Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-11-28

WAS "i'nou' EHSilSn. he would be
worth no more than his board. Ras
his deerlike eyes full Of gratitude
yearned to be shown work.
Nobody else ever learned the Ism.
guage as fast as Ras Goora. "rhese
people, l have often heard" explained
"wei. have positive genius for
tongues. Nevertheless she took n
mighty pride in Ras's accomplishment
Tor he was her pupil. A dozen times
day he was at her door receiving
tips-tips on English, that is. In three
months he was talking like a phono-
graph record.
Naturally. Ras explained everything
TO his benefactress. He was an altru-
ISL VINO lived for others. That's why
ne was In America. Himself. he
would so many thousand times prefer
TO stay in his own beautiful. dreamy
syria. amid the olive trees and orange
blossoms. than to go forth among so
many many strangers. But his pco-
pie-ah, the Eoor, poor people!
Such long time oppressed by the
wicked Turks. For them he had come
to America. They had no schools. He
had come to beg money from the rich,
generous Americans for u great chill
dren's school at Beirut.
10 cut 1t short, Gwen possessed
eight thousand dollars, an auntly
legacy. And the supreme court itself
couldn't have convinced her that the
book she wss writing would fail to
bring in other thousands shortly.
She was actually OH the point Of
signing a check for four OF the eight
thousands. to be handed over to Ras
Goora rs the/nucleuS Of the Gwendo-
line Ciphers school, in far off Beirut.
when:
Sam Cody. the busiest man I'm In
oianapolis founder madeline to
drop in to call on Miss Ciphers. Sam
was all business. He had been every
"here and made money everywhere he
went.
But he had leisure enough to keenly
desire to make Gwen Ciphers Mrs.
Cody. He jeered Mt her literary aspi-
ratiQns and her Wanted capacity for
making her own life" Consequently
Gwen resented him while she secretly
adorcd him.
He arrived at Miss Ciphers combi.
nation living room about thirty Sec
onds ahead Of Ras Goora, the moment
or whose coup was ripe. He was shak-
Ing hands with Gwen still-that is, he
was holding one-when Ras tapped
discrcetly at the door. Gwen, all smiles
OF triumph over her Beirut enterprise,
invited Ras In. Then she proceeded
TO tell Sam all about what she and
Ras were going to do for the Beirut
lnrantS. When she turned to beam on
haS She was amazed to find him, all
atremble, staring at Sam as il at a
ghost. AT the same instant Sam got to
the door first. He grabbed Ras by the
collar, spoke rudely to him for about
ten seconds. opened the door. chucked
MIN through 1t and said Scat" Ras
took the stairs In three downward
jumps yanked the front door open and
disappeared.
San had been an export agent in
Caira six years before. He bought
owes md licorice and goats hair and
other things and shipped them to
America to people he represented.
He made pack Of money, but not
SO much that he felt like being robbed.
SO when lie found Ras Goora, his Of
nee boy, whom he had hired because
he could speak English, making a wax
Impression of the key to his petty cash
drawer he kicked him into the road, to
learn subsequently that as an all
around larceaist Ras was Caifra's only
rival to his own father, who, 1t was
known. had robbed the poor box Mt the
Missionaries chapel on the day of his
own Conversion"
Listen, Gwen" said Sam, after Ras
had scurried away. you're about as
TT to buck against the snides and
grafters and fOur-flushers as you were
when you were two-and-a half. like
you that way. I don't want you to
get too blamed cynical. You will, II
you stay here and meet a little million
more Of Rases. Tell you something.
went to see that Simms person-your
publisher-and I made him admit that
he wouldn't publish your book on his
own hook In million years; is only
taking it for his percentage on what II
costs you. You're coming out to In
dianapolis with me and be Mrs. Sam
Cody. Sam, he'll be the business agent
between you and the world-see?"
And Gwen saw--at last. So she
went.