The Irish standard., 1912-11-23

!
she? Why had she come to Cairo
when at Mentone she had known
peace, such peace as destiny was gen.
erous enough to dole out to her? And
now, out Of this tolerable peace. a
thousand hands were reaching to rend
her heart. to wiring it. She decided
quickly. Since she had come this
far, to go on to the end would add but
little to her burden. Better to know
III too soon than too late.
That the note had not been direct.
ed to her and that she was totally un.
familiar with Ryanne's hahdwri..' 7e.
escaped her. She had too many other
: things upon her mind to see all things
clearly. especially such triflss. She
! finished her walk. returning by the
way she had gone. gave the key to the
lift-boy, and in her room dropped
down upon the bed. dry-eysd and
weary. The most eventful day she
had ever known.
/ And all the while George sat by
! the window and watched, and at
length fell into frame of mind that
was irritable. irascible and self.con-
demnatory. And when he found that
his precious Yhiordes was gone, his
condition was the essence e all disa.
greeable emotions. It was beyond him
! how any one could have stolen 1t. He
never failed to lock his door and
leave tho key with the porter. And
! surely. only man with wings could
! have gained entrance by the window.
Being a thorough business man among
other accomplishments, be reported
his loss at once to the management;
! and the management set about the
4 matter with celebrity. At half after
seven every maid and servant In the
hotel had been questioned and exam.
ined. without the least noticeable re.
1 suit. The rug was nowhere to be
! found. George felt the loss keenly.
/ He was not 80 rich that he could af.
ford to lose both the rug and the thou.
! sand pounds he had pnid for It, His
first thought had been Of Ryanne; but
1t was proved that Ryanne had not
been in the hotel since morning; at
| least. no one had seen him.
| George gloomed about A beastly
! day, all told: everything had gone
wrong. and all because no had over.
elept. At dinner something was
wrong with the soup: the fish was
greasy: the roast was dry and stringy;
the wine. full of pieces Of cork. Out
into the lounging.room again: and
then the porter hurried over to him
with note from Ryanne. It stated
briefly that 1t was vitality important
for Mr.. Jones to meet him at nine
o'clock at the English-I3ar in the Quar-
tor Rosetti. Any driver would show
him the way. Mohamed- Ell ebel. the
guardian of the Holy Yhiordes, had
turned up. and tho band was begin.
ming to play. Would Mr.. Jones like
little fun by the wuyside?"
I'm his man," said George. "But
how the devil did this Mahomed ever
get into my room?"
Had fortune dined downstairs in.
stead OF alone in her room, events
might have turned out differently. Ry.
anne had really written to George, but
not to Fortune
Mahomed. fatalist that he was, had
thrown everything upon the whirling
scales Of chance. and waited. Later,
no may have congratulated himself
upon his good luck. But 1t wasn't
luck; It was the will Of Allah that he,
Mahomed. should contribute his slen.
der share in working out the des-
tinies of two young people.
George was in the proper mood for
an adventure. He went so far as to
admit to himself that he would have
liked nothing better than fsticufr.
The one mistake he made in his cal.
culations was dress. Men didn't gen.
orally go a-venturing in such flnical
! attire. They wore bowlers and sack.
coats and carried heavy walking.
sticks. The only weapons George had
were his two he Ids. now adorned with
snug-ftting opera.gloves.
He saw Mrs. Chedsoye. spoke to her.
inquired about Fortune. and was in.
formed that she had diped in her
room. A case of doldrums, Mrs. Ched-
soye believed.
I'm in peck Of trouble" said
George. craving little sympathy,
'1n what way?"
''The rug told you about is gone"
what? stolen7"
Eyes. Vanished into thin air."
That's too bad. OF course tho DO.
lice will eventually find 1t for you"
! 'lm afraid that's exactly the
trouble. really daren't put the case
in the hands Of the police"
"Oh. see." Mrs. Chedsoye looked
profoundly sorry.
"And here I am due for Port Said
tomorrow"
That's the kind that bowls yod
over" said the Major IF there is
anything can do after you are
gone. ."
ooh. l shouldn't think Of botherine
you. Thanks, though"
"You must have lost your key" sug-
gested Mrs. Chedsoye.