Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-03

Threw it away on a lot of dubS, after
all I've taught you.'
Cards aren't my forte"
There's a yellow streak in your hide
somewhere, Horace"
There is, but it is the tigers stripe.
is my own business
''Will she allow for that2''
Would it matter one way or the
Other?".
NO, I don't suppose it would. Some
times | think you're with us as a huge
joke. You don't take the game serious
enough" Wallace emptied his glass and
tipped the bottle carefully. You're out
of your class, somehow.
SOP
yes. You have always struck me as
a man who was hunting trouble for one
end
And that?" Ryanne seemed interested.
Wallace drew his finger across his
the eye and nodded affirmatively.
Il don't understand at ALL"
You never will, Wallace, old chap. l
am the prodigal son whose brother ate
the fatted calf before / returned home.
I had letter today. She will be here
tomorrow some time. You may have to
so to Port Said if my little plan doesn't
mature.
The Ludwig?"
Yes
Say. what a frau she would have made
the right man.,
Ryanne did not answer but glowered
at his glass.
The United Romance and Adventure
Company" Wallace twirled his glass.
IF your re a wonder. she's a marvel. A
Napoleon in petticoats, 1t does make a
fellow grin when YOU look ii all over But
this is going to be her AuSterlitZ or her
Waterloo. And you really got that rug;
and on top of that, YOU have sold II 70
MANY happy returns ironically.
They finished the bottle without further
talk There was no "onviviality here.
Both Were fond of good wine. but the
more they dranh the tighter grew their
lips Men who have been in the habit of
turn III their cups
From time TO time. littingly. there ap-
peared against one of the windows. just
above the half curtain. a lean. dark face,
which. in profile. resembled the kite-the
hooked btak, the Watchful. preNful eyes.
There were two hungers written upon that
Arab face, food and revenge.
Allah is good he mlrmured
He had but one eye in use, the other
was bandaged. In fact, the face eXhib-
tied general indications of rough warfare,
the skin broken on the bridge of the
nose a freshly healed cut under the see
ing eye. a long strip of plaster extending
from the ear to the mouth. There was
nothing of the beggar in his mien. His
lean throat was erect, his chin protrusiVe,
the set of his shoulders proud and de-
faint Ordinarily, 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, soiled and ragged though it
was they recognized some prince from
the eastern deserts. Presently he strobe
away, but with a stiffness which they
knew came from long journeys upon rae
ing camels.
George dreamed that night of ma gic
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 a part of these vivid
dreams.
He was up shortly after dawn, in white
riding togs, for a final canter to Mena
House and return. In two days more he
would he leaving Egypt behind. Rather
glad in one sense, rather sorry in another.
Where to put the rug was a problem. He
might carry it i'll his steamer roll; II
would be handler there than in the bot
tom of his trunk, stored away III the
ships hold. Besides, his experience had
taught him that steamer rolls were only
inspected. You viii observe
that the luster of his high ideals was al /
ready dimining. He reasoned that inso-
much as he was bound to smuggle and lie,
tically. He wished now that he was GO
ing TO spend Christmas in Cairo: but it
was too late to change his booking with |
out serious loss of time and money.
He had light breakfast on the veranda |
Of the Mena House, climbed up 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 begears who instantly swarmed |
about him and demanded, in the name of |
Allah. a competence for the rest of their |
days He finally escaped them by foot
ing it down the incline to the hotel gar |
lens where his horse stood waiting.
IT was long after q when he slid from l
the saddle at the side entrance of the !
He was on his way to the |
bureau for his key. when an exquisitefy |
yloyed hand lightly touched his arm.
''Don't you remember me, Mr.. Jonssf"i