Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-03-22

| NhiSu oHC pAUICCACa sSAJ N~As -
bind over my eyes. / could see no
longer Then she grasped my hand
and / let her lead me. was walk
ing, wholly absorbed in my dreams,
thinking of the supple young woman,
OF her little hand and her flashing
eyes. / could hear the turbulent
waters rolling by and breaking for
an instant against the bridge. At
last my guide paused, key grated,
and in whisper she said:
go up.'
Five steps only, and then l felt
that my feet were pressing a soft,
thick carpet. At the same moment
she removed the bandage. / found
myself in room, dimly lighted by a
copper lamp. Incense was burning
in richly chased pertaining pan,
resting upon table of red and green
mosaic, and filling the room with
| those oriental odors which intoxi-
| cate one like the fragrance of old
wine. And, below, the dull and
regular murmur of the river. BY
lifting the drapery from the window
saw that the water touched the
very walls of the house. Almost i'm
mediately / heard a light rustling
upon the carpet. / turned. 1t was
Nissa. / was transfxed with as
constituent She could not have been
more than II or IS. Her thick, dark
hair, falling upon perfectly formed
neck and shoulders, reminded me of
the "Salome," by Regnaut. Her
face, slightly amber in color had all
the changing lights of a mother-of
pearl. But I was specially struck
with the strange contract between
the exceeding whiteness of her teeth
and the blackness of her eyes. She
smiled as she gazed at me with her
still and burning eyes. 1 thought of
the sertip's words, and said to my
self that the woman could not easily
be frightened. However, she took
my hand and made me sit upon the
divan.
"My husband has started for Te-
hera," she said, land we have the
time for pleasure"
She spoke English with marked
gutteral accent. Then she struck
gong with a copper rod, and coffee
was brought in. She began to talk
rapidly, telling me her life was
dreary, and that she had been inter
ested in me at first sight. AT the
same time her eyes were becoming
more and more tender, and her hand
was softly pressing mine She lean
ed nearer and suddenly embraced
me, fixing her lips upon mine. I was
beginning to lose my head, when I
heard a noise in the adjoining room.
In an instant she sprang from my
arms and stood erect and trembling.
With the same unfailing grace and
animation she ran to the wall, and
without hesitation took down slen-
der little dagger and half concealed
it in her sleeve, She turned to me
and with an emphatic gesture, said:
swat 7" Then she vanished behind
the heavy hangings.
| A vague fear stole over me. l re-
called the sertip's warnings. Posi-
bly, had been little imprudent !
Suddenly 1 again heard noise in
the next room; there were sounds of
voices, then short struggle; at last
silence. At once the drapery was
pushed aside and Nissa reappeared.
She half leaned against the wall,
looking like white statue against
the background Of yellow drapery.
She was still smiling, and In her
smile revealing teeth as sharp as
those of young wolf. She took a
few steps into the room. Her knife
and hands were red.
"Great Godl What has happen
| ed ?n exclaimed.
"Nothing," she replied.
She tossed the dagger into cor
ner, and, with perfect calmness said:
ut was my husband. He would
have killed us. preferred to antic-
ipate him. Come, help me throw his
body in the water"
l. I remained motionless gazing at
her in establishment. Then she Ak
ed her eyes upon me with an expires
sion of complete contempt, and in a