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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 28, 1913)
;7 i i&l Wi?SliffiS3rl Tt i' - . imi' ' : ... fcn-isr.. mi&fimmm. i If IS SYNOPSIS. George I'orclval Algernon Jones, vice- firesldenl of tlio Metropolitan Urlotital lug- company of Now York, thlrstlm; tor romanco, Ih In Cairo on a business trip. Horace Uynnno arrives at tlin liolel In Cairo Willi u dutifully guarded bundle. Hynnne soils Jones the famoiiH holy Vltl ordes ril which he admits having ntoleri rtoin ii pnsha at IhiKdad. Jones meets Major Callahan and lutor In Introduced to lortuue Chedsoyu by n woman to whom lie had loaned 150 pounds at Monte Carlo oine tnontliH previously, and who turns lilt to bo Fortune' motiiur. Jonea tnkefc Mrs, Chcdaoyo and Fortunu to u polo fc'Hine. Fortune return to Jones the money borrowed by her mother, .Mrs. cliodHoye appears to ha engaged In Dome mysterious entorprlSH unknown to the daughter, Hynnne interests Jones in the united Homancu and Adventuro com pany, a concern which for a price will arrange any kind of an ad venture to or der Mrs, Chedsoyo, her brother, Major (nllahan, Wallace and Itynune, an the United Ilomance and Adventure company. Plan a risky enterprise involving Jones. Hyaline makes known to Mra. Chcdsnye lil.n Intention to marry Fortune. Mri. Chedsoye declares h will not permit It. Plana aro laid to prevent Jones sailing for homo. Uyiimic stents Jonas' letters and cable dlspntehcs. lie Wires agent In Now York, In Jones' name, that ho la renting houiio In New York to Home friends. .Mahomed, keeper of the holy carpet, la on Hyaline's trail, Ityanno promises Fortuno that lie will wo that Jones ioiik'j to no harm an a result of his purchaao of the rug. Mahomed nccosts Hyaline and demands the Yhlordes rug. Hyanne tnllH him Jonea has the run mid suggeats tlio abduetlou of tlio New York merchnnt na a means of securing ItH re turn. The rug disappears from Jones' room. Fortune quarrel with her mother When tlie latter rofusea to explain her mysterious uctlons. Fortune Beta a mes jago purporting to bo from Hyaline ask ing her lo meet htm In a secluded place that evening. Jones receives a messnge iiaklnghlm to meet Ityanno at the Hngllsli Jar Hid kmimu evening. Jones Is cairlod off Into the desert by Mahomed nml Ida Accomplices after a desperate tight, lie dlsrovcrn that Ityanno and Fortune also are captives, tho former la badly battered and iiikoiikcIoiis, liyauno recovers con sciousness and the sight of Fortune In captivity reveals to him tho fact that jManomed Intends to not vengoanco on Win through the girl. Fortuno acknowl edges that sho stole the rug from Jones' room, Hhu offers to return It to Mahomeil If ha will free all threu of them. Ma homed agrees to Ilberato Fortune and (inn of the moil In return for the rug. A cour lr Is unlit to Cairo for tho rug, but re turmi with tho Information that Mrs. Ohodsoyo and her brother havo sailed for New Vork, Fortuno spurns offered freo dom w hlnh does not Include her two com panions, The caravan coutinuou tho Jour Jiey towrf'd Hagdad, Kyanno tells Jones that Mra. CJiedsoya Is tho most adroit smuggler of the ago, and Is overheard bv Fortune, The thrco captives are rescued uy Honry Ackermann, who Is In charKo of a carpet caravan, Mahomed escapes, gars. Chedsnyo discovers the absence of Fortune nml leaves for Now York, taking Inol girl's belongings with hor. Through Torfeert letters Mrs. Chcdsoyc, tho major jnrt thnlr .accomplices tako poaseaalon of Jonea' New York homo. CHAPTER XVIII. Tho Man Who Didn't Care. It wriB tho first of February when Ackormnnna caravan drew Into tho ancient city of DamaHcuB. That part of tho caravan deBertod by Mahomed iput out for Colro Immediately thoy ntruck tho regular camol-wuy. For tune, George and Hyanno wore In a fplttablo condition, heart and body weary, In rngo and tattorB. Goorge, mow that tho haven was assured, dropped IiIh forcod buoyancy, lila prat tle, his Jests. He had done all a mor tal man could to keep up tho spirits of IiIb co-unrortunntca; and ho saw that, ino'st of tho timo, ho had wasted hla talentB. Ryanno, Biillen and mo rose, often told him to "shut up;" which wasn't exhilarating. And For tuno viewed hla attempts without aonalng them and frequently looked nt ,hlm without aeolng him. Now, all this waB not particularly comforting to tho man who loved her nnd was doing what ho could to lighten tho drcarl noBS of