Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-07-26
CHAPTER WI.
Ryanne Tables His Cards.

RylnTlS dDlCS IiS val no.
During this time Mrs. Chedsoye, tho
major, Messrs. Ryanne and Wallace,
Officers and directors in the United
Romance and Adventure Company,
Ltd. sat in the majors room, round
Ltd, sat in the majors room. round
irarily been given the dignity OF q
liable. The scene would not have been
without interest either to the specula-
tive physiognomist or to the dramat'
list. To each 1t would have represent
! led one Of those astonishing moments
when the soul Of person comes ouS
into the open, as one might express It,
5iincautiously, to be revealed in the eX,
Ipressions of the eyes and the mouth,
These four persons were about going
forward upon q singularly desperate
and unusual enterprise. From now on
they were no longer to fence with one
another, to shift from this topic to
that, with the Indirect maneuvers OF
a house-cat intent upon the quest or
the Friday mackerel. The womans
face was alive with eagerness; the
oldest man looked from one to the
other with earnest calculation; Wal
lace no longer hid his cupidity;
Ryannes immobility of countenance
was in itself a tacit admission to the
burning Of all his bridges that he
might become, a part Of this conclave.
"Smuggling,S said the major. with
prudent lowering of voice, evidently
continuing some previous debate,
smuggling Is fine art. keen SPORT
ing proposition; and the consequences
Of discovery are never serious. What's
fine OF thousand dollars against
the profits of many successful excua~
sions into the port of New York?
Nothing, comparatively. For several
years, now, we have carried on this
business with the utmost adroitness.
Never have we drawn serious atten.
tion. We have made two or three
plumbers, but the suspicious Of the Sc
cret-service were put to sleep upon
each occasion. We have prospered.
Here is gem, let US say, worth on
this side a thousand; over there We
sell It for enough to give us clean
profit of three or four hundred: Forty
per cent. upon our investment That
fought to be enough for any reasonable
person Am I right"
Mrs. Chedsoye alone was unrespon-
fsive to this appeal.
y II continue, then. We are making
enough to lay by something for our
jold age. Ard that's the only goal
(which never loses Its luster But
this affair.""
Talk. talk" said Mrs Cledsoyo l'1'-
patiently.
'My dear Kate, allow me to relieve
my mind" :,
you have done so till the topic Ia
threadbare. It is rather late IN the
day to go over the ground again,
Time is everything just now"
Admitted. But this affair, Kate, IS
big; big with dangers, big with pits
falls; there is hidden menace In eV'
lery step OF it. Mayhap death; who
knows? The older grow, the more
icling to material comforts, to enter
iprises of small dangers. However, az
'Eyou infer, there's no going back now"
4 NO." assented Ryanne, his mouth
hard; mot If have to proceed alone ,
She smiled at him. You talk OF
danger" speaking to the major. What
danger can there be?'
"The unforeseen danger, the danger
of which we know nothing, and there
fore are unable to prepare for 1t. You
do not see it, my dear, but 1t Is there
nevertheless"
Wallace nodded approuingly. Ry.
anne shrugged.
Failure is practically impossible,