The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-04-01

professor Had called them, 'that the
Chinese believed their dragons car
red In their mouths. in their black
caves in days of old, to furnish light
whereby they could see to devour
their victims" And that | believed,
for could see some practical sense
about 1t!
What ! should like to know" said
the dear, precious cub. hugging his
krce by the mantel, lis where coma
I'M"
"You don't come in,H said Billings.
lifting him playfully by the ear; you
come out" And out they went.
And my dear girl and ! were like
what s-his.names Dicture-alone at
last, you know. She stirred softly
and hor sigh came like the wind
through tho trees at night.
81 suppose we will have to burn
them" she said dolefully; the pro-
lessor SAYS it is tho only thing to do. :"
"Jcny shame, / say!" | murmured
Indignantly,
ut seems crime" she said softly,
and there was little choke IN her
voice She slipped to tho soft,fbered
rag before the fire, gently brought
ny chair closer TO her.
Fer E.oment sho pressed her
cheek against the crimson mass, then
kneeljng forward. laid it gently en- tho
glowing Goals. There was flash, a
lightning blaze Of red that almost
blinded us, and then for brief space
field Of shining ash. Against this
the tiny serpent frogs writhed and
twisted and turned at last to leaden
gray Over the spread of all, swept
wave after wave CT golden, Grim
soned pietures-templos and pagodaa
dragons that licked fiery tongues az
strange faces that came and went.
leering hiacously inc our own.
{ And then Of sJddea it was oil
fadcd-goHe, The nreese from tho
open window stirred tho aches to the
sile. sho Grcnned hacl, with deGp
sigh.
They're gone" she breathed mourn
fully.
Never mind I said; you've these
left" And daringIy | laid my hand
upon the one that clasped the rubies.
Ind thrilled as it lay still beneath
my own.
Good by, you dear old, wicked. en-.
ohanted pajamas,' she said. Il don't
care--I just love you, because She
paused
Because they brought US togeth.
err" BY Iove, I didn't know | had
said it, till it came out,
An instant, and then | caught it
just a little whisper, you know:
"Yes-Dicky!'
BY Jove! And then, dash it, my
monocle dropped! But let it SO.
Presently she looked at the glowing
rubies in her hand,
"They are from India, you know
/ Dicky--from Mandalay, the professor
said" And She murmured: Ion the
road TO Mandalay. where the old tiotil
Ia Iay--dont you remember? I've
been there, DiGky.
"By Jovel" sold. Have you
though? is it iolly?"
"The poet seemed to think So
She laughed DO YOU know KipIing
Dicky?' ] tried to think, but dashed
IL / could remember.
wondered ii 1t would be a gooC
| tnIyo trim n
| hitchcd closer. What does-er--
this poet chap say about 1t? What
it like, you know
She laughed. I'm afraid It's wicked
Dicky, good deal Ike the haunted
psiamas," She leanednforward, chin
iupon her hand again, looking, into tn,
fading Goals. I'll tell you what b
says" ,s ,.r ~" t,o, u.
Then her voice went on:
nShip me somewhere east of Suaz," wher
the best Ia like the worst.
Where there arn't no Ten Commandment
an a man can raise o thirst
"By Joye!" l said, interested.
: For the temple bells are calm, and IT.
there that I would be-
by the old Moulmein pesoda, lpokin' laS
II at the sea"
II | brought my hand down on m
: knee.
"Oh, | say, you know-er--FTances,
| I exclaimed with enthusiasm, we
}. go there for our honeymoon, by Jove
!. Shall we-eh?"
II And then the Jolly rubies rolled III
headed to the floor. And nothin
, stirred but the ashes of the haunte
/. paianas,
Aid then Oh, bat Frances say
: that's all!
) THE END,