Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-03-22


AS he passed out OF sight, Major
Callahan smiled. 1t was that old IA
miliar smile which. charged with gen
Tie mockery, we send after departing
TOOLS. Ii was plain that he needed
another peg to keep company with the
nrst for he rose and gracefully wend-
| cd MS way down stairs to the bar. Two
men were already leaning against the
friendly. inviting mahogany. There
was a magnum of champagne stand
ing between their glasses. The Major
ordered temperate whisky and soda,
drank 1t, frowued at the magnum. paid
the reckoning. and went back upstairs
again.
Don't remember old friends, eh?"
| SAID the shorter of the two men,
caressing his incarnadined proboscis.
"A smile wouldn't have hurt him any,
do you think?"
Shut up" admonished Ryanne.
You knoS the orders; no recognition
on the public floors"
Why. | meant no HARM" the other
protested. He took a swallow of wine
But, dash It! here ] am, more'n four
thousand miles from old Broadway.
and still walking blind. When is the
show to start?"
Not so loud, old boy. You've got to
have patience. You've had some good
pickings for the past three months,
In the smoke-rooms. That ought to
soothe you"
We'll. it doesn't Here | come from
New York. three months ago, with 4
wad of money for you and a great
game in sight. 1t takes a week to find
you, and when ! do Well, you
know. No sooner are you awake, than
what? of you go TO Bagdad. on the
widest goose-chase a man ever heard
of. And that leaves me with nothing
to do and nobody to talk to. could
have cried yesterday when | got your
letter saying you'd be in today"
We'll. l got It."
The rug?"
yes. 1t was wild; but after what
I'd been through l needed something
wild to steady my nerves; some big
danger. where I'd simply have to get
| together"
And you got it?" There was frank
wonder and admiration in the pursy
gentleman's eyes. "All alone, and you
got It? Honest?"
Honest. They nearly had my hide,
though"
Where IL TT"
Sold"
"Who?
"Percival."
Horace. you're a wonder. IL there
ever was one. Sold Il to Percivali
You couldn't beat that in a thousand
years. You're a great man"
Praise from Sir Hubert"
who's he?"
IAN authority on several matters"
"How much did he give you for it,"
Tut, tut! 1t was all my own little
jaunt, Wallace. ! should hate to lie
to you about it."
what about the stake gave you? 90
Ryanne made a sign of dealing
cards.
Threw 1t away on a lot of dubs,
after all I've taught you!"
Cards aren't my forte"
There's a yellow streak In your
hide. somewhere, Horace"
There Is, but It Is the tigers stripe,
my friend. What l did with my money
Is my own business"
win she allow for that7"
Would 1t matter one way or the
other?"
mo, / don't suppose II would. Some
times think you're with us as huge
joke. You don't take the game seri-
GUS enough" Wallace emptied his
glass and tipped the bottle carefully.
You're out of your class. somehow"
"So?"
Yes. You have always struck me
as a man who was hunting trouble for
one end"
And that?" Ryanne seemed inter-
ested.
Wallace drew his finger across his
throat Ryanne looked him squarely
in the eye and nodded affirmatively.
Il don't understand at all"
you never will, Wallace. old chap.
I am the prodigal son whose brother
ate the fatted calf before ! returned
home. had a letter today. She
will be here tomorrow sometime. You
may have to go to Port Said. II my
plan doesn't mature"
THE Ludwig?"
YES"
Say, what a Frau she would have
made the right mani"
Ryanne did not answer, but glow
cred at his glass.
The United Romance and Adven-
ture Company" Wallace twirled his
glass. "If you're a wonder. she's a
marvel. A Napoleon in petticoats! 1t
does make a fellow grin. when you
look It all over. But this is going to
be her AusterlitI or her Waterloo
And you really got the rug; and on top
of that, you have sold It to George p.
A. Jones! Here's"
MANY happy returns" ironically.
They finished the bottle without
further talk. There was no convivial-
ity here. Both were fond Of good wine,
but the more they drank. the tighter
grew their lips. Men who have been
In the habit Of guarding dangerous