tho Joumoy. Ho made allow ances, howovor; besides suffering tin UBiial privations, Fortune had had a frightful mental shock. A girl of hof depth of character could not bo ox jpoctod to rlso .immediately to the old Novel. Sometimes, while gathered about tho evening fire, ho would look up to find hor Bad eyeB Btarlng at him, and It mattored not if ho stared In re turn; n kind of clairvoyance blurred visibilities, for sho wa8 generally look ing into her garden at Montono nnd nvonderlng when this horrible dream would pasB. Subjocts for conversa tion were oxhnuatcd in no. timo. Dig as ho might, Georgo could find noth ing now; and often ho recounted tho samo tnlo twico of an o.venlng. Sar donic laughter from Uynnno. i AcUcrmnnn had glvon them up na hopeless, Ho was a strong, vnln, dom ineering man. klndlv nt lmnit imw. over, but Impatient. When ho told nl ntory, ho demanded tho attention of all; ao, when Uynnno yawned bufaro his eyeB, and Georgo drew pictures In tho aand, and tho girl fell asleep with hor head upon hor kneea, ho drow off nbruptly and left them to their own dovioea. Ho had crossed and re crosBud the alienees so often that ho was no longer capable of Judging ac curately another man's mental pro cesses. That they had had a strungo nnd numbing experience ho readily understood; but now that thoy wore out of duress and headed for tho coast, ho saw no reason why they should not act like human bolngs. They still put up the small tent for Fortuno, but tho rest of thoin slept upon the sand, under tho stnrs. Once, Georgo nwoko as the dawn was glid ing tho onst. Silhouetted against tho aky ho saw Fortune. Sho was stand ing straight, her hands pressed at hor sides, her head tilted back a tetiBo attitude. Ho did not know it, but ho wns asking God why those things should be. Ho throw off his blanket and ran to her. "Fortune, you mustn't do tlint. You will catch cold," "1 cannot sleep," bIio said simply. He took hor by the hand and led her to the tent. "Try," ho said. Then he did something ho had never dono bfiforo to any woman save his mother. He kissed her hand, turned quickly, and went over lo hla blanket. Sho remained motionless before tho tent. Tho hand fascinated her. From tho hand her gaze traveled to the man settling himself comfortably under his blanket Pity, pity! that was ever to be her portion; pity! In DamaHcuB the trio presented themselves nt tho ono decent hotel, and but for Ackorniann's charges upon tho managor, it Is doubtful If ho would have accepted them as guefcts; for a more sunpicioiiB-lookliig trio ho had never set eyes upon. (A hotel mnn weighs a person by the quality of his clothes.) iMoroovor, they carried no luggage. Ackormnnn went sponsor; and knowing something of the integ rity of the rug-hunter, tho mnnngcr surrendered. And when Georgo pre sented htu letter of credit at tho Im perial Ottoman Hank, again It was Ackermunn who vouched for him. It hud been agreed to say nothing of the character of their ndventuro. None of them wanted to be followed by cu rious eyes. With u handful or British gold In his pocket, Georgo faoed tho future hope fully. Ho took his companions In and about town, hunting tho shops for clothing, which after various dIHlcul ties they succeeded in finding. It was IIMlltlng and cheap, but It would servo till thoy reached Alexandria or Naples. "How aro you fixed?" asked Ity anne, gloomily surveying George's shoddy cotton-wool suit. "Cnsh In hand?" "Yes.' "About four hundred pounds. At Naples I pan cable. Do you want any?" "Would you mind advancing mo two months' salary?" "Ityanno, do you really mean to stick to that proposition?" "It's on my mind Just now." "Well, we'll go back to tho bank and I'll draw a hundred pounds for you. You can pay your own expenses nB we go. Hut what aro wo going to do In regard to Fortune?" "Ryanne, Do You Really Mean "See that sho gotH safdy buck to Montono." "Suppose Bhe will not go there?" "It'B up to you, rorolvnl; U'b all up to you. You'ro tho guy Ix)chlnvar from tho west, I'm not sure no onu ever la regarding a woman but I think she'll listen to you. She wouldn't glvo an ear to a Bcnlawng like me. This caravan business hns put mo out Bide tho pale. I'vo lost caste." "You'ro only desperate and discour aged; you can pull up straight." "Much obliged!" "You haven't looked nt life normal ly; thnt'a what the matter Is." "Solon, you'ro right. Thoro's that poor devil back In Hagdad. I'vo killed a