The Bourbon news., 1912-01-23
CHAPTER XII.

Early in the dull hot dawn a clat-
shadowy figures on the deck of
small trading vessel, which had spent
the night between the mcle5 of the
harbor of Algiers, announced that the
anchor WAS being weighed.
While this was taking place a small
harbOr boat, manned by two native
watermen and carrying a single pas
senger, put out from the steamship
quay, the Oarsmen rowing with a will
that limited at a premium having been
placed upon their speed. The coaster
was barely under way, moving slow
ly in the water, when the boat ran
alongside. A line was thrown from
the ship and caught by one of the
watermen, the boat hauled close in,
and it's passenger taken on deck.
An hour later, a pipe between his
teeth, O'Rourke stood by the helms
man, staring back over the heaving
expanse, swiftly widening, that lay be.
tween the coaster and the Algerian
littoral The world behind was gray
and wan, but the skies ahead were
golden. "a fair omen!" breathed the
adventurer hopefully.
The bulk of the great ruby in his
pocket brought his thought back in a
wide swing to the girl who would be
! waiting for him at Rangoon. Faith,
and must be getting below and max
ing a dab at writing letter to her.
That was nothing"
He nodded with meaning towards
the bold profile of Algiers.
An i'll wind it was that blew Colonel
! O'Rourke into Athens. 1t has
blown itself out and been forgotten
| this many a day, praises be! hut that,
once it had whisked him thither, i'm
mediately it subsided and stubbornly
it refused to lift again and watt him
forth upon his wanderings, in the
course of time came to be matter of
grievous concern to the Irishman.
All of which is equivalent to saying
that the dropping breeze of his
finances died altogether upon his
arrival in the capital of Greece. He
disembarked from coasting steamer
in the harbor of the Piraeus encum
bered with hundred francs or so, an
invincible optimism, a trunk and g
kit-box, and kings ransom On his
person in the shape of the Pool OF
Flame; which latter was hardly tC
be esteemed negotiable asset. There
after followed days of inaction, while
his hopes diminished.
Nearly two months had elapsed
since he had promised two people
himself and one infinitely more deal
to him-to be in RangoOn in ninety
days. In little more than a month
she'd be waiting for him there
And where would he be? Still wa:
he far by many a long and wear!
mile from the first gateway to thu
East-Suez; and still he lacked many
an aloof and distant dollar the funds
to finance him thither
If only he could contrive to get t.
Alexandria! Danny was there
Danny Malone, he of the red, RET
head and the ready fists; Danny, wht
held the O'Rourke as only second tt
the Pope in dignity and Importance
VINO had been O'Rourke's valet in
happier time and of late in his hum
bier way an adventurer like his mas
ter. He was there, in Alexandria
half partner in tobacco importin;
house, by virtue of money borrowe,
from O'Rourke long since, at a tim'
when money was to be had of tn
man for the asking An,
Danny would help.
You must see O'Rourke revolving il
his mind this unhappy predicament o
his, on the last of the many afternoon
that he spent in Greece Draw dow
the corners Of his wide, mobile mouth
stir uD the devils in his eyes unit