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Ooorgo IVrclval Algernon Jonox, vice
president of tho Motroiolltan Orlont.il
Slug company of How York, thirsting for
romanco, Is In Cairo on a business trip.
Horace liyunno arrives at tho hotel In
Cairo with a carefully guarded btmdlo.
Dtyanne sella Jones tho famous holy Yhl
ordos rug whlrh ho admits having ntolcn
(from n panhu at Hagdad. Jones mooU
Major Calhthan and lator In Introduced to
(Fortuno Chedsoyo by a woman to whom
lio hod loaned ISO poundn at Monto Carlo
toomo months previously, and who turni
Sut lo bo Fortune's mother Joncn takes
Ira Chedsoyo and Fortuno to a polo
giunn, Kortuno returns to Jones tho
nonoy borrowed by her mother. Mr.
Chdilsoye appcurs to bo ongagod In some
mysterious cntcrprlxo unknown to tho
daughter.
CHAPTER VI. (Continued.)
Homo ono wnB sitting down besldo
him. It was Ryanno, In evening
clothes, Imnmculato, blase, pink
cheoked. Thoro nro Borao men so hap
pily framed thnt thoy can don ready
mndo Riilta without calling your atten
tion to tho fact. George saw at onco
,that tho adventurer wa3 ono of these
fortunnto individuals.
"Makon a rathor good picture to
look nt; eh?" begun Ilyannc, rolling
n flnke tobacco cigarette. "Danco?"
"No. Wlnh I could. You'vo dono
juick work," with admiring inspection.
"Not a flaw nnywhero. How do you
lo it?"
"Thanks Thanks to you, I might
fay. I did some tall hustling, though,
'fltrango. how wo lovo theso funeral
toggeries Wo follow tho danco and
wo follow tho dead, with novor a
variation in color. The man who In
vented tho modern ovonlng clothes
must havo dono good business during
tho day an chlof-mournor."
"Why don't you send for your lug
Bago?' Ilynnno caressed hlB chin. "My
luggago la, I bollovo, In tho hnnds of
tho enemy. It is of no great import
nnco. I never carry anything of value,
savo my akin, I'm not llko tho villain
In tho melodrama; no incriminating
documents, no lost wills, no directions
for digging up pirates' gold."
"I nupposo you'll boou bo off for
America?" George asked Indlrforontly.
"I nupposo so. Uy tho way, I saw
you at tho gamo today."
"No! Whore voro you?"
"Top row. I am going to apk a
favor of you. It may sound rather odd
to your earn, but I know thoso two
ladloa rathor woll. I kept out of tho,
way till I could find Homo clothos.
Tho favor I ask la "that you will not
loll them anything regarding tho cir
cumstances of our mooting. I am
Juiown to thorn as a globo-trotter and
i collector."
"That's too bad," said George con-
"And You Aren't
tritely. "But I havo already told
them."
"Tho doyll you havo I" nyanno drop,
por hl cigurotto luto tho ash-tray. "If
I roraembor rightly, you aaked me to
pay nothing,"
"I know," said Georgo, visibly om
barrasacd. "I forgot."
"Well, tho fat Is In tho flro. I daro
eay that I can get round It. It was
j laky. Women liko to talk, I expect
every hour to hoar of some ono ar
riving from Bagdad."
"There's, no boat from that direction
till noxt wook," Informed George, who
was a tickler ou tlmo-tnbloB.
, "Thoro nro other ways of getting
into Egypt. Know anything about
raclag-camcls?"
'jBIBWflWIJIIffllM
iHtHiHBcBHiBr ) A J ivfllKSSS?v&z9MHDIi1&H8l
Hi II m vWWJll -liMli
"You don't bollovo . . . ?"
"My friend, I bollovo In all things
that haven't been provod ImpoBslblo.
You'vo been knocking about hero long
enough to know something of tho
tenacity of ilia Arab and tho East In
dian. Given a Just causo, an ldol'B
eyo or n holy carpet, and they'll fol
low you round tho world ten times, If
need bo. I novcr worry neodlcssly,
but I lay out boforo mo all tho points
of tho gamo. Thero is pao man in Dag
dad who will novcr coaeo to think of
me. This follow 13 an Arab, Mahomed.
El-Gebol by name, tho real article,
proud and savago, Into whoso keeping
tho Holy Yhlordoif was given; Ma-homcd-El-Gebol,
tho Pasha's right
hand, a ahelk In his own right."
"Bui you haven't got the rug now."
