The Mena weekly star., 1913-05-08
Copyright 1911 by Bobbs-Msrrill compan, Continued from last issue)
CHAPTER VIII.
The PurIoInsd Cable.

bled. of the just of the man who had nothing in particular to get up for In fact. after having drunk his breakfast cocoa and eaten his buttered toast. he evinced his satisfaction by turning his face away from the attracting morn. ing light and passing of into sleep again. And thereby hangs this tale. So much depended upon his getting his mail as 1t came in that morning, that Fate herself must have resisted sturdily the desire to shake him by the shoulder. Perhaps she would have done so but for the serenity of his pose and the infantile smile that lin. gered for while round his lips. Fate, as with most of us, has her sentiment. al lapses.
 The man next door, having no con. science to speak of (indeed, he had de. railed her while passing his twenti. eth meridianD was up betimes. He had turned in at four; at six he was strolling about the deserted lounging. room, watching the entrances. It is inconceivable how easily mail may be
 
 as many ways as points to the wind. Ryanne chose the simplest. He waited for the mailbag to be emptied upon the head-porter's counter. Nonchal- antly, but deftly, while the porter looked on, the adventurer ran through the bulk. He found three letters and a cable. the latter having been re- ceived by Georges bankers the day before and mailed directly to the ho- tel. The porter had no suspicion that a bold theft was being committed un- der his very eyes. Moreover, circum- stances prevented his ever learning of 1t. Ryanne stuffed the spells into pocket.
 If any one asks for me-" he said, "say that I shall be at my bankers, the Anglo-Egyptian bank, at 10 o'clock. Yes, sir" replied the porter, as he began to sort the rest of the mail, not forgetting to peruse the postals.
 Ryanne went out Into the street, walking rapidly into town. Mahomed- El-Gebel shook the folds of his cloak and followed. The adventurer did not slacken his gait till he reached Shep- heard's hotel. Upon the steps he paused. Some English troops were marching past, on the way to the rail- way station; the usual number of na- tives were patrolling the sidewalks. dangling strings of imitation scarabs; caravan of pack-camels, laden with cotton, shuffled by haughtily; a blind beggar sat on the curb in front, munching a piece of sugar cane Ryanne, assured that no one he knew was about, proceeded into the writing room, wholly deserted at this early hour.
 He sat down at desk and opened the cable. It contained exactly what he expected. It was call for ad- vice in regard to the rental of MT. George P. A. Jones' mansion in New York and the temporary disposing of the loose valuables. Ryanne read it over dozen times. with puckered brow, and finally balled 1t fiercely in his fist. Fool! He could not, at that moment. remember the most essen- tlal point in the game, the name and office of the agent to whom he must this very morning send reply. Hur- riedly he fished out the letters: one chance in a thousand. He swore, but in relief In the corner of one of the letters he saw that for some unknown reason the gods were still with him. Reynolds and Reynolds, estates. Broad hxxr reply on a piece of hotel paper. in- tending to copy it of at the cable office. This reply covered the ground convincingly. Renting for two months. Old friends. Leave things as they are. P A." The initials were a 'ittle stroke. From some source Ryanns has picked up the fact That Jones' businsss eorrsspondenos was conducted over thoss two initials, He tore up the sabls into small illegi. Die squares and dropped sons into ons basket and soms into another. Next he readdresssd 0sonss's mail to Lsir ng another stroke. meaning a delay or two or three months; from the head office of his bankers thers to raris. Paris to Naplss. Naples to New iork. That Ryanne did not open these letters was in nowiss due to moral suaaion; whatever they con tained could bs of 10 vital importancs to him.
 Now, Horace. we shall bend the crook of our elbow in the bArroom The reaction wArrauts . stimulant.-
 An hour later the whole affair wa nicely on his hands. The cable had eost him three sovsreigns. But what was thatf Nisuts. risn: nothing: mere bagatells. For. the first tims iI being
 IL was by now 2 o'clock, and Per SiVh Algsrnon still rspossd upon hil oed or ease. Let him sleep. Man, Ssys were to pass ere he would agair .now the comfort of linen sheets. ths 'uxury Of down under his ear.
 What to dof mused the rogue. Or sue morrow Mir. Jones would leave fo .o,t Said. Ryanne shook his hea' nu with his cane beat light tatto' asainst the side of his shin. Abduc uon was rather out of his sphere o rOuon. And ret, the suppression O aeroival was by all odds the most im po,'ant move to be made. He ha, a,, u,,iunteered this service and accom- pnsh It he must. in face of all obste ss, sas or poofl went the whole drol laDric. Far IA ht,,. q. = a..tt an.