Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-03-12
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and their garments.


about the fire. Fatigue had dulled
their bodies and hopelessness their
minds. The men were ragged now,
unkempt; stubble of beard covered
their faces, gaunt yet burned. George
had lost his remaining pump, and as
his stockings were now full of holes,
he had, in the last flicker of personal
pride, wound about them some cast
off cloths he had found. There was
not enough water for additions; there
was scarcely enough to assuage thirst.
By and by, Ryanne, without turning
his head, spoke to George. "You say
you questioned the courier?"
EYES,"
"He says he showed the note to no
one?"
Eyes"
"And so no one will try to find us? %
mo"
Ryanne had asked these questions
a dozen times and George had always
given the same answers.
Up and away at dawn, for they must
reach the well that night. It was a
terrible day for them all. Even the
beasts showed signs of distress. And
the worst Of 1t was, Mahomed was
not quite sure Of his route. Fortunate
ly, they found the we'll. They drank
like mad people.
Ryanne, who had discovered pack
Of cards in his pocket, played patience
upon a spot smoothed level with his
10 oh IN a
game; and the boys gathered round
him curiously. Whenever he succeed
ed in turning out the fifty-two cards,
he would smile and rub his hands to-
gether. The boys at length consid-
cred him unbalanced mentally, and in
consequence looked upon him as
lnear-holy man.
Between Fortune and George con-
versation dwindled down to query
and an answer.
"Can I do anything for you?"
mo, thanks; l am getting along
nicely"
Tonight she retired early, and
George joined Ryanne's audience.
ut averages about nine cards to the
play, uS COUnuSuIGu.
Ryanne turned over an ace. Ten or
fifteen minutes went by. In the sew
eral attempts he had failed to score
the full complement.
George laughed.
whats in your mind?" cried Ry-
anne peevishly. "If it's anything
worth telling, shoot it out, shoot it
out!"
II was thinking what I'd do to a
club-steak just about now"
Ryanne stared beyond the fire. GA
club-steak. Grilled mushrooms"
Sauce Bordelaise. Artichokes."
mo. Asparagus, vinaigrette."
Whats the matter with endives ?"
That's so. Well, asparagus with
butter-sauce."
"Grilled sweets, coffee, Benedictine,
and cigars"
"And a magnum of 1900 to start off
with" Ryanne, with sudden change
of mood, scooped up the cards and
flung them at Georges head. "Do you
want us both to become gibbering
idiots?"
George ducked. He and the boys
gathered in the fiuttering paste-boards.
you're right, Percival," Ryanne ad-
mitted humbly. cit will not hurt us
to talk out loud, and we are all brood
ing too much. am crazy for the want
of tobacco. I'd trade the best dinner
ever cooked for a decent cigar"
George put a hand reluctantly into
his pocket. He brought forth, with ex-
IRENE gentleness, cigar, the wrapper
OF which was broken in many places.
I've saved this for days." he said.
With his pen-knife he sawed it deli
cately into two parts, and gave one to
Ryanne
You're a good. fellow, Jones, and
I've turned you shabby trick.
shan't forget this bit of tobacco"
Its the last we've got. The boys.
you know, refuse pull at the water
pipe; defiles EN-, they say. Funny
beggars! And if they gave us tobacco,
we shouldn't have paper or pipes"
i always carry pipe, but l lost it
in the shuttle. / never looked upon
smoking as a bad habit. I suppose
- . OONo00O was n0VSI Cdu2QC before
without it. And it is a bad habit,
since it knocks up a chap this way
for the lack Of it. Where do you get
your club-steaks in old N. W"
And for an hour or more they SOL
emnly discussed the cooking here and
there upon the face Of the globe.
BY judicious inquiries George ascer-
tanned that the trip to Bagdad, barr
ing accidents, would take fully thirty
i've days. The daily journeys pro-
ceeded uneventfully. Mahomed main
tanned a taciturn grimness. If he
aimed at Ryanne at all, it was in
trifiing annoyances, such as forget
ting to give him his rations unless he
asked for them, or walking over the
cards spread out upon the sand.
Ryanne carried himself very we'll. Had
he been alone, he would have broken