The Irish standard., 1912-11-09
d I'm sorry," said George. rising
otis all in the game" gallantly.

It's all In the game. CALAMITY.
George saw him gracefully ma
neuver his way round the crush to-
ward the stairs leading to the bar.
Really, he would like to know more
about this amiable free-lance. Az the
old fellows used to say, he little
dreamed that destiny, one of those
things from Pandora's box, was pre-
pairing deeper and more intimate
acquaintance.
"And what has been amusing you,
Mr.. Jonesf" asked Mrs. Chsdsoys. ri
saw you laughing"
II was talking with the rug chap.
He's droll fellow. He said that he
had met you somewhere. but con-
cluded not to renew the acquaintance,
since told him that his adventure In
part was known to you"
"That Is foolish. I rather enjoy
meeting men of his stamp. Don't you,
Fortune?"
Sometimes" with a dry little
smile. Il believe We have met him,
mother. There was something IA
miliar about his head. OF course, we
saw him only from distance"
II do not think there ID any real
harm in him." said George. "What
made me laugh was singular propo.
sition he set before me. He said he
owned stock in a concern called The
United Romance and Adventure CON-
pany;' and that for a specified sum of
money. one could have any adventure
pne pleased"
"Did you ever hear Of such a
shing?" cried the mother merrily. For
tune searched her face keenly. 'The
United Romance and Adventure Com.
pany! He must have been joking.
What did you say his name is?"
"Ryanne. Joking IL my idea exact
w." George agreed. 1.-THE scheme is
to plunge the stakeholder into a real
Dive adventure, and then let him pull
himself out the best way he can.
Sounds good. He added that this rug
business was an instance of the sue
Ecsss of the concern. There goes the
music. Do you dance, Miss Ched.
soye?"
"A little" Fortune was preoccu.
pied. She was wondering what lay
behind Mr.. Ryanne's amiable Jest.
go along, both of you," said Mrs.
lChedsoye. II am too old to dance. I
prefer watching people" She sat
down and arranged herself comfort
ably. She was always arranging her
self comfortably; it was one of the &C.
crets of her perennial youth. She
was very lovely, but George had eyes
for the daughter only. Mrs. Ched-
soye saw this, but was not in the least
chagrined.
1T is so many years since tripped
the light fantastic toe," George con.
fessed, reluctantly and nervously, now
that he had bravely committed him.
self. 1T is quite possible that the
accent will be- primarily upon the
trip"
Perhaps, then" replied the girl
who truthfully was out of tune, per.
haps I had better get my wraps and
we'll go outside. The night is glori.
ous."
She couldn't have suggested any
thing more to his liking. And 80,
after little hurrying about, the two
young people went outside and began
10 promenade slowly up and down the
mole. Their conversation was desul.
tory. George had dropped back into
his she'll and the girl was not equal
to the task of drawing him out.
Once he stumbled over sleeping
Ibeggar, and would have fallen had she
not caught him by the arm.
Thanks. I'm clumsy"
T. TITS rather difficult to see them IN
the moonlight; their rags match the
pavements."
The Egyptian night, that sapphirins
darkness which the flexible imagina.
ton peoples with lovely and terrible
shades, or floods with mystery and 70
nance and wonder, lay softly upon
this strip of verdure aslant the des
iert's.face, the Valley of the Nile. The
moon. round, brilliant, strangely near
isuffused the SCARED old visage of the
world with phantom silver; the stonea
of the parapet glowed DULY, the pave
,ment glistened whitley, all things I,
touched with gentleness, lavishina
beauty upon beauty. mellowing ugli
ness or effacing 1t. The deep blue
Nile. beribboned with the glancine
lights from the silent feluccas. curling
musically along the sides Of the frost
like dahabeahs and steamers. rolled
on to the sea; and the blue-whits
arc-lamps, spanning the Great Mile
bridge, took the semblance of pearl
necklace. From time tv time q cara
van trooped across the bridge into
Cairo. The high and low weird notel
of the tom-toms, the wheeling protests
of the camels. the raucous defiance Of
the donkeys, the occasional thin
music OF reeds, were sounds that
crossed and recrossed one another
anciently.
do you care for poetry, Mr.. Jones1'
II! l used to write It."
And you aren't afraid to admit TT