Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-07-23


marvel. A Napoleon in petdcoats! 1t
does make fellow grin, when you
look it all over But this Is going 20
be her Austerlitz or her Waterloo.
And you really got the rug; and on top
Of that, you have sold 1t to George P.
A. Jones! Here's"
"Many happy returns" ironically.
They finished the bottle without
further talk There was no conviViaL"
ity here Both were fond of good wine,
but the more they drank, the tighter
grew their lips. Men who have been
in the habit Of guarding dangerous
secrets become taciturn in their cups
From time to time, flittlngly, there
appeared against one Of the windows
just above the half-curtain, leana
dark face, which, in profile, resembled
the kite-the hooked beak, the watch
full, preyful eyes. There were two
hungers written upon that Arab face
food and revenge.
Allah is good" he murmured.
FIe had but one eye in use. the 9th"
Ter was bandaged. In fact, the face ex-
Inhibited general indications of rough
warfare, the skin broken on the bridge
of the nose, a freshly healed cut un-
der the seeing eye, long strip or
plaster extending from the ear to the
mouth. There was nothing Of the beg
gar in his mien. His lean throat was
erect, bis chin protrusive. the set or
his shoulders proud and defiant Ordl-
narily, the few lingering guides would
rudely have told him to be off about
his business; but they were familiar
with all turbans, and In the peculiar
twist Of this one, solled and ragged
though it was, they recognized some
prince from the eastern deserts. Pres
emily u, strobe away, but with stiff
ness which they knew came from long
journeys upon racing-camels.
George dreamed that night Of magic
carpets, Of sad-eyed maidens, OF fierce
Bedouins, of battles in the desert, Of
genii swelling terrifically out Of squat
bottles. And once he rose and turned
on the lights to assure himself that
the old Yhiordes was not part OF
these vivid dreams.
He was up shortly after dawn, IN
white riding-togs, for final canter to
.Mena House and return. In two days
more he would be leaving Egypt be-
hind. Rather glad in one sense, rath-
er sorry in another. Where to put the
rug was a problem. He might carry
it in his steamerroll; 1t would be
handler there than in the bottom OF
his trunk, stored away In the ships
hold. Besides, his experience had
taught him that steaner-rolls we're
only inditferently inspected. You viii
observe that the luster Of his high
ideals was already dimming. He rea-
soned that inasmuch as he was bound
to smuggle and lie, it might be we'll to.
plan something artistically. He wished
row that he was going to spend Christ
mas In Cairo; but it was too late to
change his booking without serious
loss OF time and money.
He had a light breakfast on the
yeranda Of the Mena House, climbed
ND to the desert, bantered the donkey
BOYS, amused himself by watching the
descent Of some German tourists who
had climbed the big Pyramid before
dawn to witness the sun rise, and
threw pennies to the horde OF blind
beggars who instantly swarmed about
him and demanded, in the name OF AL
lab, competence for the rest of their
DAYS. He finally escaped them by
footing 1t down the incline to the ho-
tel gardens, where his horse stood
waiting.
1t was long after nine when he slid
from the saddle at the side entrance
of tho Semiramis. He was on his way
to tho bureau for his key, when an,
exquisitely gloved hand Nightly touched
his arm.
Don't you remember me, Mr..
Jones?" said voice Of vocal honey.
I: George did. IN his confusion he
dropped his pith-helmet, and in stoop-
ing to pick it up, bumped into the por-
ter who had rushed to his aid. Re-
member her! Would he ever forget
her? He never thought OF her with
out clubbing himself an outrageous ass.
He Strengthened, his cheess aflre;
blushing was another of those uncon'
,trollable asininities OF his. 1t was
really she, come out OF past he had
hoped to be eternally inresuscitant;
the droll, the witty woman, to whom
i'm one mad moment Of l!berality and
tGalahadism he had loaned without Sc
Icurity one hundred and fifty pounds at
the roulette tables in Monte Carlo;
she, for whom he had always blushed
when he recalled how easily she had
,mulcted him! And here she was, Sc
rene, lovely as ever, unchanged.
envy dear" said the stranger George
couldn't recall by what name he had
known herr; my dear" to Fortune
ichedsoye, who stood a little behind
her. "this is the gentleman I've often
+o,d YOU about. You were at school
r. 1,-o6 a