Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1912-12-26
He had already paid a goodly sum


against the purchase; and 1t was not
likely that a man who was down to
reversing his collars and cuffs would
take back the rug and refund the
money. The Yhiordes was his, hap
pen what might. So conscience snuffed
out her red lantern and retired,
Some light steps, a rustic, and he
wheeled in time to see a woman open
q door, stand for a minute in the full
light, and disappear. 1t was she.
George opened the door Of his own
room, threw the rug inside, and tip
toed along the corridor, stopping for
the briefest time to ascertain the
number of that room. He felt vastly
more guilty in performing this harm
less act than in smothering his men
tor.
There was no one In the head-por-
ter's bureau; thus, unobserved and I'M
embarrassed, he was free to inspect
the guest-list. Fortune Chedsoye. He
had never seen name quite like that.
Its quaintness did not suggest to him,
as it had done to Ryanne, the pas
toral, the bucolic. Rather it remind
ed him Of the old French courts, Of
rapiers and buckles, Of powdered wigs
and furbelows, masks, astrologers,
love-intrigues, of all those colorful,
mutable scenes so charmingly de-
scribed by the genial narrator Of the
exploits of D'Artagnan. And abruptly
out of this age of Lebrun, Vatican
Moliere, reached an ice-cold hand. II
that elderly codger wasn't her father,
who was he and what?
The Major-for George had looked
him up also--was in excellent trim for
his age. something of a military dandy
besides; but as the husband of so
young and exquisite a creature! Out
upon the thought! He might be her
guardian, or, at most, her uncle, but
never her husband. Yet 20 poisonous
doubtD, at the table she had ignored
the Major both his jests and his at
tentions. He had seen many wives,
joyfully from a safe distance, act to-
ward their husbands In this fashion.
Oh, rot! II his name was Callahan
and hers Chedsoye, they could not
possibly be tied in any legal bonds. He
dismissed the ice-cold hand and turned
again to the comforting warmth Of his
ardor.
He had never spoken to young wom-
en- without presentation, and on these
rare occasions he had preached the
weather. suggested the possibilities Of
the weather, and concluded with an
apostrophe on the weather at large. It
was usually valedictory. For he was
always positive that he had acted like
fool, and was afraid to speak to the
girl again. Never 1t failed, ten minutes
after the girl was out Of sight, the
brightest and cleverest things crowd
ed upon his tongue, to be but wasted
on the desert air. He was not particu-
larly afraid of women older than
himself, more's the pity. And yet, had
he been as shy toward them as toward
the girls, there would have been no
stolen Yhiordes, no sad-eyed maiden,
no such thing as The United Romance
and Adventure Company, Ltd; and he
would have stepped the even tenor of
his way. unknown Of grand passions,
swift adventure, life.
George was determined to meet For.
tune Chedsoye, and this determination,
the first Of its kind to take definite
form in his mind, gave him a novel
sensation. He would find some way,
and he vowed to best his old enemy.
diffidence, If 1t was the last fight he
ever put up. He would maneuver to
get in the way of the Major. He never
found much trouble In talking to men.
Once he exchanged a word or two
with the uncle or guardian. he would
make 1t point to renew the acquaint-
ance when he saw the two together.
It appeared to him as bright idea.
and he was rather proud of 1t. Even
now he was conscious Of clenching his
teeth strongly. It's an old saying that
he goes farthest who shuts his teeth
longest. He was going to test the pre-.
cept by immediate practice.
He had stood before the list fully
three minutes. Now he turned about
face, a singular elation tingling his
blood. Once he set his mind upon a
thing, he went forward He had lost
many pleasurable things in life be.
cause he had doubted and faltered,
not because he had reached out to-
ward them and had then drawn back
He was going to meet Fortune Ched.
soye; when or how were but details.
And as he discovered the Major him.
self idling before the booth Of the East
Indian merchant, he saw in fancy the
portcullis rise and the drawbridge fall
to the castle OF enchantment. He
strolled over leisurely and pretended
to be interested in the case containing
mediocre jewels.
This Is a genuine Bokhara EN-,
broidery" the Major was inQuiring.
''Oh, yes, sir"
"How old?"
The merchant picked up the tag
and squinted at it. at is between two
and three hundred years old, sir"
To Georges opinion the gods them
selves could not have arranged more
! propitious moment.
You've made a mistake" he inter
| nOsed Ouietly "That Is ROkhara hui