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As tho Caravan Wai Passing Sho Screamed.
IS I
SYNOPSIS.
Gcorgo 1'orclval Algernon .tones, vlco
prenldent of tho Metropolitan Oriental
Hug company of Now Yorlt, IhlrRtlnK for
ronmnco, la In Calio on a bUHlncxn trip.
Mornco Ilyanno arrive at the hold In
Cnlro wltli n cnrefully nunrded bumlle.
Ryanno Belts Jonra the funiona holy Yhl
orden ruK which ho adrntU lmlnK stolon
from n Diulia nt Ducilad Jonon mcot.i
Mnjur Crtllulmn nml later Is Introduced to J
jKoriuno utieusoyo uy a woman lo wnom
ho lir.d lonnod 100 poundu ut Mnntu Carlo
noma month iircvlouuly. nml who turim
out to bo Kortunu'H mother Jones takes
Mrn ChcilHoyo ami I'ortuuo to a polo
Karno Pottuno returns to Jonra tho
money borrowed by hor mother. Mrs
ChndHoyo uppearu to oiikukimI In Homo
myaiorloua enterprlao unknown to tho
daughter llyunua IntercHtn Jones In tho
United Itomuncn and Advciitnrn roui
Vany, a concern which for a pi Ice will
arnuw any kind of an ndventuro to or
der, Mrs Chedsoyo, her brothi'i, Major
Callahan, Wallace anil Uyanno, an the
United Homunco and Advuntuio company
plan a riaky oiitornrmu lnolwnu Ji
lnoIliiK Jones
ityanno maki
Hyunno iiiuIcph known to
Mrs ChedHojo
hla Intention Ho marry fortune Mis
Chedboyo declares alio will not peimlt It
Plani aro lnld to prevent .Iohom aallllut
for homo Hyanno steals Jones' letters
and catilo Ulapatuhen He wins ai;ent In
Now York, In Joiich' name, that ho Is
renting house in Nuw York to soma
trlundx Mahomed, keener of tho holy
carpet, la on Uyunne'H trail Itynnne
SronilHcs fortune, that ho will see that
ouch comes to no harm as a result or his
purchuau of tho rtiR. Mahomed iHcosti
Hyanno and demands tho Y Monies rut;
Hyirmo tells htm Jonen hux the rui; and
siirfgCHtH tho abduction of the New York
niorclmnt as a means of neturluK Its re
turn. Tho rujf disappears from Jono.V
room, fortune cpiarrcls with her mother
whon tha latter rcfimes to xplaln her
tiiyHtorlouH actions, Kortilnti kb(h u mea
naKO ptirportliiK to bo from ltnnne aiJt
itiiff hot- to meet him In a scelnded place
ituat evofiiuif jonea roeeni'i a imchdhko
Jonea recohei a ineHsiiKO
rmKliiK mm (o meet Hyanno at tho lJncllsli-
"Bar tho aamo ovcnlnK Jonea la can led
oft Into tlui desert by Mithomod and his
accomplice after a deapernto light lie
discovers that Hyanno and fortune also
ro captives, tho formcrjs badly battel ed
and unconscious, nyanno recovers con
actouaneaa and tho sight nt I'm tune In
captivity reveals to him tho fact thut
Mahomed Intends to get ciiKcnnro on
him IhroiiRh tho ulrl foitunn ackuowl
Oltfes that Hhn atole tho rnir fiom Jonea'
room BHo offora to return It to Mahomed
If ho will freo nil three of them Mu
tiomml agreert to liberate V ortuno and one
-of tho men In return for tho rut; A four
lcr Is sent to Cairo for tho iuk. but ie
turns with tho Information that Mrs
Chodsoyo and hor brother have Balled for
New Yorlt fortuno npnms offered freo
dom which docs not Includo her two com
panions, -CHAPTER XV. (Continued.)
