Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-02-21

him IN tatterS. his. forearm was broken
and his shoes cut to pieces.
There was no fresh water at hand
''Salt wateris better than no water at all.
I'll wash my wounds in that--sting
/ though they may" quoth he. grimly shut.
ting his lips.
The dying bird fiuttcred again.
With glance of rage at it and an oath,
Fairfax stumbled to he head of the cove
and, tearing of fragment of his clothing,
was about to wash and bind up his wounds,
when he CHANGED to look out into the
deeper water beyond.
Uttering cry Of horror he at first re-
soiled, but, quickly recovering himself,
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 lilo marble in
the moonbeams and her white-robed,
shapely'form rising and falling on the long
seasswelllS
Not daring to look strthe face not daring
to verify his horrible suspicion, Fairfax,
with the deep and labored breathing of one
undergoing some terrible excitement, cx-
tended his wounded arm against her
figure and, striking out powerfully with his
other limbs, forced her to the shore.
Touching terra .fy7aa, 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 revivng. quite dead, and
abe Vds not The PrincesSl
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
probably for three or four hours. The
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 dreaml
MOI 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 donel This was no time
for moping or for sentimental regrets. His
tired energies again must act.
Who was this girl, and what her historyl
How was she drowned, and why-here in
these remote coastss
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 q line showed in that
fair countenance; not frown, even. But,
quiet and serenely peaceful, she slept
II am Of the house OF Cnsari" breathed
forth from every curve and contour Of that
J marvellous face and form to all who looked
+. upon her.
.'And no Caesar was ever thine equal, or
ever shall ber' fell spontaneously from the
/ lips of the ravished gazer.
Crescent earrings were pendant to OK
/ quisitely-shaped ears, and on her left hand
gfittered brilliant signet-ring of rare and
antique shape, set with q stone of wondrous
beauty and value. A necklace Of costliest
pearls, arranged in q manner severe in its
| simplicity, encircled the polished throat, and,
hanging from this necklace, o jeweled locket
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 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 q noble
looking, gray-bearded Greek merchant
prince, whose whole life seemed bent on
money getting; above all, came the mem
ory Of. that dark-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 lnstrous, 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 striv.
ing to repeat after him those long, un.
wieldy English words. Again he guided
her small fingers, while they shaped the
curving letters of his mother-tongue. lie
Il saw, onso moro, her grateful eye and the
bright flush Of pleasure when he praised
some successful effort; then her look Of
shame and modification, as no laughed
good-naturedly at some blunder, tho ro
suit OF laborcd, well meant endeavors.
He recalled the sudden tear, tho deathly
pallor Of her faeo and upon his ear smotr
Ter sob Of despair, when the rough old cap
tain entered and announced his departure
on the morrow, adding;
ARTHUR, my led, you must leave your III,
tie pupil When wc quilted your uncle,
thought you not long Tor lhis world. Dui
now, thanks to "a good. sea-voyagc, talsq
you back to. him q youth strong as. the
next.'
FRO BE coNTINURD.