Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-02-09


sprang into the sea and swan out with
strokes vigorous as a broken arm and
manned body would allow.
Was it Natalie who lay there so quietly
and peacefully on the heaving water, her
long, dark curling tresses streaming out far
behind her in the cool, translucent wave, her
pure, upturned face cleaning like marble in
the moonbeams and her white-rObed
shapely form rising and falling on the long
sea-swel.
Not daring to look at the face, not daring
to verify his horrible suspicion, Fairfax,
with the deep and labored breathing of one
| undergoing some terrible excitement, ex-
tended his wounded arm against her
figure and, striking out powerfully with his
other limbs, forced her to the shore.
Touching terra tirnaa, he lifted her bodily
and, staggering woefully beneath the
burden, almost fell forward upon the rocks,
slippery with sea-weed.
Then, for the first time, he found courage
to glance at her face.
She was past reviving, quite dead, and
she not the Princess
Fairfax breathed fervent ''Thank God ~
and, Immediately, for the first and only
time in his life, fell in dead faint, beside
the drowned girl.
How long he lay there, he could not say
strain upon his nerves and strength had
been something tremendous. Besides, he had
eaten nothing since breakfast.
When he regained consciousness, dawn
was family shining in the east
Was it all horrible dream?
No! there on the grass beside him, in
| the sleep that knows no waking, lay the
| figure of the dead maiden. Acutest pains
shot through his arm and his whole body
| seemed a mass of aching bruises.
Faint and weak, he summoned all his
| strength and courage and rose slowly to his
! feet.
What was to be done? This was no time
! for moping or for sentimental regrets. His
| tired energies again must act.
| Who was this girl, and what her history?
| How was she drowned, and why-here in
| these remote coasts9
| Scarcely more than nineteen she seemed
| about the age of his own Natalie. She
| looked like an Orient Princess. Beautiful
| and classic as Greek marble, and almost
| as white.
| Not wrinkle or a line showed in that
! fair countenance; not d frOwn, even But,
| quiet and serenely peaceful, she slept.
! Il am of the house of Cesarr' breathed
! forth from every curve and contour of that
| marvellous face and form to all who looked
! upon her.
| "And no Cesar was ever thine equal. or
/ ever shall ~ fell spontaneously from the
| lips of the ravished gazer.
| Crescent earrings were pendant to ex-
| quisitelyshaped ears, and on her left hand
| glittered brilliant signet-ring of rare and
| antique shape, set with Il stone of wondroGs
| beauty and value. A necklace of costliest
| pearls, arranged in manner severe in its
| simplicity, encircled the polished throat, and,
|
rested on her barred, ivory bosom.
| Again he glanced at that curious, quaint
| ring.
| Once, and only once before, had he seen
| its counterpart.
| There arose before his backward gazing
| eyes the vision of a pleasant little room in
an old, low house at Tangiers; the grizzled,
| weather-beaten captain of his uncle's YES
| sci sat in closest conference with Il noble
| looking, gray-beardcd Greek merchant
prince, whose whole life seemed bent on
money getting; above all, came the mem
| Dry of that darlz-orbed, olive-hued little
! daughter, with her bright, sweet, eager
| face, literally hanging upon every word
| from his lips, watching his every motion
! with those lustrous, melting eyes of hers,
| forestalling his every wish, her tireless
| feet trotting hither and thither for cooling
| fruits or drinks.
| Again he heard her earnest voice striy-
| ing to repeat after him those long, I'M
wieldy English words. Again he guided
| her small fingers, while they shaped the
| curving letters of his mother-tongue. He
/ saw, once more, her grateful eye and the
| bright flush of pleasure when he praised
| some successful effort; then her look of
shame and modification, as he laughed
| good-naturedly at some blunder, the re-
| suit of labored, well meant endeavors.
| He recalled the sudden tear, the deathly
| pallor of her face and upon his ear smote
| her sob of despair, when the rough old cap
| tain entered and announced his departure
on the morrow, adding:
| "Arthur, my lad, you must leave your lit
| tie pupil. When we quilted your uncle, 1
| thought you not long for this world. But
| now. thanks to a good sea-voyage, take
| you back to him a youth strong as the
| next
Then came the parting with his many
rash promises of returning soon, the two
soft white girlish arms flung tight about
his neck her hot tears falling fast upon
his cheek and the passionate moan of the
warm-hearted, impulsive young Greek
child, as she utterly refused to let him go;
then the old Moorish seaport faded away in
the distance and, alas so, too, did little
Haydee. He had scarcely thought OF her