Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-06-28

i
selves for while.
''And with swift. burning words she
began to tell me, when coffee had been
served us by the same old bag who had
brought me there, speaking English
with n deep cultural accent, how
YEARLY the days passed for her and
how often she had seen me in my wan
behring's through the town. Her eyes
as she talked seemed actually TO glow
red with passion, her h nj closed tight
ly upon mine. and suddenly she threw
herself forward into my arms.
This fever OF love had begun to
affect me an exciting languor filled my
veins; / was fast losing my head, when
ii noise made itself heard in an inner
chamber. Instantly Nissa was upon
her feet, erect, shivering. Her half
abandon, her carcsses, her sudden fear
succeeding each other so rapidly | had
no time 10 analyze my own impressions.
Yet | saw that, despite her fright, all
she did was done with that quick and
cat-like grace that made her so re-
marlSable.
"A second she stood thus; then, be-
fore | could speak or think. ran 10 the
"a keen edged dagger, slipped it in her
sleeve, and, with brief imperative
Wait you heren raised the arras
and glided from sight"
"And you waited?"
Eyes, though vaguely disquieted,
for the words OF the sertip had return
ed to me, and realized my great inn
prudence. Besides, that noise in that
inner chamber. it sounded again; il
seemed like contention-a struggle
followed by dull silence and speedily
by the reappearance Of Nissa, erect
beneath the hangings. She was pale,
very pale indeed, white as a statue APP
pliqued upon the vivid yellow of the
wall; but she smiled rs she stood be-
fore me; she was still smiling as she
came TO meet me, the dagger still in
her hand. red and rocking"
What"
"My God! yes-with blood"
"My husbands, she cOldly ex-
planned tossing the dagger from her
into corner of the room; he suspect
| ed, it seems. He'd have killed us both
/ preferred to forestall him. But
come, she added; come, we are vast
ing time; assist me to throw his body
/ into the river.
Assist her! | assist this bella
/ demonia TO throw her husband
dead by her own hand-to throw
! him into the river remain
ed immovable; horror had robbed me
/ of the power to move. She persisted
she approached me. her eyes scorching
me with scOrn and anger.
/ L.
| come. you must assist mem and she
| pointed to the window. My faith! this
was too much. the adventure toe
oriental for even a Partisan. thrust
her from me and, taken with mad, in
sensate terror, fled from the place.
How did / get out of the accurseC
hole9 How did | thread along the
long, interminable passages? TO thi:
day | cannot tell. but in ten minutes
time | was crossing the city and run
ming as if legion of devils ran at my
heels.
What n night. What a sleep oil
lead | slept when once in my owr
house and safe in bed behind barred
and-triple-bo lted doors. When | rous
ed from this sleep the sun was high In
the heavens, my chamber flooded with
light, my body-no both soul anC
body-wearied aud broken as by NOR
| tai combat
What had happened to me?
asked myself: what was going TO hap
pen to me9 For certainly man could
never disappear without justice taking
hand in the game. Some one haC
! in, ha of A.
soulla. The hag who had taken IN,
there would doubtless betray me. Ant
the thought of being implicated in this
abominable crime made my hair stanC
up with horror.
what what could / do about it
Tell everything TO the French legation
No, ii would be useless, the legation o
France was going through one of il
periodical changes; the old official,
gone or going, the new ones on tn,
way. In short, the more / pondered
the more ! turned and twisted tn,
whole wretched business, the cleare
il became to me that my career wa
ruined, my usefulness ended.
But, to cut it short-three day
had come and gone since that misera
bic night, three days of constant ant
poignant anxiety, and | had hearC
not word of Nissa. Assoulla, or o
any one else. Something must b,
done, and ] must GO out; anything wa
better than this uncertainty, bounded
by tho four walls Of my dwelling
The sertip was my friend would
go and see him; perhaps | would con
fess to him everything. 1t was moor
Of the fourth day when | entered hi
cabinet, to find him. rs always
stretched unon his divan, placidly puff
fling at his chibouque.
"'Ah, it's you! he said on seem,
me come; and how have you BEEF
these four days past, and whore hav,
you been, mon ami?
"'At home, | answered: i hav,
not been we'll
mo, and you look il. Responded
the sertip, regarding me ixedly
But apropos of being at homo, tn
news-have you heard it?'
'The-the news? No. I hav
heard nothing
'NothingP Nothing of Astoulla
the merchant OF the old faubourgs? h.
you know. Of whom | told you? Why
he has Disappeared