man, I'orolval. It doesn't mix well In my dreams." "You Buld that It was in solf-do-fonso." "And God knows It was, Hut If I hadn't gouo after that damned rug, IMmjvFmiT Aufkor of HEARTS AM) iASKS CB iAN ON THE BOX c. IllvisfralioTV? by M.G.Kettiwisi . . , COPYRIGHT igil by DOBB3 - .MERRILL COMPANY ho'd havo been alive today. Oh, damn It nil; let's go back to the hotel and order that club-steak, or tho beBf Imi tation they have. I'm going to have a pint of wine. I'm as dull as a ditch In a pnddy-lleld." "A bottle or two will not hurt any of us. We'll ask Ackcrmann. For God knows whoro we'd have been to day but for him. And let him do all tho yarning. It will please him." "And while ho gabs, we'll get tho best of the steak nnd wine!" For tho Ilrst time In days Hyaline's lnughter had a bit of the erstwhile rollicking tone. Tho dinner wns an event. No deli cacy (mostly canned) was overlooked. Tho matinger, as ho heard the guin eas Jingle In George's pocket, was filled with shamo; not over his origi nal doubtH, but relative to his lack of perception. The tourists who snt at tho other tablcB were scandnllzcd at tho popping of champagne-corks Sanctimonious faces glared reproof. A jovial spirit In the Holy Land was an anachronism, not to bo tolerated. And wine! Horrible! Doubtless, when they retired to their native back porches, they retold with never-ending horror of having witnessed such a scene and having heard such laugh ter upon tho sacred soil. Evon Fortune laughed, though Ity anne'B oar, keenest then, detected the vague note of hysteria. If the meat was tough, the potatoes greasy, tho vegetables flavorless, the wine tint, none of them appeared to bo nwaro of it. If Ackermann could talk ho could also eat; and tho clatter of forks and knives wbb tho theme rath er than the variation to the symphony. George felt himself drawn deepor and deeper Into those tragic waters from which, as In death, there Is no return. She was so lonely, so sad and forlorn, that there wns as much brpther as lover In his sympathy. How patient sho had been during nil thoso Inconceivable hardships! How brave and stendy; and never a mur mur! Tho slnglo glnBs of wlno bad brought tho color back to her cheek and tho sparkle Into her eye; yet he to Stick to That Proposition?" was sure that behind this apparent liveliness lay tho pitiful desperation Of tho helpless. Ho had not spoken ngain about old Mortimer. He would wait, till after ho had sent a long cable. Then he would speak and show hor tho answer, of which ho had not a partlclo of doubt. As mat ters now stood, ho could not tell her that ho loved her; his quixotic sense of chivalry wns too strong to permit this step, urgo na his henrt might upon It. Sho might misinterpret his lovo ua born of pity, and that would be tho end of everything. Ho wns con lldent now that Uynnno meant noth ing to her. Her lack of onthuslnBm, whenever Uynnno Bpoke to her In thoso days; tho peculiar horizontallty of hor lips nnd brows, whenever lty nnno offered a trilling courtesy nil pointed to distrust. George felt a guiny giauness. After nil. whv , ahouldn't sho distrust Uynnno? ... . J Georgo concluded that ho must ac quire patience . She was far too loyal to run awny without first giving him warning. In the event of her refus ing Mortimer's roof and protection, he knew what his plans would be. Some one else could do the buying for Mor timer & Jones; hla business would be to icvolve round this lonely girl, to watch and guard her without her be ing awnro of It. Of what use were riches If ho could not put them to whatever uso ho clu.? So he would wait near hor, to seo that sho came and went unmolested, till against that time when she would recognize how futile her efforts were nnd how wldo nnd high tho wall of tho world was. That mother of hors! To his mind it was positively unrenl that one so charming and lovely should bo at heart strong as tho wind nnd merci less as tho sea. His mother had been everything; hers, worse thnn none, mi eternal question. What a drama sho had moved about in, Without un derstanding! Georgo did not possess that easy and ndjustnblo sophistry which made Ityanno look upon smuggling as a clever game between two cheats. His point of view coincided with For tune's; it was thievery, more or less condoned, hut the ethics covering it were soundly established. Ho had come very near being culpablo him self. True, ho would not havo been giillty of smuggling