"No-, Mr. Jones, I haen't; but on
tho other hand, you have. So, hero
wo nio togothor. When ho gets
through with me, your turn."
Georgo laughed. Rynnno grow
thoughtful over this sign. Pcrclval
Algernon did not scorn exactly wor
ried "Aren't you a Httlo afraid?"
"I? Why should I bo?" inquired
Georgo innocently. "Certainly, what-
ovor your Arab friend's arguments
may be, moral or physical, I'm going
to keep that Yhlordes."
WaB ho bluffing? Hynnno wondered.
Did ho really havo nerve? Woll,
within forty-eight hours thero would
come n lest.
"Say, do you know, I rather wish
you'd been with mo on that trip that
Is, if you llko a rough game." Ryanno
said this In all sincerity.
"I havo never been In a rough game,
as you call it; but 1'vo often had a
strong desire to bo, Just to find out for
myself what sort of a duffer I am."
Hyanne hnd met this sort of man be
fore; tho follow who wanted to know
what stuff ho was mado of, and was
ready to risk his hldo to find out. His
oxpertonco had taught him to expect
nothing of tho man1 who know Just
what ho was going to do in a crisis.
"Did you evor know, Mr. Jones,"
snld Hyanne, his eyes humorous, "that
thero Is an organization In this world
of ours, a company that offers a try
out to men of your kidney?"
"What's that? What do you mean?"
"What I say. Thero Is an established
concern which will, upon application
for a liberal purchaso of stock, nr
rarigo any kind of adventure you
wish." -
"What?" Goorgo drew lu hia legs
and Bat up. "What sort of a Jolly is
this?"
"You put your finger upon tho ono
great obstacle. No ono will believe
that such a concern exists. Yet It 1b
a fact. And why not?"
Afraid to Admit It?"
"necauso it wouldn't bo real; It
Would bo going to the moon a la
Coney Island."
"Wrong, absolutely wrong. If I
told you that I nm a stockholder in
this company, and that tho adventuro
of tho Yhlordes rug was arranged for
my special benefit, whnt would you
say?"
"Say?" GeorCO turned n nnrlr.ua
countenanco toward tho adventuror,
"Why, tho wholo thing is absurd on
tho rnco of it. Ab n Joko, it might go;
but as -a genuine affair, utterly impos
sible," "No," quietly. 'i admit that it
eounda absurd, yes; but ton years ago
they'd havo locked up, as insauo, a
man who said that he could fly. But
Avrfhor of HEARTS AND .MASKS
CJfe Tm ON THE BOX ctcs.
Illustrations by iyl.O.KErTBR - . .
'wni jyu ty dubub - vERRILL COMPANY
think of last summer at "Paris, at
llhelins, at Frankfort f tho Continental
air was full of Ilylng-machlnes. Bah!
It's pretty difficult to Impress the av
erage mind with something now. Why
shouldn't wo cator to tho pdetlc, tho
romantic side of mnu? We'vo con
cerns for everything clso. The fact
is, mediocrity ia always standing bo
hind tho comer with brickbats for
the Initiative. Bollovo mo or not, Mr.
Jonoa, but this company exists. Tho
proof 1b that you havo the rug and I
have tho scars."
"But in theso prosaic times!" mur
mured Georgo, still skeptical.
"Prosaic times!" sniffed Rynnne.
"Thoro's ono of oUr brickbats. They
swung It at the head of the first print-
or. Prosaic times! My friend, this
la tho most romantic and bewildering
ago humanity has yet Been. There's
moro ronlanco and adventure going
about on wheels and steel-bottoms
than ever there was in tho days of
Drake and tho Spanish galleona.
There's an adventuro lurking round tho
neareat coiner romance, too. What
thl8 organization does is to direct you;
after that you have to shift for your
self. But, like a llrst-rato physical in
stiuctor, thoy never map out moro
than a man can do. They gavo mo
tho rug. Your bones, on auch a quest,
would have been bleaching upon tho
banks of tho Tigris."
"What tho deuco is this company
called?" George was enjoying tho con
versation Immensely.
"Tho United Romance and Adven
ture company, Ltd., of London, Paris,
and Now York."
"Havo you any of tho company's
paper with you?" Georgo repressed
hia laughter because Ryanne's face
was serious enough.
"Unfortunately, no. But If you will
give mo your banker's address I'll bo
pleased to forward you tho prospec
tus." "Knauth, Nachod and Kuhno. I
nm shortly leaving for homo. Better
solid It to Now York. I say, suppose
n chap buys an adventuro that ia not
up to tho mark; can bo return It, or
exchange it for nnother?"
