The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-01-23

SlaC9rOOm. Inc steamer was p1OHAA
through the Bitter Lakes. He saw a
string of buoys, a width of water like
a jade, 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
young man remarkably acute to dag
nose his masters moods, prudently re-
Trained from comment. He sat hunch-
ed up on e cabin stool, his intensely
red, bullet-shaped head bent low over
bit Of chamois skin, which he was
sewing into a rough, sturdy bag.
As the sun dipped beneath the rim
Of the horizon, 3 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 g
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 1t?" he exclaimed
Faith, it's about time, ye lazy good
for-naughti"
Danny smiled serenely. "And goo6
JOB, too, sor,'' said he proudly
"M'anin' no onrespect to yer honor
he added hastily.
O'Rourke took the subject of discus
sion in his fingers and examined il
searchingly.
"'Twill do" he announced. "'TwiL
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 this
blessed minute. Praises be, we
caught boat that doesn't stop here
Danny scratched an ankle thought
fully 'Yiss, yer honor" he assented
dubious, But, for all that, phwat's
to hinder annywan from boordin' Us
be boat, if they sh'u'd want to?'
O'Rourke turned and eyed the mai
keenly. "'Tis a great head ye have
on your shoulders, Danny" he said
"Sometimes ye betray almost canine
intelligence. I'm be way Of having
hopes Of ye. Now get ye on deck and
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 hand be-
meath the coat Of his pajamas, with
drawing it a moment later, fingers
tightly wrapped about rather bulky
object
And the Pool of Flame lay glitter
ing and stabbing his eyes with shafts
Of blood-red light.
Into its depths of pellucid fire
G'Rourke gazed long and earnestly, IN
The most profound meditation.
But at length, slipping the ruby into
the new receptacle and drawing the
lanyard tight about it's puckered
threat, he stood up and threw the loop
over his head, permitting the bag with
it's precious contents to fall beneath
the folds Of his jacket; and, shaking
off the sober mood inspired in him by
the study Of the stone, rang for
steward, to whom, when he responded,
be entrusted summons for Danny
If so be it we're clear Of Suez."
In the course of five minutes or so
Danny himself tapped on the door and
presented to his master a beaming
face.
t'Divvle a sowl!" he announced tri-
umphantly. "Sure, it's ourselves have
given thin the slip entirely!"
He fshed brand new kit-box from
beneath the berth and, opening it, be-
ban to lay out O'Rourke's clothing.
His master INDUCED in sigh of re-
lief. Then no boat put off to us at
alp" he questioned indiferently.
*'Cnly wan," replied the servant,
'and thot wild no wan in ut but nay
CUR" /
GA negro?" demanded O'Rourke, IA
cling about "What do ye mean? Did
be come aboard?"
Sure and he did that, yer honor,
and caught US be no moore thin the
skin aY his tathe and"
O'Rourke bent over the man and
seiz1ng him by the shoulders swung
him aroTnd so that their eyes met.
'eWhat the div7le!" demanded the ad-
venturer, "did ye mean by telling me
nobody boarded us, then? What"
"Sure, yer honor. . Aw, ye1
honor! IT'S mesilf meant nc
Ill y>ro+oe+o5 Nanny