The Mena weekly star., 1913-07-03
"Pm George p. A. Jones, of Mortimer
 & Jones, New York"

in from Khuzistan, bound for Smyrna How may I help you?"
 Take US as far as Damascus" an. swered Ryanne. "We can get on from there well enough"
 Whats your name?" directly.
 "Ryanne "
 And yours?"
 Fortune Chedsoye."
 "Next?"
 Jones'"
 The humorous bruskness put a kinl of spirit into them all, and they an swered smilingly.
 "Ryanne and Jones are fGmilia, enough, but Chedsoye is a new one Here, you!" whirling suddenly upo1 the boys who were pressing abou. He volleyed some Arabic at them, ant they dropped back. Well, I've hearI time, but this one beats them all Shanghaied from Cairo! Humph! [ Eome one had told me this, anywher, else but here. I'd have called him a liar And you, MT. Ryanne, went into Bagdad alone and got away with tkc Yhiordes! It must have been tLl devils own of a job"
 'Tt was" replied Ryanne laconically He did not know this man Acker, mann; he had never heard of him; but he recognized a born leader of men when he saw him. Gray-haired, lean, bearded, sharp of word, quick of action, rude: he saw in this carpet hunter the same indomitable qualities of the ivory seeker. You did not stop at Bagdad?" he asked, after the swift inventory.
 No. 1 came direct I always do," grimly. Better turn in and sleep; we'll be on the way at dawn, sharp"
 Sleep! Ryanne laughed.
 Sleep echoed George.
 Fortune shook her head
 Well, an hour to let the reaction wear away" said Ackermann But you've got to sleep. I'm boss now, and you won't find me an easy one," with humorous glance at the girl.
 We are all very happy to be bossed by you" she said.
 Twenty days," Ackermann unused. You're a plucky young woman. No hysterics?"
 Not even a sigh of discontent," put in George. If it hadn't been for her pluck, we'd have gone to pieces just from worry Are you Henry Acker- mann, of the Oriental Company in Smyrna?"
 "Yes; why?"
 'Tm George P. A. Jones, of Morti, mer & Jones, New York. I've heard of you; and God bless you for this nights work"
 Mortimer X Jones? You don't say! We'll if this doesn't beat the Dutch! Why, if you're Robert E. Jones boy, I'll sell you every carpet in the pack at cost" He laughed; and it was laugh ter good to hear, dry and harsh though it was. "Your dad was fine gentle man, and one of the best judges of his time You couldn't fool him knot. He wrote me when you came into this world of sin and tribulation. Didn't they call you Percival Algernon, or something like that?"
 "They did." And George laughed, too.
 You're a sight. Any one sick? Got medicine-chest aboard?"
 "No. only banged up and discour- aged. I say, MT. Alderman, got an extra pipe or two and some 'baccy?"
 Flanagan, see what's in the chest"
 Shortly Flanagan returned. He had half a dozen fresh corn-cob pipes and thick bag of tobacco. George and Ryanne lighted up, about as near con tentment as two men in their condi- tion could possibly be-
 Said Flanagan to Fortune: Do you chew?"
 Fortune looked mortified. "Oh, I mean gum!" roared Flanagan. No, Fortune did not possess that du. bious accomplishment. Mighty handy when you're thirsty" Flanagan advised. They built up the fire and sat round it costly. They were all more or less happy, all except Fortune. So long as she had been a captive of Mahomed, she had forced the thought from her mind; but now it came back with a l