"No. It's all chance, you know.
The rules of tho gamo are steel
bound. We find you an adventure;
It's up to you to make good."
"But, onco moro suppose a chap gets
a littlo too rough a game, and doesn't
turn up for his dividends; what then?"
"In that ovent," answered Rynnno
sadly, "tho stock reverts to tho gen
oral fund."
Georgo lay back in his chair and let
go his laughter. "You aro mighty
good company, Mr. nyanne."
"Well, well; wo'll say nothing moro
about It. But a moment gono you
spoko as if you were gamo for an ex
ploit." "I still am. But if I know tho ad
venturo wnB prearranged, as you say,
and I was up against a wall, thero
would bo tho Inclination to cable tho
firm for moro Instructions."
Ryanno himsolf laughed this time.
"That's a good idea. I don't bollovo
tho company oveT thought of such a
contingency. But I repeat, our bual
nosB la to givo you tho kick-off. After
thnt you havo to fight for your own
downs."
"Tho stock Isn't listed?" again
laughing.
"Scarcely, Ono man tcjls another,
as I tell you, and bo on."
"You send mo tho prospectus. I'm
rather cuilous to havo a look at It."
"I cortalnly shnll do so," replied
Rynnno, with grnvlty unassumed.
"Ah I Horo como Mrs. Chedfloyo and
her daughter. If you don't mind, I'll
mako myself scarce. I do not caro
to boo them Just now, after your hav
ing told thorn about tho stolon
Yhlordes."
"I'm Borry," said Georgo, rising
cagorly.
"It's all In tho game," gallantly.
Georgo saw him gracofully ma
neuver his way round tho crush to
ward tho utalrs loading to tho bar.
Really, ho would llko to know moro
about this nmlablo frco-lanco. As tho
old follows used to say, ho Uttlo
dreamed that doatlny, ono of thoso
things from Pnndora's box, was pre
paring a deeper and moro lntlmato
ncqualutnuco.
. "And what haa been amusing you,
Mr. Jones?" aaked Mrs. Chedsoyo. "I
saw you laughing."
"1 wnB talking with tho rug chnp.
He's a droll follow. Ho said that ho
had mot you Eomowhero, but con
cluded not to renow tho acquaintance,
since I told him that his adventuro in
part was known to you."
"That 1b yoollsh. I rathor enjoy
mooting men of IiIb stamp, Don't you,
Fortuno?"
"Sometimes," with a dry Uttlo
smllo. "I bollovo wo havo met him,
mother. Thero was something fa
miliar about his head. Of courso, wo
saw him only from n distance."
"I do not think thoro is any real
harm In him," said Georgo. "What
mado mo luugh was a singular propo
sition ho set before mo. Ho snld ho
owned stock In a concern called 'Tho
United Romnnco and; Adventuro com
pany;' and that for a specified sum of
money, one could havo any adventuro
ono pleased."
"Did you ever hear of such a
thing?" cried tho mother merrily. For
tuno searched her face keenly. "Tho
United Romanco rtnd Adventure Com
pany! Ho must havo beon Joking
What did jou say his name Is?"
"Ryanno. Joking is my idea exact
ly," Georgo agreed. "The scheme is
to plungo tho stockholder into a real
live adventure, and then let him pull
himself out the best way ho. can.
Sounds good. Ho added that this rug
business was an Instance of the suc
cess of tho concern. There goes the.
music. Do you dance, Miss Ched
soye?" "A little." Fortuno was preoccu
pied. Sho was wondering whnt lay
behind Mr. Ryanno's amiable Jest.
"Go along, both of you," said Mrs.
Chcdsoyo. "I nm too old to dance. I
prefer watching people." She sat
down and arranged herself comfort
ably. Sho was always arranging her
self comfortably; It was ono of tho se
crets of her perennial youth. She
was very lovely, but George had eyes
for tho daughter only. Mm. Ched
soyo saw this, but was not In the least
chagrined.
"It Is bo many years slnceTlrlpped
tho light fantastic toe," Georgo con
fessed, reluctantly and nervously, now
thnt he had bravely committed him
self. "It Is quite possible that the
accent will bo primarily upon tho
trip."
"Perhaps, then," replied tho girl,
who truthfully was out of tuno, "per
haps I had hotter get my wraps and
we'll go outside. Tho night is glori
ous." Sho couldn't have suggested any
thing moro to his liking. And so,
after a littlo hurrying nbout, tho two
young people went outside and began
to promenade slowly up and down the
mole. Their conversation was desul
tory. George had dropped back into
his eholl and tho girl was not equal
to the task of drawing him out.