Tor profit; but none the less he would have tried to cheat tho government. His sin had found him out; ho had now neither the rug nor his thousand pounds. All these cogitations passed through his mind, dlBjolntedly, as the dinner progressed toward Its end. They bndo Ackermann good-by and Godspeed, as he was to leave early for Delrut, upon his way to Smyrna. Fortuno went to bed; Uynnne sought the billiard room nnd knocked about tho balls; while George asked the manager If ho could send a cable from the hotel. Certainly ho could. It took some time to compose the cable to Mortl mor; nnd it required some gold be sides. Mortimer must havo a fair view of tho case; and Georgo presented it, requesting a reply to bo sent to Cook's In Naples, where they expected ito be within ten days. "How much will this bo?" The porter got out his telegraph book and studied tho rates cnrefully. "Twelve pounds six, sir." The porter greeted each sovereign with a genuflection, tho lowest being the twelfth. Georgo pocketed tho re ceipt and went In search of Uyanne. Hut that gentleman was no longer In tho bllllard-room. Indeed, he had gono quietly to tho other hotel and written a cable himself, tho code of which was not to bo found lnnny book. For a long timo he seemed to bo In doubt, for lie folded nnd refold ed his message half n dozen times be fore his actions becamo decisive. He tore it up and throw tho scraps upon tho floor and hastened Into tho street, ns If awity from temptation. Ho walked fast and Indirectly, smoking Innumerable cigarettes. Ho was light ing hnrd, tho ovll In him against the good, tho chances of tho future against tho Irreclalmablo past. At the end of an hour he returned to tho strnngo ho tel. His lips were puffed and bleed ing. Ho had smoked so many ciga rettes and had pulled them so Impa tiently from hla mo th, that tho dry paper had cracked tho delicate skin. Ho rewrote his cable nnd paid for tho sending of it Then he poked about the unfamiliar corridors till ho found tho dingy bar. He sat down be foro a peg of whisky, which was fol lowed by many moro, each a bit stlffer than Its predecessor. At laBt, when ho had had enough to put a normal man's head upon tho tnblo or to cover his face with tho mask of Inanity, Uynnno fell into tho old habit of talk ing nloud. "Horace, old top, what's the use? We'd just llko to bo good If we could, eh? But they won't let us. We'd grow raving mad in a monnstery. Wo were honest nt tho time, but we couldn't stand tho monotony of wntch tug green olives turn purplo upon the silvery bough. Nay, nay!" He pushed tho glass away from him nnd studied the air-bubbles as they formed, rose to tho surface, and were dissipated. "No matter what tho gamo hns been, somohow or other, thoy'vo bashed us, and we've lost out." Ho emptied tho glnss and ordered another. Ho nnd tho bartender wore nloue, "After nil, lovo Is llko'money. It's better to live frugally upon tho Inter est thnn to squander tho capital and go bankrupt. And who cares, any how?" Ho drank onco moro, dropped n half sovereign upon tho table, and pushed back his chair. Ills eyes woro blood Bhot now, and the brown of Ills akin had becomo n slaty tint; but ho walked steadily enough Into tho rend- - (L "la It Bad ing-room, where he wrote a sKbrt let ter. It wns not without a perverted senso of humor, for a smilo twisted his lips till he had "aled tho letter and addressed the envelopo to George Percivnl Algernon Jones. He stuffed it into a pocket and went out whistling "Tho Heavy Dragoons" from tho opera of "Patience." Before tho lighted window of a shop ho paused. Ho swayed a little. From a pocket of his new coat ho pulled out a glove. It waa gray and small and much wrinkled. From time to timo he drew it through his fingers, staring the while at the tawdry trin kets In tho shop-window. Finally he looked down at the token. Ho became very still. A moment passed; then he flung tho glove into the gutter, and proceeded to his own hotel. Ho left tho letter with the porter, paid his bill, and went out again Into tho dark, chill night. He waB now what he had been two months ago, the man who didn't care CHAPTER XIX. ' Fortune Decides. Georgo nnd Fortune were seated at breakfast. It waa early morning. At ten they were to depart for Jaffa, to tako the tubby French packet there to Alexandria. Thoy could just about make It, nnd any delay meant a week or ten days longer upon this ragged and Inhospitable coast. "Uyanne