Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-11

"Top row. am going to ask favor
OF you. It may sound rather odd to
your ears, but know those two ladies
rather well. l kept out of the way I'LL
] could find some clothes. The favor
ask is that you will not tell them any
thing regarding the circumstances OF
our meeting am known to them as
globe-trotter and collector
That's too bad" said George con-
tritely. But I have already told
them"
The devil you have!' Ryanne
dropped his cigarette into the ash
tray ''If remember rightly, you asked
me to say nothing"
'T know" said George visibly en-
barrassed. II forgot"
well, the fat is in the fire dare
say that can get around 1t. 1t was
risky. Women like to talk. I expect
every hour to hear of some one arriv-
ing from Bagdad.'
There's no boat from that direction
till next week." informed George, who
was stickler on time tables.
There are other ways Of getting
into Egypt. Know anything about rae
ing camels?"
you don't believe ?"&
"My friend. l believe in all things
that haven't been proved Impossible.
You've been knocking about here long
enough to know something Of the ten
lacity of the Arab and the East
Indian. Given just cause, an idols
eye or holy carpet, and they'll fol-
low you round the world ten times IL
need be- never worry needlessly, but
lay out before me all the points In
the game. There is one man in Bag.
dad who will never cease to think OF
me This fellow is an Arab, Mahomed-
El.Gebel by name, the real article,
proud and savage, into whose keeping
the Holy Yhiordes was given;
Mahomed-ElGebel, the Pasha's right
hand man, shiek in his own right
"But you haven't the rug now
mo. Mr. Jones, I haven't: but on
the other hand. you have. So, here we
are together. When he gets through
with me, your turn
George laughed. Ryanne Il grew
thoughtful over this sign. Percival
Algernon did not seem exactly wor-
RED VIZ
AREN'T you little afraid?"
81? Why should be?" INQUIRED
George. Certainly, whatever your
Arab friends may be, moral or physi-
cal, I'm going to keep that Yhiordes:"
Was he bluffing? Ryanne wondered.
/ Did he really have the 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 is, If you like rough game"
: Ryanne said this in all sincerity.
81 never have been in rough game,
as You call it; but I've often had a
, strong desire to be, just to find out
: for myself what sort of duffer /
am"
Z Ryanne had met this sort Of man be-
( fore; the fellow who wanted to know
what stuff he was made of, and was
ready to risk his hide to find out. His
experience had taught him to expect
nothing of the man who knew Just
what he was going to do in 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 try
{ out to men Of your kidney?"
whats that? What do you mean"
) What say. There is an esta bfished
l concern which will, upon application
} for liberal purchase, arrange any
kind Of adventure you wish"
> '"What?" George drew in his legs
, and sat up. What sort of jolly is
this?" : s's
i. You put your finger upon the one
. great obstacle. No one will believe
that such concern exists Yet it is a
{ fact. And why not?"
I Because it wouldn't be real; it
would be going to the moon la Coney
!, Island"
: Wrong. absolutely wrong II I told
you that am a 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.
j.. why, the whole thing is absurd on
| the face of it. AS joke, 1t might go;
l but as a genuine affair, utterly impos-
l sible" w..-
mo" 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 fly. But think
: of last summer at Paris at Rheims. at
Frankfort; the continental air was full
: of flying machines. Bah! It's pretty
, difficult to impress the average mind
with something new. Why shouldn't
, we cater to the poetic, the romantic
: side Of man? We've concerns for
: everything else. The fact is. medi-
r ocrity Is always standing behind the
counter with brickbats for the in.t1a-
: tive Believe me or not, Mr. Jones,
but this company exists. The proof Is
!, T that Won have the rug and have the
scars
(To Be Continued.l