Onco ho stumbled over a sleeping
beggar, and would havo fallen had she
not caught him by tho arm.
"Thanks. I'm clumay."
"It'B rather difficult to Bee them In
tho moonlight; their rags match the
pavements."
The Egyptian night, that sapphlrlne
darkness which tho flexible Imagina
tion peoples with lovely and terrlblo
shades.-or floods with mystery and ro
mnnco and wonder, lay softly upon
this strip of verdure aslant the des
ert's face, the Valley of tho Nile. The
moon, round, brilliant, strnngely noarr
suffused tho scaired old visage of tho
world with phantom Bilver; tho stones
of the parapet glowed dully, the pave
ment glistened whltoly, all things it
touched with gentleness, lavishing
beauty upon beauty, mollowing ugll
ness or effacing It. Tho deep blue
Nile, borlbboned' with the glancing
lights from tho silent feluccas, curling
musically along, tho sides of tho frost
like dahabeahs and steamers, rolled
on to tho sea; and tho bluc-whlto
nrc-lampa, spanning tho Great Nile
bridge, took th,o semblance of a pearl
necklace. From time to tlmo a cara
van trooped across tho bridge into
Cairo.
"Do you caro for poetry, Mr. Jones?"
"I? I used to write it."
"And you aren't afraid to admit It?"
"Well, I shouldn't confess tho deed
to every one," ho answered frankly.
"Wo nil write poetry nt ono timo or
another; but It's generally not con8ti
tutlonnl, and wo recover."
"I do not 8oo why nny ono should bo
ashamed of writing poetry."
"Ah, but thero la pootry and pootry.
My kind and Byron's Is born, of kin
dred soula; but ho was an nctlvo
genius, whereas, I wasn't oven a pas
sive ono. In all great poets I find my
own rejected thoughts, as Emerson
says; and that's enough for my Blon
der needs. Poets aro rather uncom
fortablo chaps to havo round. Thoy
aro capricious, Irritable, temperament
al, BotflBh, and usually demand all tho
attention."
Tho Httlo vocal stream died up
again, and onco more thoy listened to
tho magic sounds of tho night. She
stopped abruptly to look ovor tho para
pot, and hia shoulder met hers; aftor
that tho world to him was never go
ing to bo the samo again.
Moonlight and pootry; not the
safest chnnnela to sail uncharted. Tho
girl was lonely, aud Georgo was lone
ly, too. Hia longing hnd now assumed
n definite form; hers moved from this
to that, still indefinitely. Tho quick
ness with which this definition had
como to Georgo rathor startlod him.
Ills first Bight of Fortuno Chodsoyo
hnd been but yostorday; yet, hero ho
was, not desperately but consciously
In lovo with her. Tho situation boro
ngaiiiBt alt precepts; It ripped up his
preconceived Ideas of romanco as a
galo at sea shreds a canvas. Ho folt
a bit panicky. Ho had always planned
a courtship of a year or ao, meetings,
separations, and romootlngs, pleasur
ablo expectations, Httlo Junkots to tho
nters and country places; In brief, to
wltnosB tho roso grow and unfold.
Somewhero ho had read or hoard that
courtship was tho plummet- which
sounded tho depths of compatibility.
Ho know nothing of Fortuno Ched
soje, snvo that sho was beautiful to
his eyes, and that sho waB as different
from tho ordinary run of girls as yon
der moon was from tho stars.
Again sho stopped, leaning over the
pnrnpet and staring down at tho wa
ter swirling past tho stono ombank-
ment. Ho did Hkowlso, rosting upon
his folded arms. Suddenly his tongue
became alive; and quietly, without
hesitancy or embarrassment, ho began
to tell her ot his school life, his life
nt homo. And tho manner In which
ho sroko of hia mother warmed her;
and sho waa strangely and wonder
Ingly attracted.
"Of courso, tho mother meant tho
best In tho world when sho gavo mo
Perclval Algernon; and because sho
meant the best, I havo rarely tried to
hide them. What was good enough for
hor to give -was good enough for mo
to keep. It Is simply that I have been
foolish about It, supersensitive. I
should havo laughed and accepted the
thing as n Joke; instead, I mado tho
fatal movo of trying to run away nnd
hide. But, taking tho name In full,"
lightly, "It sounds as incongruous as
playing Traumerei on a steanvplnno."
