Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-02
THE CARPET
FROM BAGDAD
HAROLD MAC6RATn
Copyright. 1911. b. the DobosMenfH
Osmpanyl
CHAPTER Iu.-Continued.

Ryanne narrowed his eyes. carefully
balancing the possibilities. Say. one
thousand pounds. 1t is like giving 1t
away. But when the devil drives, you
know. 1t is beyond any SGT price: 1t Is
worth what any collector is willing to pay
for 1t. believe know the kind OF man
you are. Mr.. Jones, and that is why.
when I learned you were in Cairo. came
directly to you. You would never sell this
rug. No. You would become like miser
over his gold. You would keep it with
your emeralds Il have heard about them
too; draw the curtains. lock the doors.
whenever you looked at 1t. Eth? You
would love it for its own sake. and not
because It Is worth so many thousand
pounds. You are sailing I'm a few days;
that Will help The pasha Is in CONSTANT
nople and it will be three or four weeks
before he hears Of the theft, or the cost
with certain grimness.
You haven't killed any one?'' whispered
George.
Il don't know: perhaps. Christianity
science permits it." Ryanne made . ges-
| ture to indicate that he would submit to
whatever moral arraignment Mr. Jones
| deemed advisable to make.
But George made none. He rose hastily,
| sought his knife. and, without 80 much
as by your leave, slashed the Irvine, flung
aside the paper and threw the rug across
| the counterpart. 1t was the Yhiordes
There was not the slightest doubt in his
mind. He had heard 1t described, he had
| seen a photograph of it. he knew its his
| tory. and. most vital Of all, he owned a
| good copy OF 1t.
Against temptation that was robust and
| energetic and alluring dixie the man who
you want it and ought not to have it,,
what chance had conscience, grown IN
| nocuous in the long period OF the young
mans good behavior? Collectors are al
ways honest before and after that mo-
| ment arrives when they want something
desperately: and George was no more
| sanity than his kind. And how deer
| Ryanne and his confederates had deiVeo
| into human nature. how well they coulo
read and judge 1t, was made manifest In
this moment Of Georges moral relapse.
Bagdad. the jinns Sindbad. the Thou
sand and One Nights. Alibaba and the
| Forty Thieves-George was traI sportee
mentally to that magic city. standing be
tween the TigNs and the Euphrates, IN
all its white glory Of thousand year:
gone. Ryanne, the room and its furnish
ings, all had vanished. all save the ex.
quisite fabric patterned out OF wool ant
cotton and knotted with that nlingiint
love and skill and patience the world
knows no more. He let his hand stray
| over 1t. How many knees had pressed
it's thick yet plant substance? How
many strange scenes had II mutcly wit
messed, scenes of beauty, of terror? L
shone under the light like the hide or
healthy hound.
The nerves of a smoker are general!
made apparent by the rapfdity of his ex
halations. These two, in the several min
utes, had filled the room with e. thick
blue haze; and through this the elder ma,
eyed the younger. The sign OF the vol
cleaned in his eyes. but without animos
ity. modified as it was by the half
friendly, half-cynical smile.
'Ill risk it," said George, finally. hav
ing stepped off the magical carpet. as
were. II can't give you thousan
pounds tonight. I can give you thre
hundred and the balance tomorrow, be
tween 10 and II. at Cooks.
THAT will be agreeable to me-.
1 George passed over all the avallabi
cash he had. rolled up the treasure an
tucked it under his arm. That some
where In the world was a true believer
wailing and beating his breast and callin
, the dog Of an infidel. who had done thi
thing, disturbed George not in the least.
: II say" as he opened the door, ''yo
must tell me all about the adventure.
, must have been a thriller.
at was" replied Ryanne. The stor
will keep. Later if you care to hear it.
"Of course" added George. moved b
discretionary thought, this transaction
, just between you and me-"
You may lay odds on that heartily
We'll. good night. See you at Cooks
the morning"
GOOD night" George passed down tn
corridor to the adjoining room.
And now. bang! goes Pandora's box.