The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-01-04

house, each singularly wrought with
agitation. Fortune walked ahead with
George. Neither spoke. They could,
hear the occasional protest from the
banker into Mortimer's ear; but Nor.
timer did not open his lips. They
came to the house, and then George
whispered his final instructions to
Wadsworth. The latter, when he un-
derstood what was taking place. be.
came wild with rage and terror; and
it was only because George threatened
| to warn the conspirators that he sub
sided.
"And," went on George, "if you do
not obey, you can get out of 1t the
best you know how. Now, silence.
absolute silence"
He pressed back the grille gate,
and the others tiptoed after him.
Ryanne tipped the third bottle deli
cately. Not drop was wasted. How
the golden beads swarmed up to the
brim, to break into tile essences Of
perfume! And this was good wine;
twelve years in the bottle.
cts like some dream; eh?"
Wallace smacked his lips loudly.
wallace" chided Ryanne, you al
ways drink like sailor You don't
swallow champagne; you sip 1t. like
this"
Major Callahan swayed his glass
back and forth under his nose Smells
like vineyard after rain"
"There's poetry for you'll" laughed
the butler.
Mrs. Chedsoye seemed absorbed in
other things. She was trying to dis.
cover what 1t was that gave this gu.
preme moment so fiat taste. 1t was
always so; 1t was the chase, the goal
was nothing. 1t was the excitement OF
going toward, not arriving at, the des.
tination. Was she, who considered
herself so perfect, freak after ALL
shallow like hill-stream and as aim
less in her endeavors? Had she pos.
sessed real enthusiasm for any
thing? She looked back along the
twisted avenue of years. Had any
thing really stirred her profoundly
From the bags of gold her glance
strayed up and over to Ryanne. Love;
Love a man SO weak that he could
not let be the bottle? She had hor
ror Of drunkenness, the inane giggles
the attending nausea; she had beer
through 1t all. Had she loved him, OF
was 1t because he loved her child
Even this she could not tell.
eve could have taken every dollar
from the vault" said Wallace cheer
fully.
"But we couldn't have made our get
away with it," observed the butler
holding his empty glass toward Ry
anne, who was acting as master o1
ceremonies.
"A clear. unidentified million,
unused Ryanne. Into the cars with
it; over to Jersey City; on to Phila
delphia; but there for Europe; quiet
ly transfer the gold to the various
Continental banks; and in six months
who could trace hair or hide of it?'
J Ryanne laughed.
cts all right to laugh" said tn,
Major. "But are you sure abou
Jones? He could have arrived THU
afternoon"
Impossible! He left Alexandria 70
Naples on a boat that stopped bu
thirty hours. With Fortune on hi
hands he could not possibly sail be
fore the following week. and mayb,
not then. Sit tight. l know what
am talking about"
"He might cable"
: $50 he might. But II he had we,
have heard from him before now. In
going to tell you secret. My name
Is not Ryanne."
Eve all know that" said the Major
"It's Wadsworth. Does that tickl'
your mind any?"
The men shook their heads. Mrs
Chedsoye did not move hers.
"Bah! Greatest joke Of the hour
I'm Horace Wadsworth, and Arthu
Wadsworth, president of the Mer
chant-Mechanic Bank, is my believe,
brother!"
"Ay, damnable wretch"
A shock ran through them all. Il
the doorway leading to the rear hal
stood George, his revolyers levele'
steadily. Peering white-faced over hi
shoulder was the man who had spoil
en-, Arthur Wadsworth.
CHAPTER XXI.
Tho End of the puzzIe.