The Irish standard., 1912-12-21

w. lAI'p'|||E '
"You See, Mr.. Jones Entrusted Fine
| Rug to Us to Bring Home for Him."
more, tipped his hat and rushed away
Tor one OF his favorite haunts.
"Bounder!" growled the Major.
swell. well; a ships deck is always
| Liberty-Hall."
you have turned your belongings
over to an expressman?" asked the
agent. These were charming people;
and any doubts he might have enter
tanned were dissipated. And why
i should he have any doubts? Jones
was an eccentric young chap, anyhow.
An explanatory letter written by the
Major in Jones' careless handy,
backed up by cable. was enough
authority for any reasonable man.
Everything Is out of tho way" said
the Major.
"Then, If you wish, I can take you
right up to the house in my car. Your
|
ready when you arrived
VERY kind of you. How noisy New
York Is! You can take our handling
gage?" Mrs. Chedsoye would have
made st. Anthony uneasy Of mind;
Reynolds, young. alive. rnetaphorically
fell at her feet.
"plantv ~ rnns,s Snr It."
| Il ain glad of that, You see. Mn
Jones intrusted fine old rug to US
to bring home for him; and shouldn't
want anything to happen to IT."
The Major looked up at the roof Of
the dingy shed. He did not care to
have Reynolds note the flicker of ad.
miration in his eyes. The cleverest
woman Of them all! The positive
touch to the whole daredevil affair!
And he would not have thought of 1t
had he lived to be thousand "One
might as we'll diaembark in a stable"
he said aloud. "Ah! We are ready to
60, them"
They entered the limousine and
went off buzzing and zigzaEging
among the numbering trucks. The
agent drove the oar himself
Where is Jones now?" he asked
the Major, who sat at his left
Haven't had q line from him for q
month"
"Just before we sailed" said Mrs.
Chedsoye through the window. over
the Majors shoulder "he went into
! the desert for fortnight or so; with
q caravan. He had heard of some fab.
ulous carpet"
Touch number two. Tho Major
grinned. Zones 10 one of the best
Judges l have ever met. He was of
at a bound. / only hope he will get
back before we leave for California"
The Major drew up his collar. It was
a cold, blustry day.
The agent was delighted. What luck
a fellow like Jones had! To wander
'all over creation and to meet charm.
ing people! And when they invited
him to remain for luncheon. the vic.
tory was complete.
Mrs. Chedsoye strolled IN and out
of the beautifully appointed rooms.
Never had she seen more excellent
taste. Not too much; everything per-
fectly placed, one object nicely bal.
anced against another. Here was a
rare bit of Capo di Monte. there a
piece of sevres or Canton. Some
houses, with their treasures, look like
museums, but this one did not. The
owner had not gone mad over one
subject; here was sane and prudent
collector. The great yellow Chinese
carpet represented fortune; she
knew enough about carpets to realize
this fact. Ivories. fades, lapis-lazuli.
the precious woods, priceless French
and japanese tapestries, some fine
paintings and bronzes: the rooms
were full Of unspoken romance and
adventure; echoed with war and trag.
edy, too. And Fortune might have
married man like this one. A pos
sibility occurred to her. and the ghost
Of smile moderated the interest in
1 her face. They might be upon the
desert for weeks. Who knew what
might not happen to two such roman.
tic simpletons?
The butler and the first man (who
was also the cook were impeccabls
types of servants; so thought Reyn.
ODDS. They moved silently and an
ticipated each want. Reynolds deter
mined that very afternoon to drop .
line to Jones and compliment him
upon his good taste in the selection
Of his friends. A subsequent press Of