The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1912-02-02


springy, youthful step, cheerful and
| positive air, certain but indef1nable
calm of self-possession. At the top
she paused, turned, looked down,
watching the transfer of her luggage
and her maid. -, From sundry
intangible indications O'Rourke as
sumed the second woman's figure to
be the lady's maid. And so did Danny
The one eyed the mistress, the other
her servant, both with interest. =.
The woman on deck threw back her
veil. She seemed to promise uncom-
mon beauty of the English type, full
colored and of classic mold. =.
The Irishman was much too far away
to be certain, but he fancied that her
gaze wandered toward him and-but
this, of course, was only Imagination
that she started slightly.
At all events, she was quick to drop
| the veil and turn away. Her maid
joining her, both vanished beneath the
canvas awnings. The boat that had
brought her sheered off, and O'Rourke
was permitted to board the Panjnab.
It was glad day, the O'Rourke told
himself, as he trod those decks; 1t
saw him definitely started on his way
to the East.
| O'Rourke reused upon his elbow
and peered out of the port of his
stateroom. The steamer was blowing
through the Bitter Lakes He saw a
string Of buoys, a width of water like
a jade, a vista of sand, fiat, gray,
patched with gray-green desert shrub,
bounded only by the horizon. &.
Damn - said he listlessly.
He slipped down again upon his back,
painted, and wiped his brow.
Danny, recognizing that he was not
expected to respond, and being a
| young man remarkably acute to dag
nose his masters moods, prudently re-
Trained from comment. He sat bunch
ed up on cabin stool, his intensely
red, bullet-shaped head bent low over
a bit of chamois skin, which he was
sewing into rough, sturdy bag.
AS the sun dipped beneath the rim
of the horizon, pleasant shadow in
vaded the stateroOm, until that mo-
ment blood-red with it's level rays.
And Danny Strengthened up, dropping
thimble and thread, announcing the
completion of his needlework by a
brief, contented: "There!"
O'Rourke glanced at the article
dangling from his Wallets fingers, and
slammed the book against the bulk
head at the foot of his berth
Finished, is it?" he exclaimed
Faith, it's about time, We lazy good
for-naught!"
Danny smiled serenely "And a good
job, too, sor,' said he proudly
"Manin' no onrespect to yer honor,
he added hastily.
O'Rourke took the subject of discus
sion in his fingers and examined i
searchingly.
Twill do" he announced. civil
serve its purpose, if no more. Lay
out me evening clothes now" He
stood up, stopping to stare through
the port Good enough" he com
mented on what he discovered with
out; "'tis passing Suez we are thi:
blessed minute. Praises be, We
caught a boat that doesn't stop here.
Danny scratched an ankle thought
! fully. 'Yiss, yer honor" he assented
dubious. But, for all that, phwat'.
to hinder annywan from boordin' u:
be boat, if they sh'u'd want top
O'Rourke turned and eyed the mar
keenly. otis great head We have
on your shoulders, Danny" he said
Sometimes We betray almost canine
intelligence. Pm be way of having
hopes of We. Now get We on deck ant
watch to see who does come aboard
if anyone, and report to me-"
''Yiss, yer honor"
O'Rourke bolted the door after Dan
ny and assured himself that the key
hole was properly wadded, that nc
crack existed through which his move
ments might be observed from the
gangway. Struggling his broad shoul
ders he returned to the seat vacated
by his valet and thrust a hand be
meath the coat of his pajamas, with
drawing it moment later, fingers
tightly wrapped about rather bulky
3 object.
And the Pool of Flame lay glitter
ing and stabbing his eyes with shaft:
of bloodred light.
Into its depths of pellucid firt
;, O'Rourke gazed long and earnestly, IL
{ the most profound meditation.
But at length, slipping the ruby int
:. the new receptacle and drawing tn
J., lanyard tight about it's puckere,
v throat, he stood up and threw the loo
t over his head, permitting the bag wit
e it's precious contents to fall beneat
the folds of his jacket; and, shakin
d off the sober mood inspired in him b
= the study of the stone, rang for
l. steward, to whom, when he responded
e he entrusted a summons for Danny
IF 80 be it we're clear of Suez."
In the course of five minutes or S
r, Danny himself tapped on the door an