Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-05-29

head Next she found stains of such sor
| mixed them cunningiy, rubbing the stun OF
my face and hands and on the white mari
| IN my hair where the sword of Brennus hai
bitten to the bone
| snow art thou changed-somewhat 70,
the worse, Harmachis,'' she said, with {
dreary laugh; scarce myself should
KNOW thee. Stay, there Is one more thing, >
and going to chest Of garments, she drew
thence heavy bag Of gold.
ssTake thou this" she said; s'thou will
have need Of money"
'Tcan not take thy gold, Charmion.''
| ''Yea, take it. 1t was Sepa who gave II
to me for the furtherance OF our.cause, and
| therefore tits fitting that thou shoulds,
| spend It. Moreover, II I want It, doubtless
Antony, who 10 henceforth my master, viii
give mo more; he IS much beholden to me
and this well he knows. There, waste moi
the precious time In haggling DER the pelf-
not yet art thou ali q merchant, Har.
machis;" and, without more words, she
thrust the pieces into the leather bag that
hung across my shoulders. Then she made
fast the sack containing the spare gar
ments, and 30 womanly thoughtful was she
hid therein an alabaster jar Of pigment,
wherewith might stain my countenance
afresh, and. taking the broidered robes OF
mine Office that had cast OF, hid them in
the secret passage. And SO at last all was
made ready.
rs it time that should go!" asked.
''Not yet awhile. Be patient, Harmachis
for but one little hour more must thou en-.
dure my presence, and then, perchance,
farewell forever"
made gesture signifyinR that this was
no hour for sharp words
"Forgive me my quick tongue" she said
''but from q salt spring do bitter waters
well Be seated, Harmaehis; have heavier
words to speak to thee before thou goest"
"Say on" answered; ''words, however
heavy, can move me no more"
She stood before me with folded hands,
and the lamp light shone upon her beaute-
GUS face. Idly noticed how great was its
pallor and how wide and dark were the
rings about the deep black eyes. Twice
she lifted her white face and strove to
speak, twice her voice failed her; and
when at last 1t came twas in q hoarse
whisper.
81 can not let thee 60" she said-'T can
not let thee go unwilling Of the truth.
Rdr,naehts, 'tOas 7 who did bctray theer'
I sprang to my feet, an oath upon my
lips; but she caught me by the hand.
sob, be seated" she said-s'be seated
and hear me; then, when thou hast heard,
that evil moment when, in the presence of
thy uncle Sepa, for the second time I set
eyes upon thy face, I loved thee-how
much, little canst thou guessi Think upon
thine own love for Cleopatra, and double it,
and double it again, and, perchance, thou
mayst come near to my loves mighty sum.
loved thee. day by day loved thee more.
till in thee and for thee alone I seemed to
live. But thou vast cold-thou vast worse
fHnv, a.. <b0x~ ,l.% l<~l
breathing woman, but rather as the instru-
ment to an end-as tool wherewith to
grave thy fortunes. And then I saw-yea,
long before thysef thou knewest
it-thy hearts tide was setting strong
towards that ruinous shore where
on to-day thy life is broken.
And at last came that night, that
dreadful night, when, bud within the cham
Der, I saw thee cast my kerchief to the
Royal rivals gift. Then-ohi thou knowest
in my pain I betrayed the secret that
thou wouldst not see-and thou didst
make q mock of me, Harmachisi Oh
the shame of it!-thou, in thy foolishness,
didst make mock Of me! I went thence,
and within me were rising all the torments
which can tear a woman's heart, for now
was sure that thou didst love Cleopatra
Ay, and 80 mad was !, even that night was
minded to betray thee; but thought
not yet; not yet; tomorrow he may soften.
Then came the morrow, and all was ready
for the bursting Of the great plot that should
make thee Pharaoh. And /, too, came
thou dost remember-and again thou didst
put me away when spake to thee In para
bles, as something of little worth, as thing
too small to claim moments weighty
thought. And, knowing that this was be-
cause-though NEWEST it not-thou didst
low
straightway slay, I grew mad, and a wicked
spirit entered into me, possessing me ut
terly, SO that no longer was myself. And
because thou hadst scorned me, this, to my
everlasting shame and sorrow I dbl
passed into Cleopatra's presence and be-
trayed thee and those with thee, and all our
holy cause. saying that had found a writ
ing which thou hadst let fall and read all
this therein"
at me she went on:
"When she understood how great was
the plot, and how deep its roots, Cleo
patra was much troubled; and, at first, she
would have fed to Sais or taken ship and
run for Cyprus, but showed her that the
ways were barred. Then she said that she
would cause thee to be slain, there. In the
chamber, and left her 80 believing; for,
at that hour, fain was that thou shouldst be
slain--ay, even ii / wept out my heart upon
thy grave. But what said I anon ?Nven-
geance is an arrow that eft falls on him
who looses itl So was it with me for be-
tween my going and thy coming she
Matched q deeper plan. She feared that to
slay thee would but be to light q dercer
fire Of revolt; but she saw that to bind
thee to her, and having left men awhile in
doubt, to show thee faithless would strike
the imminent danger at its roots and
wither it. This plot once formed, being
great, she dared its doubtful issue, and :
need I 60 ont Thou knowest, Harmachis,
how she won; and thus did the shaft of
vengeance that loosed fall upon my own
head. For on the morrow knew that
had ahmed for naught, that on the
wrstched Paulus had been laid the burden
Of my betrayal, and that had but ruined
the cause whereto was sworn and given
the man loved to the arms of wanton
Egypt"
She bowed her head awhile. and then, a.
! spake not, once more went on:
"Let all my sin be told. Harmachis, and
then let justice come. See how this thing
happened. Half did Cleopatra learn to love
thee, and deep in her heart she bethought
her of taking thee to welded husband. For
the sake of this halt love Of hers she spared
the lives of those in the plot whom she had
meshed, bethinking her that If she welded
thee she might use them and thee to draw
the heart Of Egypt, which loves not her nor
IA -