The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1890-04-23

husband; and do you be to her hus-
band, father and protector" !"
As he uttered these words Stanko
threw his arms about the weeping
girl and gave her the parental kiss
with such fire that Kosara tore her
self from his embrace.
The scales fell from her eyes in a
moment. She remembered that her
father promised her that he would
never force her into a marriage with
any one, least of all with the man
Stanko. whom he knew she thor
oughly detested.
"You lie, miserable mani she
cried in a storm of indignation.
"You have killed my father your
self, and now you are trying to de-
ceive me because you think / am
forsaken, defenseless girl, depend
ent upon your protection. ! will
find others who will protect me
! from ron. -.
'If you are placing your hopes
on Toma shall have to destroy
them. Toma fell few minutes be-
fore your father beathed his last" i"
"You probably killed him, too.
Get out of my sight and never dare
to cross this threshold again"
"Whatl Yon will not then be my
wife?" cried Stanko in fury, his
face dark with passion as he step
ped closer and clasped her hands.
"No. neverl''
"WelI, then, I'll force you to itl''
he hissed.
Kosara defended herself as we'll
as she could, but her strength was
fast ebbing away, when Ljublca,
who had slipped out unobserved a
moment before, rushed in scream
ing:i
"The Turks are comingl"
Stanko at once released the girl
and dashed out of the house. No
Turks We're to be seen in any di-
rection. Enraged at this deception
he FASTENED back, but when he
entered the hut both girls had dis
appeared. AS the house had but
one exit, Stanko supposed they had
hidden themselves.
There were, however, few places
in which to hide, and he soon came
to the conclusion that they had ,es-
capped through the window. He
looked out, and sure enough he saw
their fiuttering white garments
far down the path which led to
Knipindol. They had already a
good start, but Stanko, confident
that he would soon overtake them,
dashed on like race horse in pur-
suit
When the girls saw they were
being pursued they left the path
and climbed up the rocks to the
right, in the hope that they might
throw their pursuer off the trail.
Stanko, however, observed their
maneuvers and clambered quickly
after them. Suddenly the painting
maidens found themselves upon a
jutting cliff which reached out over
yawning abyss. To the right and
left were walls of perpendicular
rock; behind them was their enemy.
"If he comes step nearer we will
spring into the gulf" cried Kosara,
in despair to the approaching foe.
Horror stricken Stanko stood still.
Kosara's resolute manner left him
in no doubt as to the earnestness of
the threat. He had recourse to me-
gotiation and endeavored to pur-
suade the girls to return by fair
words and most solemn oaths.
Kosara was almost ready to give
faith to his assurances when in an
instant the whole situation was
changed. In the rear of Stanko a
group of Turks appeared on the
scene and charged upon him.
When the child had announced
the approach of the Turks she had
spoken the truth. She had left the
house to fetch help from the village,
which lay at some distance from
Minko's dwelling, but as she had
approached tho first house she per-
eeived to her alarm several Turks,
who were ill-treating the women
and children, the men having all
gone off to the attack. These Turks
belonged to the second division,
which had come upon Uvjece from
another direction and reached the
rear of the fighters. Several of the
Turks who saw Ljubica had follow
ed her home, where the arrived Just
after Stanko had left. Finding the
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