Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-09

| bridge fall in the castle Of enchant
| ment 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. ut 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 mistake" he inter
| posed quietly. THAT is Bokhara, but
! the stitch is purely modern,
The dark eyes of the Indian flashed
| 'The gentleman Is an authority" sar
castically.
Upon that style of embroidery, alb
solutely," George smiled. And then
without more ado, he went on to ex
plain the difference between the an
tique and the modern. "You have one
good piece Of old Bokhara, but 1t isn't
rare. Twenty pounds would be good
price for it,"
The major laughed heartily. "And
just this moment he asked me hun
dred for it. I'm not much of hand In
judging these things. l admire them,
but have no intimate knowledge re.
garding their worth Nothing tonight,
he added to the bitter-eyed merchant.
"The oriental is like the amateur
fsherman the truth is not in him
You seem to be a keen judge" as they
moved away from the booth.
81 suppose it's because I'm inordi-
nately fond Of the things. I've really q
good collection Of Bokhara embroid'
cries at home in New York"
"You live in New York;" with mild
interest The major sat down and gra-
ciously motioned for George to do the
same. II used to live there; twenty
odd years ago. But European travel
spoils America; the rush there, the
hurry, the clamor. Over here they
dine there they eat: There's as much
difference between those two perform
ances as there is between The Mikado
and Florodora. From Portland in
Maine to Portland in Oregon, the
same dress. same shops. same ungod'
ly high buildings. Here it is different
at the end Of every hundred miles"
George agreed conditionally. (The
major wasn't very original In his
views.) He would have shed his last
drop of blood for his native land, but
he was honest in acknowledging her
faults. 1"' ,ss" ~,
Conversation idled in various chan
nels, and finally became anchored at
jewels. Here the major was at home,
and he loved emeralds above all other
stones. He proved to be an engaging
/ old fellow, had circled the globe three
Sr four times, and had had an adven.
cure or two worth recounting. And
when he incidentally mentioned his
niece. George wanted to shake his
hand
Would Mr.. Jones join him with a
peg to sleep on. Mr.. Jones certainly
would. And after mutual health,
George automatically excused him
self, retired, buoyant and happy. How
could do anything if only he set his
mind to it. Tomorrow he would meet
Fortune Chedsoye, ard may Beelzebub
shrive him If he could not manage to
control his recalcitrant tongue.
AS he passed out Of sight, Major
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 an
other 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 magnum of champagne
standing 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, ca
ressing his in carnadined 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 foors.'
"Why; | meant no HARM the other
protested. He took a swallow Of wine.
But dash it! here | am, more'n four
thousand miles from old Broadway,
and still walking blind. When Is the
show to start?"
mot so loud, old boy. You've got
to nave patience. you've nad some
good pickings for the past three
months. in the smoke-rooms. That
ought to soothe YOU"
"Well. it doesn't. Here I come from
New York three months ago
with wad of money for you
and 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 Bag
dad, on the widest goose-chase a man
ever heard of. And that leaves me
with nothing to do and nobody to talk
to. could have cried yesterday when
I got your letter saying you'd be in
today"
well, got it."
"The rug?' .
Eyes. 1t was wild; but after what
I'd been through l needed something
wild to steady my nerves; some big
danger, where I'd simply have to get
together"
"And you got it?' There was frank
wonder and admiration in the pursy
gentleman's eyes. "All alone, and you
got it? Honest?" =..