The Mena weekly star., 1913-07-10

It. NO use notifying the police. No one would know where to find him None of them will come to actual harm. Anyhow, the coast is clear Kate, there's big thing in front. No nerves. We've got to go today. Time IS everything. Our butler and first man cabled this morning that they had just started in, and that every. thing was running like clock-work We'll get into New York in time for the coup. Remember, I was against the whole business at the start. but now I'm going to see it off"
 FeVerishly Mrs. Chedsoye prepared TOT the journey. She was irritable to Celeste, she was unbearable to her brother, who took seat in a forward compartment to be rid of her. It was only when they went aboard the steamer that night that she became reconciled to the inevitable. At any rate, the presence of Jones would counteract any influence Horace might have gained over Fortune. That the three of them might suffer m. heard-of miseries never formed thought in her mind. It appealed to her in the sense of a comedy which annoyed rather than amused her.
 They were greeted effuslvely bv Wallace, he of the bulbous nose: and his first inquiry was of Ryanne. Brief. ly the Major told him what had hap. pened and added his fears. Wallace was greatly cast down. Hoddy had so set his heart upon this venture that It was shame to proceed without him. He had warned him at the be. ginning about that internal rug; but Hoddy was always set in his dare. devil schemes. So long as the Major mad the plans, he supposed that they could turn the trick without Hoddy's assistance; only, it seemed rather hard for him not to be in the sport.
 He told me that nothing would give him greater pleasure than to stick his list in the first bag of yellow-boys. There was something mysterious in the way he used to chuckle over the thing when first sprung it on him. He saw a joke somewhere. Let's go into the smoke-room for a peg. It won't hurt either of us. And that poor little girl! It's a hell of a world. eh?"
 The Major admitted that it was; but he did not add that Fortunes vel, fare or ill-fare was of little or no con. cern of his. The little spitfire had always openly despised him.
 They were drinking silently and mo rosely, when Mrs. Chedsoye, pale and anxious, appeared in the companions way. She beckoned them to follow her down to her cabin. Had Fortune arrived? Had Ryanne? She did not answer. Arriving at her cabin she pushed the two wondering men inside, and pointed at the floor. A large steamer-roll lay unstrapped, spread out
 q only just opened it." she said. T never thought of looking into it at Cairo. Here, it looked so bulky that I was curious"
 "Why, it's that damned Yhiordes!" eclaimed the Major wrathfully. What the devil Is 1t doing in Fortunes steamer-roll?"
 That is what I should like to know. If they have been Kidnapped in order to recover the rug, whatever will become of them?" And Mrs. Chedsoye touched the rug with her foot, absently. She was repeating in her mind that childish appeal: You don't how loyal should have been!"
 They took the first sailing out of Naples. Twelve days later they landed at the foot of Fourteenth Street. There was some trifling diffl- culty over the rug. It had been de- clared; but as Mrs. Chedsoye and her brother always declared foreign resi- dence, there was a question as to whether it was dutiable or not. Being copy, 1t was not an original work of art, therefore not exempt, and so forth and so on. It was finally decid- ed that Mrs. Chedsoye must pay a duty. The Major paid grumblingly, very cleverly assuming an iritability well known to the inspectors. The way the United States government her citizens for the benefit of the few was a scandal of the nations.
 A smooth-faced young man ap- preached them from out the crowd.
 'Is this Major Callahan"
 "Yes. This must be MT. Reynolds, the agent?"
 "Yes. Everything is ready for your occupancy. Your butler and first man have everything ship-shape. I could have turned over to you Mir Jones'"
 Not at all. not at all," said the Ma jor "They would have been strangers to us and we to them. Our own serv- ants are best"
 You must be very good friends of my client?"
 q have known him for years" said Mrs. Chedsoye sweetly. Tt was at his own suggestion that we take the house over for the month. He really that we should pay him noth- ing; but, of course, such an arrange ment could not be thought of. Oh. good-by. MT. Wallace" tolerantly. We hope to see you again some day"
 Wallace, taking up his role once