. Our consu
would have to furnish me passag
home. Were you ever up against 1t t
the extent Of reversing your cuffs an
turning your collars? You don't knoy
, what life Is, then"
George gravely produced two goo
cigars and offered n to his hos
There was an absence Of SOUND
broken presently by the cheerfr
crackle Of matches; two billowin
p clouds Of smoke floated outward an
upward. Ryanne sighed. Here was
A cigar one could not purchase In all til
q length and breadth of the Orient,
Pedro Murias. In one Of his doub
fully prosperous epochs he had smoke
a them daily. How long ago had ths
been?
"Yonder Is a rug, a prayer-rug, 6
s holy to the Moslem as the idols eJ
is to the Hindu, as the Bible is to IL
| Christian. For hundreds Of years
never saw the outside of the Sultan
u palace. One day the late, the recent
s late, Abdul the U~nspeakable Tur
h gave 1t to the Pasha of Bagda
Is Whenever this rug makes its appea
r. ance In Holy Mecca, 1t Is worshipe
e- and none but a Sultan or a Sultan
IN favorite may kneel upon It. Bagda
at the hundred mosques, the old capt.
o. Of Suleiman the Great, the drea
ST. Tigris and the sluggish Euphrates,
| muezzin from the turret calls to pra
err. and all that; eh?"
ne George leaned forward from
ap chair, a gentle terror In his hea
ok "The Yhiordes? BY Jovsl Is that t
ny Yhiordes?"
Admiration kindled In Ryan,
eyes. To have hit the bull's-eye wi
ng SO free and quick an aim was ami
lot proof that Percival A~lgernon had Z
he boosted when he said that he kn,
1T. something about rugs.
/ you've guessed It."
Is. How did you come by III" Geor
demanded excitedly.
do why do you ask that7"
we Man. t%en-thousand pounds co,
not purchase that rug, that bit Of c
om pet. Collectors from every port ha
dg- been after 1t in vain. And you me
me to tell me that 1t lies there. wrapr
in butchers paperT
nd "Right.O!"
tie Ryanne solemnly detached a c
MS and rolled up his sleeve. The b,
Sc, muscular arm was SCARED by I
ion long, ugly knife-wounds. scare
ION healed. Next he drew up a troust
'er- leg, disclosing a battered shin. "a
there's another on my s~houlderbla
the the closest cali l ever had. A n
iro, who takes his life In his hands. a
have done, merits some reward.
ON Jones, III be frank with YOU. | nm
an kind of derelict. Since I was a no.
bu. have hated the hnmdrnm ~ om,