Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-12-12
CHAPTER II.
An AffabIe Rogue.

q carriage containing the seuIie"
snan with the reversible cuffs drew up
at the side entrance. Instantly the
Arab guides surged and eddied round
him; but their clamor broke against a
composure as effective rs granite. The
roar was almost directly succeeded by
q low gurgle, as Of little waves reced-
ing. The proposed victim had not
spoken a word; to the Arabs 1t was
not necessary; In some manner, subtle
and indescribable, they recognized a
brother. He carried a long, cylindrt-
cal bundle wrapped in heavy paper
~variously secured by windings of thick
twine. His regard for this bundle was
one Of tender solicitude, for he tucked
Il under his arm, cumbersome though
1t was, and waved aside the carriage
porter, who was, however, permitted
20 carry in the kit-bag.
The manager appeared. When comes
De not upon the scene? His quick.
calculating eye was not wholly as
aured. The strangers homespun was
Eravel-worn and time-worn, and Of a
cut popular to the season gone the
year before. No fat letter Of credit
here, was the not unreasonable conclu-
aion reached by the manager. Still,
with that caution acquired by years
Of experience, which had eliminated
On what Is known as Swiss diplomacy,
be brought into being the accustomed
Salutatory smile and inquired II the
gentleman had written ahead for res
ervation, otherwise 1t would not be
possible to accommodate him.
81 t~elegraphed," crisply.
"The name, II you please?"
~Ryanne; spelled R-y-a double-n 9.
Have you ever been in County Clare?"
mo, sir" The manager added a
question with the uplift Of his eye
brows.
WELL" was the enlightening an
swer, you pronounce it as they do
there"
The manager scanned the little slip
OF paper in his hand. "Ah, yes; we
have reserved a room for you, sir.
The French style rather confused me-"
This was not offered in irony, or sar-
casm, or satire; mining in a Swiss
brain for the saving grace Of humor
"a about as remunerative as the ex.
traction of gold from sea-water. New
ertheless, the Swiss has the talent Of
swiftly subtraeting from a confusion
of ideas n point Of illumination
there was a quality to the strangers
zone that decided him favorably. II
was the voice Of a man in the habit
of being obeyed; and in these days il
was the power Of money alone thai
obtained obedience to any man. Be
yond this, the same nebulous cogita
ton that had subdued the Arabs out
side acted likewise upon him. Herr
was a brother.
"Mail?"
II will see, sir" The manager sum
moned a porter. Room 208."
The porter caught up the somewha
collapsed kit-bag, which had in all evi
dence received some rough usage IL
Its time, and reached toward the roll
Mr.. Ryanne interposed.
Il will see to that, my man." terse
gy.
Eyes, sir"
Where is your guest-list?" dc
manded Mr.. Ryanne Of the manager
"The head-porter's bureau, sir.
will see If you have any mail" TIL
manager passed into his own bureau
1t was rather difficult to tell whethe
this man was an American or an Emf
gishman. His accent was western, bu
his manner was decidedly British. A
any rate, that tone and carriage mus
be Fashioned by good English soye
eigns, or for onoe his judgment wa
at fault.
The porter dashed upstairs. M
Ryanne, his bundle still snug undo
3Iis arm, sauntered over to the hea,
Dorter's bureau and ran his glance u
and down the columns Of visitinI
cards. Once he nodded with approve
and again he smiled, having disco
cred that which sent a ripple aero,
his sleeping sense Of amusement M
5or Callahan, room 206; Fortune Che
ssoye, 205; George P. A. Jones, 210.
"Hml the Major smells of Count
Antrim and the finest whisky in O
the isle. Fortune Chedsoye; that is
pleasing name; tinkling brooks, ii
waving green grasses In the mea
ows, the kline in the water, the iee
ing shadows under the oaks; q pa
toral, a bucolic name. To claim Fc
tune for mine own; a happy thought
As he uttered these poesy expre
sions aloud, IN a voice low and nos u
pleasing, for all that It was bantt
ing, the head-porter stared at him wi
mingling doubt and alarm; and as
to pronounce these emotions mute
for the benefit Of the other. he D.
smitted his ayes to open their wide,
Tut, tut; that's all right, porter.
am cursed with the habit Of speakil
my Utmost thoughts. Some perso
are afflicted with insomnia; some /,
asleep In church; ! think .srally. Bea
" habit. ehfs