Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1913-02-07

pACSV VI SCNito vi NdulOn. oOLuO
houses, with their treasures. look like
museums, but this one did not. Tho
owner had not gone mad over one
subject; here was sane and prudent
collector. The great yellow Chinese
carpet represented fortune: she
knew enough about carpets to realize
this fact. Ivorles, jades. lapis-lazuli,
the precious woods, priceless French
and Japanese tapestries. some fine
paintings and bronzes; the rooms
were full OF unspoken romance and
adventure: echoed with war and trag-
edy, too. And Fortune might hszq
married man like this one. A pos
sibility occurred to her, and the ghost
of smile moderated the interest in
her face. They might be, upon tho
desert for weeks. Who knew what
might not happen to two such romano
tic simpletons?
The butler and the first man (who
was also the cook were impeccable
types Of servants; so thought Reyn-
olds. They moved silently and an
ticipated each want. Reynolds deter
mined that very afternoon to drop a
line to Jones and compliment him
upon his good taste in the selection
of his friends. A subsequent press Of
office work, however drove the deter
mination out OF his mind.
The instant his car carried him out
Of sight, a strange scene was enacted.
The butler and the first man seized
the Major by the arms, and the three
executed a pas-seul. Mrs Chedsoye
eyed these manifestations OF Joy ston-
lily.
Now then, what's been done?"
asked the Major. pulling down his
cuffs and shaking the wrinkles from
his sleeves.
Half done!" cried the butler.
Where's that wall-safe?" the Major
wanted to know.
Behind that sketch by Detaille."
And the butler, strange to say. pro-
nounced 1t Deti.
Can you open it?"
Tried. but failed. Wallace In the
man for that"
He'll be along in an hour or So
Where's Ryanne?"
Don't know; don't care" The Ma
jor sketched the predicament OF their
fellow-conspirator.
The butler whistled, but callously.
One more or less didn't matter N such
an enterprise.
When Wallace arrived he applied
his talent and acquired science to the
wallsafe, and finally swung outward
the little steel door. The Major
pushed him aside and thrust a hand
into the metaled cavity, drawing out
an exquisite Indian casket Of rose
wood and mother-of-pearl. He opened
the lid and dipped hand within Em-
eralds, deep and light and shaded, cut
and uncut and engraved, flawed and
| almost perfect. He raised handful
and let them tinkle back into the
casket. One hundred in all. beauties.
every one of them, and many famous.
And while he toyed with them.
pleased as a child would have been
over a handful Of marbles, Mrs. Ched.
soye spread out the ancient Yhiordes
! in the library. She stood upon the
central pattern, musing. Her mood
was not one which she had called into
being; not often did she become ret
rospective; the past to her was al.
ways like a page in book, once fin-
ished. turned down. Her elbow in
one palm, her chin in the other. she
stared without seeing. 1t was this
house, this home, 1t was each sign Of
riches without luxury or ostentation.
where money expressed itself by taste
and simplicity; a home such as shA
had always wanted. And why, with
all her beauty and intellect. why had
she not come into possessionf She
knew. Love that gives had never
been hers; hers had been the lows
that receives. self-love. She had bar
tered her body once for riches and
had been fooled. and she never could
do 1t again. And the child
was overlooking with the love that
| gives.
The furry Of snow outside in the
court she saw not. Her fancy re-
formed the pretty garden at Mentone.
inclosed by pink-washed walls. Many
a morning from her window she had
watched Fortune among the flowers,
| going from one to the other, like q
bee or butterfly. She had watched
her grow, too, with that same detach-
ment a machinist feels as he puts to.
gether the invention OF another man.
| Would she ever see her again? Her
shoulders moved ever SO little. Prob
ably not. She had blundered wilfully.
| She should have waited, thrown the
two together, Unanswered. And she
had permitted this adventure to OBJ.
sess her! She might have stood with.
in this house by right OF law, mother
hood. marriage. Ryanne was in love
with Fortune, and Jones by this time
might be. The desert was . terribly
lonely place.
She wished 1t might be Jones. And
Immediately retrospection died away
from her gaze and actualities re
sumed their functions. The wish wal
not without phase of humor. formed