Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-01-22

A curious phase Of this class of I'M
der-world is that no one is curious.
Strangers are never questioned except
when they invite attention, which they
seldom do. So, when Ryanne and his
quasi-companions entered, there wasn't
the slightest agitation. A blowsy bar
maid stood behind the bar, polishing
the copper spigots. Ryanne threw her
a greeting, to which she responded
I with a smirk that once upon tins
had been a smile. He, being master
of ceremonies, selected a table in the
/ corner. The four sat down, and Ryanne
plunged intrepidly into the business
under hand. To make a tool of Ma
homed, if not an ally, toward this he
directed his effort. Half a dozen times,
Mahomed dropped word in Arabic to
the other two, who understood little or
no English.
$50, you see, Mahomed. that's thA
way the matter stands. I'm not SO
much to blame as you think. Here
| this man Jones has me in a wise. If
do not get this bit of carpet, off I 60,
into the dark, into nothing. l handled
it? 1t was my throat or yours. You're
no chicken. You and that other chap
| made things exciting.
Mahomed accepted this compliment
to his prowess in silence. Indeed, he
gazed dreamily over Ryanne's head.
The other fellow wouldn't trouble any
one again. To Mahomed it had not
| hnn11 10 IN ha6
been the guile and trickery leading
up 20 it. He had been bested at his
own game, duplicity, and that irked
him. Death, he, as his kind, looked
upon with Oriental passivity. All,
we'll! The game was to have Sec
ond inning, and he proposed to play
it in strictly Oriental ways.
''How much did he give you for it?"
The expression upon Ryanne's face
would have deceived any one but Ma
homed. "Give for it," Indignantly.
why, that's the whole trouble. All
my trouble, all the hard work, and
not a plaster, not a plaster! Can't you
understand, had to do it?"
"Is he going to sell it?"
sell it? Not he! He's a collector,
and crazy over the thing"
Mahomed nodded. He knew some
thing of the habits of collectors. els
he still in Cairo, and where may he
be found?"
Ryanne began to believe that the
game was going along famously; Ma
homed was sure OF it.
"He is George P. A. Jones, of Morti.
mer & Jones, rich rug dealers of New
York Money no object"
Though his face did not show it, Ma
homed was singularly depressed by
this news. If this man Jones had
money, of what use was his little pack
ct of notes?
II must have that rug. effendi.
There are two reasons; it is holy, and
the loss of it means my head"
Good riddance!" thought Ryanne,
sympathetic look upon his face.
What have you to suggest in the
way of plan?" asked Mahomed.
Ryanne felt tingle of jubilation.
He saw nothing but plain-sailing into
port. But Mahomed had arranged to
guide his craft into the whirlpool. I'm
to himself he kept up a ceaseless re-
iteration of-"Patience, patience, pa
tience!"
Said Ryanne: "You do not care how
you get the rug, so long as you do get
ft?"
mo, effendi." Mahomed smiled.
"A little rough work wouldn't dis
turb your"
"No, it would not"
We'll, then, listen to me. Suppose
you arrange to take my friend Jones
into the desert for little trip. Be
his dragoman for while. In fact,
kidnap him, abduct him, steal him.
You can hold him in ransom for the
rug and a nice little sum of money
besides"
"Can they do such things these days
in Cairo?"
'Why not?"
"Truly, why not?" Mahomed sat
thoughtfully studying the outrageous
prints on the cracked walls. Had he
dared he would have laughed. And
he had thought this dog cunning be-
yond all his kind! 81 agree. But the
Bring him here at nine o'clock to-
night" he continued, leaning across
the table impressively, "and l will
give you one hundred pounds Eng
| lish .
Ryanne quickly assumed the express
sion needed to meet such splendid
news. 81 say, Mahomed, that is pretty
square, after what has passed between
u.s.
ct is nothing" CALAMITY.
If Ryanne laughed in his sleeve, Ma
homed certainly found ample room in
his for such silent and figurative each
innations. He knew very we'll that
Ryanne had received a goodly sum for
his adventure. No man took his life
in his hand to cancel an obligation
which was not based upon disinterest-
ed friendship; and already the man