Whon camp was mndo that night
It found tho captives untalkatlvo Tho
girl and tho two men sat moodily
about tho flro. fntlguo hud (lulled
their bodies and hopelessness tliolr
minds. Tho men weto ragged now,
unkempt; n stubblo of licunl coNeicd
their faces, gaunt yot burned. Gcorgo
had lost his remaining pump, nml us
his stockings woro now full of holes,
ho hud, In tho last flicker of peisonal
pride, wound about thorn some cast
off cloths ho had found Tlicro wub
not enough water for ablutions; I ho re
was scarcely enough lo ussuage thirst
Hy and by, Itynnne, without turning
"his head, spoko to Georgo. "You say
you questioned tho com lor?"
"YeH."
"lie says ho showed (ho nolo to no
one?"
"Yes."
"And so no ono will try to And us?"
""No."
Ryanno had asked thoso questions
a dozen times and Georgo had always
ftvon tho samo answers
Up and away at dawn, for thuy must
reach tho well that night, It was n
terrlblo day for them all. 13ven tho
beasts showed signs of dtsticss. And
tho worst of It was, Mahomed was
not quite sure of his route. Fortunate
ly, they found tho well. They drank
like mad people.
Hyanno, who had dlscoverod a pack
of cards In his pockot, played pnttence
upon a spot smoothed level with his
hnnd. Ho became absorbed In tho
game? and tho boys gathbred round
him cuilously. Whenovor ho succeed
ed In turning out tho flfty-two cards,
ho would smllo and rub his hands to
gether. Tho boys at 'length consld
oicd him unbulnncod mentally, and In
consequence looked upon him as a
nenr-holy man.
Hetwecn fortuno and Georgo con
versation dwindled down to a query
nnd an answer.
"Can I do anything for you?"
"No, thanks; I nm getting along
nicely."
To-night sho retired early, and
George Joined Ityunno's audience.
' II ncrnt;oB about nlno enrds lo the
play," he commented.
Itynnne turned over an ace. Ton or
llfteen minutes went by. In tho sev
cml attempts ho had failed to score
the full complement.
George laughed.
"What's In your mind?" cried Ity
nnne peevishly. "If it's anything
worth telling, shoot It out, slfoot it
out!"
"I was thinking what I'd do to a
club-sleuk Just about now."
Ilyanno stared beyond tho Are. "A
club-steak. Grilled mushrooms."
"Snuco llordelalse. Artichokes."
"No. Asparagus, vinaigrette."
"What's tho matter with endives?"
"That's so. Well, asparagus with
butter-sauce."
"Grilled sweets, coffee, Ilencdlctlne,
nnd cigars."
"And a magnum of '1900 to stnrt off
with!" Rynnne, with n sudden change
of mood, scooped up tho cards and
Hung them nt Georgo's head. "Do you
want us both to become gibbering
idiots?"
Guorgo ducked. Ho nnd tho boyB
gathpted In tho fluttering pasto-boarcls.
"You'te right, I'orclval," Hyanno ad
mitted humbly. "It will not hurt us
to talk nut loud, and wo uro nil brood
ing too much. I nm crazy for tho wnnt
of tobacco. I'd trado tho bcHt dinner
eer cooked for a decent cigar"
Georgo put a hand leluctantly Into
his pocket He brought forth, with ex.
tremo gentleness, a clgnr, tho wrapper
of which was broken In many places
"I' baved this for days," hu snld.
With his penknife ho sawed it deli
cately Into two parts, nnd gavo ono to
Hjnnnc.
"You're a good fellow, Jones, and
1'vo turned you a shabby trick. I
shnn't forget this bit of tobacco."
"It's tho hBt wo'vo got. Tho boyB,
you know, refuso a pull at tho water
plpo; detUes 'cm, thoy say. funny
beggars! And If they gave ua tobacco,
we shouldn't have paper or pipes "
"I always carry a pipe, but I IobI it
In tho shulllo. I never looked upon
smoking us a bnd habit, I suppose
It's bccniso I was uover caught bnforo
without It. And It Is a bad habit,
slnco It knocks up a chap this way
Tor tho lack of It. Where do you get
your club steaks In old N. Y.?"
