The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-11-16

Percival was by all odds the most i'm.
portant move to be made. He had
volunteered this service and accom-.
plish 1t he must, in face of all obsta.
Icles, or poof! went the whole droll
Fabric. For to him it was droll, and
never 1t rose in his mind that he did
not chuckle saturninely. 1t was a
kind Of nightmare where one hung in
mid-air. ones toes just beyond the
Naming dragons jaws. The rewards
would be enormous, but these he
would gladly surrender for the su.
preme satisfaction of turning the
poisoned arrow in the heart Of that
canting hypocrite, that SNUG church.
deacon, the sanctimonious, the sleek,
the well-fed first-born. And poor Per.
cival Algernon, for no blame of his
own, must be taken by the scruff OF
his neck and thrust bodily into this
tangled web Of scheme and under.
scheme. It was Infinitely humorous.
He had had a vague plan regarding
Mahomed, guardian Of the Holy Yhi
ordes, but it was not possible for him
to be in Cairo at this early date. Tha,
he would eventually appear Ryanne
never doubted. He knew the Oriental
mind. Mahomed-El-Gebel would cross
every barrier less effective than death.
It was a serious matter to the Mos.
lem. If he returned to the palace at
Bagdad, minus the rug, it would mean
tree transportation to the Arabian
gulf, bereft Of the most important
part Of his excellent anatomy, his
head. Some day, If he lived, Ryanne
intended telling the exploit to some
clever chap who wrote; It would look
rather we'll in print.
To turn Mahomed against Percival
~ being the instigator would be an
adroit bit of work; and 1t would rid
him Of both Of them. Gioconda said
that she wanted no rough work. How
like q woman! Here was a mans
game, q desperate one; and Giocon.
da, not forgetting that it was her
inspiration, wanted 1t handled with
gloves! It was bare-hand work, and
the sooner she was made to realize
this, the better. It was no time for
tuning fiddles. 49, e,,.,~a
Mahomed out Of It, there was a Ger.
tain English bar in the Quarter Reset.
Il. place Of dubious repute. Many
derelicts drifted there in search of
employment still more dubious. Dregs.
scum; the bottom and the top of the
kettle; outcasts, whose hand and
animus were directed against society;
black and brown and white men; not
soldiers of fortune, like Ryanne, but
their camp-followers. In short, it was
there (and Ryanne still felt a dull
shame Of it) that Wallace, carrying
the final instructions of the enterprise,
had found him. sleeping off the effects
OF shabby rout Of the night before.
1t was there also that he had heard
Of the history and the worth of the
Yhiordes rug and the possibility of its
theft. He laughed. To have gone upon
an adventure like that with nothing
but the fumes of wine in his head!
For few pieces Of gold he might
Enroll under his shady banner three
or four shining lights who would I'M
dertake the disposal Of Percival. Not
that he wished the young man any
harm-no; but business was business,
and In some way or another he must
be made to vanish from tho sight and
presence of men for at least two
months.
As for Major Callahan's unforeseen
danger, the devil could look out for
khat.
Ryauoe consulted his watch. cheau
nus trustworthy article costing u ul
lar, not to be oonsldsrsd % an avail.
able asset. He would give It away
later in the day; for he had decided
chat while he was in funds there would
DO wisdom in the purchase of a fine
gold Longines. A good watch, as ev'
cry one knows, is always as easily
converted into cash az London bank.
note, providing, Of course, one ID
lucky enough to possess either. Many
watches had he left behind, In this
place or In that; and often he had
exchanged the ticket for small bottle
with a green neck. Wherever fortune
had gone against him heavily at cards.
there he might ind his latest watch,
Besides getting Q new tme-piece, he
was strongly inclined to leave the
bulk Of his little fortune in the hotel
bafa One never could tell.
And another good idea. he unused.
- he swung the time-piece into his
vest-pooket, would be to add tho splen.
dor Of small white stone to his mod.
est scarf. There Is only one we'll
defined precept among the sporting
fraternity; when flush. buy jewelry.
Not to the cause of vanity, not at all;
but precious stones and gold watches
constitute q kind Of reserve-fund
against the evil day. When one has
money in the pocket the hand is quick
and eager to find It. But jewelry is
protected by . certain quality Of
caution; 1t is not too readily passed
over bars and gaming-tables. While
the pawnbroker stands between the
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