The Bourbon news., 1912-01-23

they flicker and fash their resentment,
place pucker between the brows of
his habitually serene and unwrinkled
forehead: and there you have him
who sat beside the little table in the
purple of the Zappeion, with a head
barred to the cool of the evening
breeze, alternately putting at me-
diocre cigar and slipping black coffee
from the demi-tasse at his elbow.
Now just as the sun was sinking be-
hind the mountains and Hymettus was
clothing its long slopes in vague violet
light of mystery and enchantment (for
this view alone O'Rourke took himself
to the Zappeion daily the Irishman's
somber meditations were interrupted.
"Phew! 'Otter'n the seven brass
'inges of 'ell!" remarked a cheerful
voice, not two feet from his ear.
O'Rourke turned with an imper-
ceptible start-he was not easily sta
tied. True for ye," he assented, TAX
ing stock of him who, with his wealth
er-wise remark for an introduction,
calmly possessed himself of theNva-
cant chair at the other side of the
table and grinned a rubicund grin
across it.
He showed himself a man in stature
no whit inferior to the Irishman, as
to height; and perhaps he was q
stone the heavier Of the two. He
lacked, otherwise, O'Rourke's alert
habit, was of a slower, more stolid
and beefy build. The eyes that met
OROurke's were gray and bright and
hard, and set in countenance fam
ing red-a color partly natural and
partly the result of his stroll through
Athens heated streets.
His dress was rough, and there was
this and that about him to tell
O'ROurke more plainly than words
that his profession was something
nautical; he was most probably cap
tain, from a certain air of determine
ton and command that lurked be-
meath his free-and-easy manner
Therefore, having summed the
stranger up in a glance, "And when
did We get in, captain?" inquired
O'Rourke.
The man jumped with surprise and
| shot frightened-at least a QCes
tioning-glance at O'Rourke Then
seeing that he was smiling in a friend
ly fashion, calmed and continued tC
cool his face and heat his blood by
tanning himself vigorously with q
straw hat
low the dooce do you know I'm &
captain?" he demanded, with a slight
! ly aggrieved manner
ut shouldn't take a man an hour tC
guess that, captain-any more thar
it would to pick ye out for an Eng
| lishman.'
The captain stared, gray eyes wiG
ening. An perhaps you'll tell me my
! nyme next?" he suggested rathel
| truculently.
''Divvle bit. 'Tis no clairvoyant
| am laughed O'Rourke. "But / Cal
| tell We me own. 'Tis O'Rourke, an(
tits delighted / am to meet a white
man in this heather country. Sir, you
/ hand!"
He put his own across the table ant
gripped the captains heartily.
Mines ole" the latter informet
him.
"Ole?' queried O'Rourke. "Ol
what?"
Not Ole nothing" said the CAP
tain with some pardonable asperity
| dy1,f c,,x- sn1n ;x,I ,O1n
"Of course" O'Rourke assente,
gravely. I'm stupid, Captain Hole
and a bit deaf in me off ear" This
however, was a polite lie
That explyns it," agreed the moll
fed man. Its ole, plyn Wilrm 'Ole
master of the Pelican, fryghter, jus
in from Malta
A light of interest kinGled il
ORourke's eyes. He reviewed the ma
with more respect, as due to one VIII
might prove useful. and bound?
he insinuated craftily.
Alexandria. I just droppe
in for d'y or two to pick up a bi
of cargo from a chap down at Piraeus
It's devlish 'ot and l thought as 'oJ
I'd tyke run up and see the cit
-aving bit of time free, y'know.
Surely sighed O'Rourke, ia,
away look in his eyes. For AlexaI
dria. Ell? Faith, I'd like to be sailin
with ye."
Again the captain eyed O'Rourk
askance. 'Wot for?" he demande
directly. "The Pelican's a slow OF
tramp. You can pick up swifter pa:
sage on 'arf-a-dozen boats a day.
"'Tis meself that knows that, sure,
assented the Irishman. "'Tis but
trifling difficulty about ready none