Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-06
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such things) he had run away with
! the other girl. If that was the case,
! George did not think highly of that
! tentative gentleman's taste. Per
, haps and perhaps again; but George
might have gone on perhapsing till
| the crack O. doom. with never a soli-
tary glimmer of the true state of the
Egirrs mind. Whenever he saw an
\ unknown man or woman who attract
ed his attention, he never could resist
the impulse to invent romance that
might apply. .a-r
Immediately after dessert the two
! rose: and George, finding that moth
ing more important than pineapple
ice detained him, got up and followed.
Mr. Ryanne almost trod on his heels
as they went through -ne doorway into
the cosy lounging room, George drop.
! ped into q vacant diyan and waited
| for his cafe la Turque, Mr.. Ryanne
| walked over to the head porter's bu.
reau and asked If that gentleman
! would be so kind as to point out
George P. A. Jones, if he We're any
! who re in sight. He thoughtfully, not
to say regretfully, laid down small
bride.
Mr.. Jones?" The porter knew Mr.
Jones very we'll. He was generous,
and treated the servants as though
they We're really human beings. Mr..
Ryanne, either by his inquiry or as
, the result Of his bribe, went up sew
eral degrees in the .porter's estima-
ton. "Mr. Jones is over there, on
the divan by the door,
Thanks" IT, .,
But Ryanne did not then seek the
young man. He studied the quarry
from diplomatic distance. No;
there was nothing to indicate that
George Percival Algernon Jones was
in any way handicapped by his Ar
thuresque middle names.
mo fool, as Gioconda in her infinite
| wisdom hath said; but romantic, terri
bly, romantic, yet like the timid BATH
er who puts foot into the water.
finds it cold, and withdraws it. 1t
will all depend upon whether he is a
real collector or merely q buyer OF
rugs. Forward, then, Horace; a SOW
ereign has already dashed headlong
down the far horizon" The curse OF
speaking his thoughts aloud did not
lie heavily upon him tonight, for these
cogitations were made in silence,
unmarked by any facial expression. He
proceeded across the room and sat
down beside George. II beg your
pardon" he began, but are you not
Mr.. ,Jones?' 81
Mildly astonished, George signified
that he was. 49,
George P. A. Jones?"
George nodded again. but with
some heat in his cheeks. Yes. What
is it," The girl had just finished her
coffee and was going away. hang
this fellow! What did he want at
this moment?
If Ryanne saw that he was too much
as the French say, he also preceived
the cause The desire to shake
George till his teeth ratified was in
stantly overcome. She hadn't seen
him, and for this he was grateful
you are interested in rugs? I mean
old ones, rare ones. rugs that are
bought once and seldom If ever sol:
again."
why, yes. That's my business. -
George had no silly ideas about trade.
He had never posed as a gentleman's
son in the sense that it meant idle,
ness.
Ryanne presented his card.
How do you pronounce it," asked
George naively.
"As they do in Cork
II never saw it spelled that way be-
fore"
Nothing surprising in that" re-
piled Ryanne. mo one else has,
either"
George laughed and waited for the
explanation. .; 3
you see, Ryan is as good name
as they make them; but it classes
with prize fighters, politicians, and
bar chemists. The two extra letters
put the finishing touch to the name.
A jewel is all right, but what tells is
the way you hang it round your neck.
To me. those additional letters rep
resent the jewel Ryan in, the hands
of Lalique.'
You talk like an American
q am; three generations. What's
the matter?' with sudden concern.
George was frowning Haven't 1
met you somewhere before?''
Not to my recollection" A specu
lative frown now married Ryannes
forehead. 1t did not illustrate a
search in his memory fer such a cas-
udIty do LIlS lICStAIS VI HSOISe. IlC
never forgot a face and certainly did
not remember Georges. Rather, the
frown had it's source in the mild dread
that Percival Algernon had seen him
somewhere during one of those indis
positions Of the morning after. mo;
i think you have made mistake"
Likely enough. 1t Just struck me
that you looked something like chap
named Wadsworth, who was halfback
on the varsity, when l entered my
freshman year ...-.. o..
"a university man? Lord no!
was turned loose at ten; been hustling
ever since" Ryanne spoke easily,
not tremor in his voice, although he
had received slight mental jolt. NO;
no college record here. But I want
to chat with you about rugs. I've
heard of you, Indirectly
From the carpet fellows? We do a
big business over here. What have
you got?'
well, I've got rug UP in my room
I'd like to show YOU. | want your
judgment for one thing. Will you do,