Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-03

ever your Arab iriend's Arguments
may be. moral or physical, I'm going
to keep that Yhiordes."
Was he bluMng1 Rysnns wondered.
Did he really have nerve? Well,
within forty-eight hours there would
come . test.
Say. do you know, rather wish
you'd been with me on that trip-that
il. II you like rough game" Ryanne
said this In all sincerity.
II have never been In . rough game,
az you call It; but I've often had q
strong desire to be. Just to md out for
myself what sort Of . duffer I am"
Ryanne had met this sort Of man be-
fore: the fellow who wanted to know
what stun he was made of, and was
ready to risk his hide to find out. His
experience had taught him to expect
nothing of tho man who know Just
what he was going to do IN q crisis.
did you ever know. Mr.. Jones" "
said Ryanne. his eyes humorous. that
there Is an organization in this world
Of ours, company that offers q try.
out to men Of your kidney?"
What's that? What do you mean?"
What say. There 10 an established
concern which will, upon application
for liberal purchase of stock. ar
range any kind Of adventure you
wish"
"what!" George drew in his legs
and sat up. What sort OF q jolly is
this?"
"You put your finger upon the one
great obstacle. No one will believe
that such q concern exists. Yet it is
fact. AND why not::'
Because It wouldn't be real: It
would be going to the moon q la
Coney Island"
Wrong. absolutely wrong. II I
told You that am . stakeholder in
this company, and that the adventure
Of the Yhiordes rug was arranged for
my special benefit what would you
say?"
"Say?" George turned . serious
countenance toward the adventurer.
why, the whole thing is absurd on
the face of it. AZ joke. 1t might go:
but as genuine affair. utterly impos-
sible."
"No," quietly. II admit that It
sounds absurd. yes: but ten years ago
they'd have locked up, as insane.
man who said that he could ny. But
think of last summer at Paris, at
Rheims, at Frankfort: the Continental
all was full OF fying-machines. Bah!
It's pretty difncult to impress the av-
erage mind with something new Why
shouldn't we cater to the poetic, the
romantic side of man? We've con-
Germs for everything else. The fact
is. mediocrity Is always standing be-
hind the corner with brickbats for
the initiative. Believe me or not, Mr..
Jones, but this company exists. The
proof IL that you have the rug and
have the scars"
"But in these prosaic times!" muir
INJURED George, still skeptical.
"Prosaic times!" shifted Ryanne.
There's one of your brickbats. They
swung It at the head of the first print
er. Prosaic times! My friend. this
is the most romantic and bewildering
age humanity has yet seen. There's
more romance and adventure going
about on wheels and steel-bottoms
than ever there was in the days Of
Drake and the Spanish galleons.
There's an adventure lurking round the
nearest corner-romance, too. What
this organization does is to direct you:
after that you have to shift for your
self. But, like q frst-rate physical in
structor, they never map out moro
than man can do. They gave me
the rug. Your bones, on such a quest,
would have been bleaching upon the
banks Of the Tigris."
What the deuce is this company
called?" George was enjoying the con-
versation immensely.
The United Romance and Adven'
ture company, Ltd, Of London, Paris.
and New York.
"Have you any of the company's
paper with you?" George represscd
his laughter because Ryanne's face
was serious enough.
UNFORTUNATELY, no. But II you will
give me your bankers address I'll be
pleased to forward you the prospec'
tus."
"Knauth, Nachod and Kuhne. ]
an shortly leaving for home. Better
send it to New York. say. suppose
. chap buys an adventure that is not
up to the mark; can DO return 1t OF
exchange it,for another!"
..No. It's all chance. you know.
The rules Of the game are steel
bound We find you an adventure:
it's up to you to make good
"But, once more suppose . chap gets
Q little too rough . game. and doesn't
turn up for his dividends; what then?"
I'm that event." answered Ryanne
sadly, "the stock reverts to tho gen
eral fund"
George lay back In his chair and let
90 mis- laughter. You are mighty
good company, Mr. Ryanpe."
well, we'll: Wen say nothing more
about 1t. But moment gone you
spoke 40 II you were game for an ex.
ploit.''
II still am. But II I knew the ad.
venture was prsarranged, Is you say,
and I vas up against wall, there
would be the inclination to cable the
firm for more Instructions
Ryanne himself laughed this time.
That's good idea. don't believs
the company ever thought OF such .