And for an hour or moro they sol
emnly discussed the cooking hero und
there upon tho face of tho globe.
kx HiRQLD
AKor of HEARTS AND ASK$
Ch rM ON
lllusfraliorvs by jrV.G.KErrxsneR-
COPYRIGHT igil by BOBB3 - MERRILL COMPANY
Hy JudlcioiiH ImiulrloB GeoiKO nscer
tnlnrd Hint the trip to Uagdad, burr
ing accldontfl, would take fully thirty
flvo days. The dally Journeys ro
reeded uncvontfully. Mahomed main
tained a taciturn Rrlmncss. If ho
aimed at Itynnne at nil, It wns In
trifling nnnojanceB, such as foiget
ting to give him his rntlons tmlesH ho
asked for them, or wnlklug over the
cards spread out upon tho sand.
Ihiiiio carried himself ery yc. Had
ho been alone, he would lme bioken
loose agnlnat Mahomed; but he
thought of the others, and restrained
himself some consideration wns due
them.
Hut Info the blood of tho two men
them crept a petty Irritability They
answered one another sharply, and
often did not epenk Fortune alone
seemed mild and gentle. Mahomed,
filnro that litclit Kh" linil hrntptl him.
- - ,3 " .
J let her go and come as she pleased,
nor once disturbed her. Had she
shown weakness when most sho need
d courage, Mahomed might not havo
altered his plans. Admiration of cour
age Is Inherent In all people So,
without nppieclatlng It, that moment
had been a precious one, saving them
all much unpleasantness.
By tho twentieth day, the caravan
was far Into tho Arnblnn desert, nnd
onrly In tho afternoon, they came up
on a beautiful oasis, nestling like an
emerald In a plnquo of gold. So many
days had passed since tho beloved
green of growing things had soothed
their Inflamed eyes, that tho sight of
this haven cheeied them all mightily.
Onco under the shade of the palms,
the trio picked up heart, fortune sang
n little, George told a funny story, and
Hyanue wanted to know If they
wouldn't tnke a hand nt euchre. In
deed, thnt onsls was the turning-point
of tho crisis. Another week upon tho
dieary, profitless sands, nnd their spir
its would have gone under completely.
This oasis was closo to the regular
cnmel-wny, there being n larger oasis
some twenty-odd miles to the north.
Hut Mahomed fclsnfo at this distance,
and decided to freshen up tho caravan
by n tw o days' rest.
George Immediately began to show
fortune little attentions. He flxed her
snddle-bngs, sprend out her blanket,
brought her sortie rlpo dates of his
own picking, inslbted upon going to
tho well nnd drawing the water she
was to dilnk. And oh! how sweet nnd
cool that wnter was, after tho gritty
flat liquid they had been drinking!
Just beroro sundown, he and Fortuno
set out upon a 6jnge of discovery;
and Rynnne paused In his game of pa
tlonco to wntch them. There was
more self abnegation tbnn bitterness
in his eyes. Why not? If Tortune re
turned to her mother, sooner or later
tho thunderbolt would fnll. far better
that sho should fall In love with Jones
than to go back to the overhanging
shadow. A smllo lifted the corners of
his lips, a sad tmlle. Perclvnl didn't
look tho pnrt of a hero. His coat was
variously split under tho arms and
across tho shouldcis; his trousers
were ragged, nnd ho walked In his
cloth pads like a man who bnd gout
in both feet. A beard covered his
face, nnd tho bare spots were blistered
and peeling. Hut there was youth In
I'erclval's eyes and youth In his henrt,
und suroly the outh In hers must
somo day respond. Sho would know
this young rann; sho would know that
adversity could not crush him; that
tho promise of safety could not mnko
a cowaid of him; that ho was loyal
nnd bravo and honest. Sho would
know In twenty days what it takes the
averago woman twenty years to learn,
the manner of man who professed to
lovo her. Hyanno left tho game unfin
ished, stretched himself upon tho
ground. Oh, tho bitter cup, tho bitter
cup!
