The Mena weekly star., 1913-07-10

Major in Jones' careless hand). backed up by a cable, was enough authority for any reasonable man.
 Everything is out of the way" said the Major.
 Then, if you wish, can take you right up to the house in my car. Your butler said that he would have lunch ready when you arrived
 Very kind of you. How noisy New York is! You can take our hand-lug- gage?" Mrs. Chedsoye would have made St. Anthony uneasy of mind; Reynolds, young, alive, metaphor+cally fell at her feet.
 Plenty of room for it."
 T am glad of that. You see, MT. Jones intrusted fine old rug to us to bring home for him, and I shouldn't want anything to happen to it."
 The Major looked up at the roof of the dingy shed. He did not care to have Reynolds note the flicker of ad. miration in his eyes. The cleveresr woman of them all! The positive touch to the whole daredevil affair! And he would not have thought of it had he lived to be a thousand. "One might as well disembark in a stable" he said aloud "Ah! We are ready to go, then"
 They entered the limousine and went off buzzing and zigzagging among the numbering trucks. The agent drove the car himself
 Where is Jones now?" he asked | the Major, who sat at his left. | Haven't had a line from him for a month"
 Just before we sailed" said Mrs. | Chedsoye through the window, over the Majors shoulder, The went into the desert for a fortnight or so with | a caravan. He had heard of some fab ulous carpet"
 Touch number two The Major grinned. Jones is one of the best | judges I have ever met. He was off 1 at a bound. I only hope he will get back before we leave for California" | The Major drew up his collar. It was a cold, blustry day.
 The agent was delighted. What luck | a fellow like Jones had! To wander all over creation and to meet charm ing people! And when they invited him to remain for luncheon, the vic tory was complete.
 Mrs. Chedsoye strolled in and out | of the beautifully appointed rooms. Never had she seen more excellent | taste. Not too much; everything per fala oh ,,3a hoI anced against another. Here was a rare bit of Capo di Monte, there a piece of Sevres or Canton. Some houses, with their treasures, look like museums, but this one did not The owner had not gone mad over one subject; here was a sane and prudent collector. The great yellow Chinese carpet represented a fortune; she knew enough about carpets to realize this fact. worries, jades, lapis-lazuli, the precious woods, priceless French and Japanese tapestries, some fine paintings and bronzes; the rooms were full of unspoken romance and adventure; echoed with war and trag- edy, too. And Fortune might have married a man like this one. A pos sibility occurred to her, and the ghost of smile moderated the interest in her face. They might be upon the desert for weeks. Who knew what might not happen to two such roman tic simpletons?
 The butler and the first man (who was also the cook) were impeccable types of servants; so thought Reyn- olds. They moved silently and an ticipated each want Reynolds deter mined that very afternoon to drop line to Jones and compliment him upon his good taste in the selection of his friends. A subsequent press of office work, however, drove the deter imitation out of his mind.
 The instant his car carried him out of sight, a strange scene was enacted. The butler and the first man seized the Major by the arms, and the three executed a pas-seul. Mrs. Chedsoye eyed these manifestations of joy ston- fly.
 Now then, what's been done?" asked the Major, pulling down his cuffs and shaking the wrinkles from his sleeves.
 Half done!" cried the butler.
 Fine! What do you do with the 
 Cart it away in an automobile ev- cry night, after the gun starts down the other end of the street"
 "Gun?" The Major did not quite understand.
 Gun or bull; that's the argot for policeman"
 Thieves argot," said Mrs. Ched- soys contemptuously.
 The butler laughed. He knew Gio- conda of old.
 "Where's that wall-safe?" the Major wanted to know. '
 Behind that sketch by Detaille." And the butler. strange to say, pro- it Deti.
 Gan you open it?"
 Tried. but failed. Wallace is tho man for that"
 Hell be along in an hour or so." f
 Where's Ryanne?'' '
 Don't know; don't care" The Ma l lor sketched the predicament of their ' 2
 The butler whistled. but callously.