The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-11-13

Callahan smiled. 1t was that old IA
miliar smile which, charged with gen
tie mockery, We send after departing
fools. 1t was plain that he needed
another peg to keep company with the
first; for he rose and gracefully wend'
ed his way downstairs to the bar. Two
men were already leaning against the
friendly, inviting mahogany. There
was a magnum Of champagne stand
ing between their glasses. The Major
ordered a temperate whisky and soda,
drank it, frowned at the magnum, paid
the reckoning, and went back upstairs
again.
Don't remember old friends, eh?'
said the shorter of the two men
capessing his i~ncarnadined proboscis,
"A smile wouldn't have hurt him any,
do you Think"
Shut up!" admonished Ryanne
you know the orders; no recognition
on the public floors"
why, 1 meant: no HARM" the other
protested. He took a swallow Of wine.
But, dash 1t! here l am, more'n four
thousand miles from old Broadway,
and still walking blind. When is the
show to start?" r.
Mot so loud, old boy. You've got to
have patience. You've had some good
pickings for the past three months,
in the smoke-rooms. That ought to
soothe you" ...
: well, it doesn't. Here l come from
New York, three months ago, with a
wad of money for you and a great
game in sight. 1t takes a week to find
you, and when do Well, you
know. No sooner are you awake, than
what? Off you go to Bagdad, on the
widest goose-chase a nan eve heard
Of. And that leaves me with nothing
to do and nobody to talk to. l could
have cried yesterday when I got your
letter saying you'd be in today"
well, I got it."
THE rug?"
Eyes. 1t was wild; but after what
I'd been through I needed something
wild to steady my nerves.; some big
danger, where I'd simply have to get
together" =
fAnd you got it," There was frank
wonder and admiration in the pursy
gentleman's eyes,. "All alone. and you
got it? Honest?"
Honest. They nearly had my hide,
though"
Where Is it,"
Sold" q
"Who?" / :
"Percival."
Horace, you're a wonder, II there
ever was one. Sold it to Percival!
You couldn't beat that in a thousand
years. You're a great man."
Praise from Sir Hubert"
Who's he?"
Gan authority on several matters"
"How much did he give you for it?"
Tut, tut! 1t was all my W little
jaunt, Wallace. l should hate to lie
to you about It,"
what about the stake I gave your
Ryanne made a sign Of dealing
cards.
Threw it away on a lot Of dubs,
after all I've taught you!"
Cards aren't my forte"
There's a yellow streak in your
hide, somewhere, Horace"
There is, but 1t Is the tigers stripe,
my friend. What l did with my money
Is my own business"
"Will she allow for that?"
would it matter one way or the
other?"
mo, I don't suppose it would. Some.
times think you're with US as a huge
joke. You don't take the game seri'
Gus enough" Wallace emptied his
glass and tipped the bottle carefully,
You're out of your class, somehow"
"So?"
Eyes. You have always struck me
as a man who was hunting trouble fol-
one end"
And that?" Ryanne seemed inter
ested.
Wallace drew his finger across his
throat. Ryanne looked him ~squarely
in the eye and nodded afirmatively.
81 don't understand at all" .
"You never will, Wallace, old chap
I am the prodigal son whose brother
ate the fatted calf before I returned
home. l had a letter today. She
will be here tomorrow sometime. You
may have to go to Port Said, If my
plan doesn't mature"
THE Ludwig?"
"Yes."
Say, what a Frau she would havs
made the right mani"
Ryanne did not answer, but glow
cred at his glass.
"The United Romance and Adven
ture Company" Wallace twirled his
glass. "If you're a wonder, she's 6
marvel. A Napoleon in petticoats! II
| does make a fellow grin, when yor
look it all over. But this Is going tt
be her Austerlitz or her Waterloo
And you really got the rug; and on TOT
of that, you have sold it to George P
A. Jones! Here's"
MANY happy returns" ironically
They finished the bottle withou'
further talk. There vas no convivial
ity here. Both were fond of good wine
hut the more they drank, the tighter
grew their lips. Men who have beer
in the habit of guarding dangerou!
secrets become taciturn in their cups
From time to time, fittingly, there
appeared against one of the windows
met above the half-curtain, a lean