Ho expected her to laugh, but hor
heart waa too full of tho old ache.
This young man, kindly, gentle, Intel
Hgont, If shy, waa a love-child. And
she? An offspring, the loneliest of
tho lonely, the child that wasn't want
ed. Many a timo she had thoucht nf
flinging all to the winds, of running
away and hiding whero they never
should find hor, of working with her
own hands for her brend and butter.
Littlo they'd have cared. But always
the rebel spirit died within her as sho
stepped outsido tho villa gates. To
leave behind for unknown privations
certain assured comforts, things of
which she was fond, things to which
she was used, sho couldn't do It, she
Just couldn't. Morally and physically
she was a littlo coward.
"Let us go In," sho said sharply.
Another moment, and she would have
been in tears.
CHAPTER VII.
-
Ryanno Tables Hia Cards.
During this timo Mrs. Chedsoye, the
major, MeBsra. Ryanno and Wallace,
"It's the Excitement of Getting It
offlcors and directors in tho United
Romnnco nnd Adventuro Company,
Ltd,, sat In tho major's room, round
tho boudolr-stand which had tempo
rarily been glvou the dignity ol a
table. The scene would not havo been
without Interest either to tho siecula
tlvo physiognomist or to tho dtnmnt
lat. To each It would havo represent
ed ono of those astonishing moments
when tho soul of a person cornea out
Into the open, as ono might expresa It,
Incautiously, to bo revealed In tho ox
preDlon8 of tho oyeB and tho mouth
Those four persons were nbout going
forwnrd upon a singularly doaporato
and unusual enterprise. From now on
they were no longer to fence with ono
nnother, to shift from this topic to
that, with tho Indirect maneuvers of
n house-cat lutent upon tho quest of
tho Friday mackerel. Tho woman's
faco was allvo with cagorncss; tho
oldest man looked from ono to tho
other with enrncst calculation; Wal
lace no longer hid his cupidity;
Ryanno's Immobility of countenanco
was in itself a tacit admission to tho
burning of all his bridges ,JJmt ho
might becomo a part of this conclavo.
"Smuggling," said tho mnjor, with
prudent lowering of voice, evidently,
continuing some previous debate,
"amuggling Is a flno art, a kscn spott
ing proposition; and tho consequences
of discovery aro never serloUs. What's
a flno of a thousand dollars ngalnst
tho profits of many successful excur
sions into tho port of New York?
Nothing, comparatively. For several
years, now, wo have carried on this
business with tho utm.ost adroitness.
Never have wo drawn serious atten
tion. Wo havo mado two or three
blunders, but the suspicions of the secret-service
wero put to sleep upon
each occasion. Wo have prospered.
Here is a gem, let us say, worth on
this sldo a thousand; ovor thero wo
sell it for enough to give us a clean
profit of threo or four hundred. Forty
per cent, upon our Investment. That
ought to bo enough for any reasonable
person. Am I right?"
Mrs. bhedsoyo nlono was unrespon
sive to this appeal.
"I continue, then. We aro making
enough to lay by something, for our
old age. And that's tho only goal
which never loses its luster. Bul
this affair!"
Talk, talk," said Mrs. Chedsoyo Im
patiently.
"My dear Kate, allow me to relieve
my mind."
"You have done so till tho topic la
threadbare. It Is rather lato In the
day to go over tho ground again.
Time Is everything Just now."
"Admitted. But this affair, Kate, is
big; big with dangers, big with pit- '
falls; there Is a hidden menace in ev
ery step of it. Mayhap death; who
knows? The older I grow, th5 moro I
cling to material comforts, to enter
prises of small dangers. Howovcr, as
you infer, thero's no going back now."
"No," assented Ryanno, his mouth
hard; "not If I havo to proceed alone."
Sho smiled nt him. "You talk of
danger," speaking to the major. "What
danger can thero bo?"
"The unforeseen danger, tho danger
of which we know nothing, nnd there-
and Coming Away Unscathed."
fore aro unable to proparo for It. You
do not see It, my dear, but It la there,
nevertheless."
Wallace nodded approvingly. Ry
anno shrugged.
"Falluro ta practically Impossible.
Aud I want excitement; I crave It as
ou men crave your tobacco."
"And there we are, Kate. It really
lau't tho gold; It's tho excitement of
gottlng It and coming nwny unscathed.
If I could only get you to look at all
sides of the affair! It's tho Rubicon "
(TO IltJ CONTINUED.)
"0A.4
V
