Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07


clave.
Smuggling" said the major, with pru-
| dent lowering Of voice, evidently continu-
| ing some previous debate smuggllng -
| a fine art, a keen sporting proposition.
| and the consequences OF discovery are
never very serious What's the fine Of a
| thousand dohars against the profits OF
| many successful excursions into the port
Of New York? Nothing, comparatively
For several years. now. We nave carried
| on this business with the utmost adroit-
| ness. Never have we drawn serious at
| tention. We have made two or three
| plumbers. but the suspicious OF the secret
service were put to sleep upon each occa-
sion. We have prospered. Here is gem,
| let us say, worth on this side thou
sand: over there we sell it for enough to
| give us clean profit Of three or four
| hundred. Forty per cent upon our In
| vestment. That ought to be enough Tor
any reasonable person. Am I right?"
| Mrs. Chedsoye alone was unresponsive
| to this appeal.
II continue, then. We are making
| enough to lay by something for our old
age. And that's the only goal which
| never loses its luster. But this AFFAIR."
Talk, .talk,'' said Mrs. Chedsoye, i'm
| patiently.
my dear Kate, allow me to relieve my
| mind"
you have done so till the topic is
threadbare. 1t is rather late In the day to
go over the ground again. Time is every
thing just now"
Admitted. But this affair. Kate. is
| big; big with dangers, big with pitfalls;
| there is a hidden menace in every step
| of it. Mayhap death; who knows? The
older ! grow the more I cling to material
comforts, to enterprises of small dangers.
| However. as you infer, there's no going
back now
NO" assented Ryanne, his mouth hard;
'"'not If have to proceed alone"
| She smiled at him. You talk Of dan
GER" speaking to the major. What dan
ger can there be-"
| THE unforeseen danger, the danger of
which we know nothing, and therefore
are unable to prepare for it. You do not
see it, my dear, but 1t is there, neverthe-
| less"
Wallace nodded approvingly. Ryanne
shrugged.
Failure is practically impossible. And
I want excitement: crave 1t as you men
crave your tobacco"
| And there we are Kate. It really isn't
the gold; it's the excitement Of getting it
and coming away unscathed. If could
I only get you to look at all sides of the
affair! It's the Rubicon.''.
II accept it as such. I am tired Of petty
things. / repeat, failure Is not pos
sible. Have / not thought it out, detail
by detail mapped out each line, antici-
pated dangers by eliminating them?"
| "All but that one danger of which we
know nothing. You're a great woman,
/ Kate. You have, as you say, made
ninety-nine dangers out Of a hundred i'm
possible. Let us keep an eye out for that
hundredth. Our photographs have yet to
grace the rogues' gallery
with one exception" Ryanne's laugh
| ter was sardonic.
'Whose?" shot the major.
mine. A round and youthful phiz. d
| silky young mustache. But rest easy;
there's no likeness between that and the
: original one l wear now"
| lyon never told lis 80 began Mrs.
| Chedsoye.
| There was never any need till now.
Eight years ago. Certain powers that be
worked toward my escape. But I was
| never to return. You will recollect that
have always remained this side. Enough
| What I did does not matter. 1 will say
I this much-Iny crime was in being found
| out. One venture into New York and out
| to sea again; they will not have a chance
l doubt If any could recall the circum-
! stances of my meteoric career. You will
| observe that l am keyed for anything.
Let us get to work. 1t doesn't matter,
anyhow
you did not >" Mrs. Chedsoye
"Blood?' reading her thought. mo.
Gioconda; my hands are guiltless, at least
| they were till this Bagdad affair." and
am not sure there. l was trusted clerk;
| l gambled; took money that did not be-
long to me. And here I am, room No
2Os''
"It doesn't matter. Come. Kate; don't
| stare at Hoddy as If he were a new spe-
his mustache. This confession will be
| good for his SOUL
Yes, Gioconda. I feel easier now. 1
am heart and soul in this affair. 1 need
excitement. too. Lord, yes. When I went
to Bagdad I had no idea that I should
ever lay eyes upon that rug. But l did.
| And there's the emeralds. too, major"
The major rubbed his hands pleasurably
| Yes, yes; the emeralds; l had not for
gotten them. One hundred lovely green
| stones. worth not a penny under thirty
thousand fine collection. But another
| idea has taken possession Of this teeming
brain of mine. Have you noticed how
! this fellow Jones hovers about Fortune?
| I am sure, in pure gratitude. she would
see to 1t that her loved ones were well
taken care of in their old age"
Il am going to marry Fortune myself"
said Ryanne. blandly.
"You?" The major was nonplussed.
Wallace shuffled his feet uneasiiy. This
blond companion of his was always
showing kinks in his nature. kinks that
rarely ever Strengthened out.
Eyes. And why not? What Is she to
either you or her mother? Nothing. At
lection you have never given her. being
unable. 1t surprises you: but, neverthe-
less, love her and I am going to marry
her"
Really" said Mrs. Chedsoye.
Even so''
"You are a fool. Horace" with rising
fury. So, then, the child had not jibed
her in a moment of pique?
Men in love generally are fools. I've
| never spoken before because you never
absolutely needed me till now. There's
my cards. pat
Mrs. Chedsoye's fury deepened but not
visibly. You are welcome to her, If she
| will have you.
YES" supplemented the major, IF she
will have you, my friend, take her. and
our benedictions.''
Ryanne's shoulders stirred suggestively.
"Of course, I expect to have the final
word to say on the subject. She Is my
daughter" said Mrs. Chedsoye.
"A trif1ing accident my dear Goconda,"
smiled Ryanne; merely that"
"Just a little OIL just little oil" the
major pleaded, anxiously. Dash 1t all,
| this is no time for row OF this silly
| order. But it's always the way" irrita-
| bly, "A big enterprise. demanding a sin
| gle purpose, and trifie like this to upset
It all!''
It am ready for business at any mo-
ment'
"And you, Kate?"
We'll say no more about it till the af-
! fair is over After that ."
Those who live will see, eh?" Ryanne
rolled a cigarette.
'"To business, then. In the first place,
Mr.. Jones must not reach the Ludwig"
HE will not" Ryanne spoke with
quiet assurance.
"He win not even see that boat" added
Wallace, glad to hear the sound of his
voice again.