Hound tho flro that night, the camel
boys got out their tom-toms and reeds,
nnd tho eerlo music affected tho whlto
people hauutlngly nnd mystcilously.
for thousands of yeurs, the high and
low notes of tho drums (hollow earthen-jars
or largo gourds covered with
goatskin nt one end) and the thin, me
tallic wnll of tho teeds hnd echoed
across tho deserts, unchanged.
Foituno nlwns remembered that
ulght. Wrapped In her blanket, she
had lain down Just outside the clrclo,
nnd had fallen Into a doze. When tho
music stopped nnd the boys left the
prisoners to themselves, Gcorgo and
Hyanno talked.
"I never forgot fncB," began
Georgo.
"No? Thnt'B a gift."
"And I have never forgotten yours.
I was In doubt nt first, but not now."
"I never met you till that nUht at
tho hotel."
"That's true. Hut you are Iloraco
Wndsworth, all the same, tho son of
tho millionaire-banker, the man I used
to admlro In the field."
"You still think I'm that chap?"
"I am Buro of It. Tho first morning
you gave yourself away."
"What did I Bay?" anxiously.
"You mumbled foot ball phrases "
MACGRATH
mt tfOX &t&.
"Ah!" Ryanne was vnstly relieved.
Ho Beemed to bo thinking.
"Do you persist in denying It?"
"I might deny It, but I shan't. I'm
Horace Wndsworth, all right. Fortuno
knows something nbout that chapter,
but not ull. Strikes you odd, eh?" con
tinued Ryanne, iron in his volco.
"Kvcry opportunity in tho world; nnd
yet, heio I am. How much do jou
know, I wonder?"
"You took somo money from the
bnnk, I think thoy said."
"Ulght O! Wine. Perclvnl; cards,
wine and other things. Advice and
warning went into ono car and out of
the other. Alwnys so, eh? You have
heard of my brother, I dare say. Well,
he wouldn't lend me two stamps were
I to write for the undertaker to come
and collect my lemnlns. Heautlful his
torj ! I've been doing somo tall think
ing theso lonely nights. Only tho
straight nnd nnrrow wny pays Ho
good, even if you are lonesome. When
I get back, If I er do, It's a new lent
for mine. Neither wlno nor cards nor
women."
Silence. Tho lire no longer blazed;
It glowed.
"Who Is Mia. Chedhojo?" George
finally began nnew.
"Fit at, how did jou chance to make
hor acquaintance?"
' Some years ago, at Monte Carlo."
"And she borrowed a hundred and
fifty pounds of jou."
"Who told you that?" quickly.
"She did. She paid jou back."
"Yes "
"And sho hadn't intended to. You
poor Innocent!"
"Why do jou call me that?"
"To lend money at Monte Carlo to a
woman whoso name you did not know
nt the time! Green, green as a paddy
field! I'll tell you who sho is, because
you're bound to learn sooner or later.
She Is one of the most adroit smug
glers of the age; Jewels and rare laces.
And never onco has the secret-service
been able to touch her. Her brother,
tho Major, assists her when ho Isn't
fleecing tender lambs nt all known
games of chance. He's a enrd-sharp,
ono of the best of them. He tried to
teach me, but I never could cheat a
man at cards. Never makes any false
moves, but waits for the quarry to of
fer itself. That poor child 'has always
been wondering and wondering, but
she never succeeded In finding out the
truth. Brother and sister havo made
a handsomoyllvlng, nnd mnny a time I
have "helped them out. There; you
have mo In tho ring, too. But who
cares? Tho father, so I understand,
married Foi tune's mother for love;
she man led him for his monej. and
he hadn't nny. Drink and despair dis
patched him quickly enough. She la a
remarkable woman, and If sho had a
henrt, she would bo the greatest of
them nil. Sho has as much henrt as
this beetle," as he flipped tho green Iri
descent shell into tho Are. "But, after
all, she's lucky. It's a bad tiling to
havo a heart, Perclvnl, a bad thing.