has probably overslept After breakfast I'll go and rout him out, Tho ono thing that really tickles me," Georgo continued, as ho pared tho tough rind from the skinny bacon, "Is, wo shan't hnve any luggage. Think of tho blessing of traveling without a trunk or a valise or a steamer-roll!" "Without oven n comb or a hair brush!" "It's great fun." Georgo broke his toast. And Fortune wondered how bIio could tell him. She was without any toilet articles. She hadn't even a toothbrush; and It was quite out of tho question for her to bother him about trifles, much as she needed them. Sho would have to Hvo In tho clothes she woro, and trust that tho shlp'H stewardesa might help hor out In the absolute necessities. Hero tho head-waiter brought George a letter. The address waa enough for George. No ono but Hy anno could havo written It. Without excusing himself, ho ripped off tho envelopo and read tho contents. For tune could not realst watching him, for sho grasped quickly that only Uynnno could have written n letter hero In Damascus. At Ilrst tho tan upon George'B cheeks dnrkened tho sudden effusion of blood; then it be camo lighter, and tho mouth nnd eyes nnd nose became stern. "la It bad newa?" "It all depends upon how you look nt It. For my part, good riddance to bad rubbish. Here, read It yourself." She read: "My Dear I'orclval: After all. I And that I can not reconcile myself to tho dullness of-yaur ollvo-groves. I shall sond tho llvo hundred to you when I roach New York. With mo It Is ns It Was with tho devil. When ho was sick, ho vowed ho would bo a saint; but when ho got well, dovll a saint News?" was he. There used to be a rhyme about It, but I havo forgotten that. Anyhow, there you aro. I feel that I am conceding a point In regard to tho money. It la contrary to the laws and by-laws of tho United Uomanco nnd Adventuro Company to refund. Still, I intend to hold myself to it. With hale affection, "HYANNE." "What do you think of that?" de manded George hotly. "I never did a good action In my life that wasn't served 111. I'm a aoft duffer, if there, ever was ono." "I shall never bo ungrateful for your kindness to me." "Oh, hang It! You'ro different; you're not llko any other woman in tho world," he blurted; and Immedi ately was seized with a mild species of fright Fortune stirred her coffee and deli cately scooped up the swirling circles of foam. ' "Old maids call that money," he Bald understandingly, eager to cover up his boldness. "My mother used to tell mo that there were lots of wonders In a tea-cup." "Tell mo about your raothor." To him It was n themo never lack ing in new expressions. When ho spoko of his mother, it altered tho clenr and boyish note in his voice; it became subdued, reverent. Ho would never bo aught than guileless; it wns not In his nnturo to dlvino any thing savo his own impulses. Whllo ho thought ho was pleasing her each tender recollection, each praise, waa in fact a nail added to hor cruclllxlou, self-imposed. However, sho never lowered her eyes, but kept them bravely directed into hie. In tho midst of ono or his panegyrics ho caught eight of his watch which he had placed at tho sldo of his plate. "By Jovo! quarter to nine. I'vo got an errand or two to do, and there's no need of ydur running your feet off on my account. I'll bo back quarter after." Ho dug into hla pocket and counted out fifty pound8 in paper and gold. "You keep this till I get bnck." Sho pushed It aside, half rising from her chair. "Fortuno, listen. Horenftcr I nm George, your brother Georgo; and I do not wnnt you ovor to question any action of mine. I am leaving this money In enso some iticcldent befell me. You never can tll." Ho took her hand and firmly pressed It down upon tho money. "In half an hour, sister, I'll ho bnck. You did not think that I wns going to run nway?" "No." "Do you understand now?" "Yes." Whllo ho was gono sho romalned sented at tho table. Sho mndo little pyramids of tho gold, divided the oven dntes from tho odd, arranged Maltese crosses and circles and B,tnrs. . . IMty. pity! Well, why sh'ould alio re bel against It? WnB it not more than sho hnd hnd hitherto? What should Bho do? Sho closed li6f eyes. She would trouble her tired brain qo moro nbout tho future till they reached Naples. Sho would let this ono week drift her how it would. (TO UK CONTINUED,) Everybody says, "Go up higher!" to tho man who is getting thoro. T" V'Yi V f - . ( .' r I Hi, it
