Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-01

of fresh complexion, the corollary of
light step, the physical concomitant of
swelling pulses and Gnstrained sinews?"
Keyork Arabian laughed softly. Unorna
was grave and looked up into his face, rest
ing her chin upon her hand.
f'Have you ever loved that you should
talk like that?" she asked. Returned upon
her almost fercely.
'Loved? Yes, as you can never love-
Ah, child That you should ask that, with
your angels face, when am in hell for
you'll When 1 would give my body to death
and my soul to darkness for touch of your
hand, for as much kindness and gentleness
in word from your dear lips az you give
the beggars in the street, When I would
tear out my heart with my hands to feel the
very dog that fawns on you-and who is
more to you than I, because he is yours, and
all that is yours 1 love, and worship. and
adoreP'
Unorna had looked up and smiled at first,
believing it was all but comedy, as he had
told her that it should be. But as he spoke,
and the strong words chased each other in
the torrent of his passionate speech, she was
startled and surprised. There was force
in his language, fiery energy in his look, a
ring of half-desperate hope in his deep voice,
which moved her to deep thoughts. His
face, too, was changed and ennobled. his
gestures larger, even his small stature
ceased, Tor once, to seem dwarfsh and gnome-
like.
"Keyork Arabian, is it possible that you
love me?" she cried, in her wonder.
possible? True? When I am gone
with the love of you in my heart, Unorna-
when they have buried the ugly old body
out of your sight, you will not even remem-
Der that / was once your companion, still
less that knelt before you; that l kissed
the ground on which you stood; that 1 loved
you as men loved whose hearts are breaking;
that touched the hem OF your garment and
was for one moment young-that besought
you to press my hand but once, with one
thought OF kindness, with one last and only
wore of human pity"
He broke off suddenly. and there was
tremor in his voice which lent intense ex-
preston to tie words He was kneeling
upon one knee beside Unorna, but between
her and the light. so that she saw his face
indistinctly. She could not but pity him.
She took his outstretched hand in hers.
"Poor KeyorkP' she said, very kindly and
gently. "How could I have ever guessed
all this?"
"Itwould have been exceedingly strange
il you had" answered Keyork, in a tone
that made her start.
Then magnificent peal of bass laughter
rolled through the room as the gnome sprang
suddenly to his feet.
did not warn you?" asked Keyork,
standing back and contemplating Unorna's
surprised face with delight. ''Did I not
tell you that I was going to make love to
you? That was old and hideous and had
everything against me? That it was all
comedy for your amusement? That there
was to be nothing but deception from begin
ming to end? That 1 was like decrepit owl
screechIng at the moon, and many other
things to similar effect?"
Unorna smiled somewhat thoughtfully.
You are the greatest of great actors, Ke-
york Arabian. There is something diaboi-
cal about you. I sometimes almost think
that you are the devil himself"
perhaps am, " suggested the little man,
cheerfully.
'Do you know that there is horror about
all this?' Unorna rose to her feet Her
smile had vanished, and she seemed to feel
cold.
As though nothing had happened, Keyork
began to make his daily examination of his
sleeping patient, applying his thermometer
to the body feeling the pulse. listening to
the beatings of the heart with his stetho-
scope, gently drawing down the lower lid of
one OF the eyes to observe the color of the
membrane, and, in word doing all those
things which he was accustomed to do under
the circumstance with a promptness and
briskuess which showed how little he feared
that the old man would awake under his
touch. He noted some of the results of his
observations in pocketbook. Unorna stood
still and watched him. -.ca-
"By all that is unholyl By Eblis, Ahriman
and the Three Black Angels! He is worse,
and there is no seeming. The heat is greater,
the pulse is weaker, the heart futters like
sick bird"
Unorna's face showed her anxiety.
81 am sorry," she said in low voice.
"Sorryi No doubt you are. 1t remains to
be seen whether your sorrow can be utilized
as simple. or macerated in tears to make
tonic, or sublimated to produce corrosive
which will destroy the canker, death. But
be sorry by all means. 1t occupies your
mind without disturbing me, or injuring
the patient. Be sure that if l can find an
active application for your sentiment will
give you the rare satisfaction of being use
full"
you have the art of being the most in
tolerably disagreeable of living men when
it pleases you..
"When you displease me, you should say.
1 warn YOU that If he dies-our friend here
1 will make further studies in the art of
being unbearable to you. You will GER
tainly be surprised by the result"
Nothing that you could say or do would
surprise me"
"Indeed? We shall see.'
81 will leave you to your studies, then. I
have been here too long as it is"
She moved and arranged the pillow under
the head of the sleeping giant. and adjusted
the folds of his robe. Her touch was tender
and skillful in spite of her illsuppressed anger.
Then she turned away and went toward the
door. Keyork Arabian watched her until her
hand was upon the latch. His sharp eyes
twinkled as though he expected something
amusing to occur.
"Unorna.' he saId suddenly, in an altered
voice. She stopped and looked back.
"Well?n
DO not be angry. Unorna. Do not go away
like this"
Unorna turned, almost fercely. and came
"Keyork Arabian, do you think you can play
upon me rs on an instrument? Do you suppose
that will come and go at your word like
child-or like dogf Do you think you can
taunu me at one moment fiatter me tile next.
and find nv humor always at your command?'
The gnome-like little man looked down. made
sort of inclination of his short body, and laid
his hand upon his heart.
II was never SO presumptive, my dear lady.
never had the least intention of taunting you,
as you express it, and as for your humor-can
you suppose that could expect to command
where 1t is only mine to obey?'
ut is of no use to talk in that way" said
Unorna, haughty. Il am not prepared to be
deceived by your comedy this time"
you. ask your pardon. Forgive the expression
for the sake of the meaning: the thuughtless
word for the sake of the unworded Thought"
"How cleverly you turn and twist both
thoughts and words?'
DO not be so unkind. dear friend"
"Unkind to you? l wish had the secret of
some unkindness that you should feer'
THE knowledge of what can feel is mine
aIone.n answered keyork with a tOnch of sad