Some ono is sure to come along nnd
wring it, to Jab it and stnb It."
"The poor little girl!"
"Peiclvnl, I'm no fool. I've been
watching you. Go In and win her; and
God blesB you both. She's not for me,
she's not for me!" .
"But whnt plnce havo I In all this?"
evaslvolj.
"What do you -mean by that?"
"Why did Mrs. Chedsoye pny me
back, whon her original Intention had
been not to pay mo?"
"You'll find nil that -written In the
book of fate, as Mahomed would sny.
More, I ennnot tell you."
"Will not?"
"Well, thnt phrase expresses it."
They both heard tho sound. For
tune, her fnco whlto nnd drawn,
stood Immediately behind them.
CHAPTER XVI.
Mahomed Rides Alone.
It was as If tho silliness of tho des
ert itself hnd encompnssed tho two
men. In their ears tho slither of tho
brlttlo palm-leaves ngnlnst ono nn
oilier and tho crackle of tho flro were
no longer sounds. They stared at
Fortuno with thnt speechless wonder
of men who had come unexpectedly
upon a wrolth. What with tho faint
glow of the fire upon one side of her
and the pallor of moonshine upon the
other, sho did Indeed rescmblo man's
conception of tho spiritual.
Ryanno was first to pull himself to
gether. "Fortune, 1 am sorry; God knows
1 nm. I'd have cut out my tongue
lather than havo hurt you. I thought
you wcro asleep in the tent."
"Is It true?"
"Yes." Ryanne looked away.
"I had not quite expected this: tho
daughter of a thief."
"Oh, come now; don't look at it
that waj Smuggling is altogether a
different thing," protested Rynnne.
(Women woro uncertain; hero she
was, apparently tho least agitated of
tho three.) "Why, hundreds of men
and women who regularly so to
--- II1 II I -" -
church, think nothing of beating
Uncle Snm out of a few dollars. Hero's
Jonea, for Instance; ho would havo
tried to smugglo In thnt rug. Isn't
thnt right, Jones?"
"Of course I" cried George eagerly,
though scarcely knowing what ho
said. "I'd have done it."
"And you wouldn't call Perclval a
thief," with a forced laugh. "It's like
this, Fortuno. Undo Sam wants al
together too much rake off. He doesn't
give us a bc. ire deal; and so we even
up tho matter by trying to beat him.
Scruples? Rot!"
"It Is stealing," with quiet convic
tion. "It lm't, either. Listen to me Sup
pose I purchase a pearl necklace in
Rome, and pay five-thousand fbr it.
Uncle Sam will bocit up tho valuo
more tbnn one-half. And what for?
To protect Infant industries? Bally
rot! We don't make pearls In tho
States; our oysters aren't educated up
to it." His fllppa:. y found no re
sponse In her. "Well, suppose I get
that necklace through the customs
without paying tho duty. I make
twentj'-flve hundred or so. And no
body Is hurt. That's all your mother
does."
"It Is stealing," she reiterated.
How wan sho looked! thought
George.
"How can jou make th.it stealing?"
Ryanno wns provoked.
"The law puts a duty upon such
things; If you do not pay It, you steal.
Oh, Horace, don't wnsto your time
In specious arguments." She made a
gesture, weaiiness personified. "It Is
stealing; nil tho nrguments In tho
world can not change It Into anything
else. And how about ray uncle who
fleeces the lambs at cards, and how
about my roothcrw ho knows and per
mits it?"
Rjanne had no plausible argument
to offer against these queries.
"Is not my uncle n thief, and Is not
my mother an abettor? I do not know
of anything so vile." Her figure grew
less erect. To George's eyes, dimmed
by the reflecting misery In hers, she
diooped, as a flower exposed to sud
den cold. "I think the thief in the
night much honcstcr than one who
cheats at cards. A card-sharp; did
you not call it that? Don't Ho, Hor
ace; It will only make mo sad."
"I shnn't He any more, Fortuno. All
that you believe Is true; nnd I would
to God that It were otherwise. And
"8ha Is Ona of the Most Adroit Smugglers of the Age."
I'e been a partner In many of their
exploits. But not at enrds, Fortune;
not at cards. I'm not that kind of a
cheat."
"Thank you. I should havo known
some time, and perhaps only half a
truth. Now I know all there Is to
know." Sho held her hands out be
foro her and studied them. "1 shall
never go back."
"Good Lord I Fortune, you must.
You'd be as helpless as a babe. What
could you do without money and com
fort?" "I can become a clerk In a shop. It
will bo honest. Bread at Mentone
would choke me;" and sho choked a
llttlo then as she spoke.
"My dear Foitune," said Ryanne,
calling Into life that persuasive
sweetness which upon occasions ho
could put Into his tones, "havo you
ever thought how beautiful you aro?
frr'.! a ' I3?
No, I don't bellov- you havo. Somo
ancestor of your father's has been re
incarnated In j6u. You are without
vanity and dishonesty; nnd I havo
found that these usually go togethor.
Well, at Mentono you had n llttlo ex
perience with men. You were under
protection then; protection It was of
a sort. If jou go out Into tho world
alone, jthero will be no protection; and
jou will find that men aro wolves
generally, and that tho sport of tho
chase is a woman. Must I mako it
plainer?"
"I understand," hor chin once moro
resolute. "I shnll become a clerk in
a shop. Perhaps I enn teach, or bo
como a nurso. Whatever I do, I shall
never go back to Mentone. And all
men aro not bad. You're not all bad
yourself, Horaco; nnd so far as I am
concerned, I belleVo I might trust you
anywhere."
"And God knows you could!" genu
inely. "But I enn't help you. If I
had a sister or a woman relative, I
could send you to her. But I havo no
ono but my brother, and he's a worso
scoundrel than I am. I at least work
out In tho open. He transacts hl3
villainies behind closed doors."
Georgo listened, sitting aB motion
less as a Buddhist Idol. Why couldn't
he think of something? Why couldn't
bo ccmo to tho aid of the woman ho
lotd In this her hour of trial? A fino
lover, forsooth! To sit there like a
yokel, stupidly! Could ho offer to
lend her money? A thousand times,
no! And ho could not ask her to
marry him; It would not hao been
fair to either. Sho would have mis
understood; sUo would have been not
lovo but pity, nnd refused him. Nei
ther sho nor Ryanno suffered more In
splilt than ho did at that moment.
"Jones, for God's sake, wake up and
suggest something! You know lota
of decent people. Can't jou think of
some one?"
But for this call George might have
continued to grope ln"darknesB. In
stantly he saw a way. He jumped to
his feet nnd seized her by the hands,
boyishly.
"Fortune, Ryanne Is right. I've
found a wny. Mr. Mortimer, tho pres
ident of my firm, is an old man, kindly
nnd lovable. He and his wife aro
childless. They'll take you. Why, It's
as easy as talking."
Sho leaned back against tho draw
ing of his hands. She waB afraid that
In his eagerness he was going to take
her In his arms. She wondered why,
of a sudden, she had become so weak.
"I'll cable tho moment wo reach
port," he said, as if reaching port un
der tho existing conditions was a
thing quite possible. "Will you go to
them? Why, they will give jou ev
ery enro In the world. And they will
loe you as . as jou ought to
be loved!"
Ryanne turned away his head.
Fortune was too deeply absorbed by
her misery to note how near Georgo
hnd come to committing himself.
"Thank you, Mr. Jones; thank you.
I am going to tho tent. I am tired
And I am not so brave as you think
I nm."
"But will you?"
"I shnll tell you when we roach
port." And with thnt she fled to tho.
tent.
(TO BB CONTINUED.
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