Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-25


lately, but in tones long familiar to her in
dreams by day and night.
~ am he. am that love for whom you have
waited, you are that dear one whom have
sought throughout the world. The hour of
our joy has struck, the new life begins to-day,
and there shall be no end"
| Unorna's arms went out to grasp the shadow.
and she drew it to her in her fancy and kissed
| its radiant face.
ma peky vekuu! To ages of agesr' she
| cried. .-.------
Then she covered her eyes as though to i'm
| press the sight they had seen upon the mind
within, and, cropping blindly for her chair. sank
back into her seat, But the mechanical effort
] of will and memory could not preserve the
| image. In spite of all inward concentration of
thought, its coors faded. its outlines trembled,
| grew faint and vanished, and darkness was in
its place. Unorna's hand dropped to her side,
| and quick throb of pain stabbed her through
| and through, agonizing as the wound of blunt
and jagged knife, though it was gone almost
| before she knew where she had felt ii. Then
her eyes flashed with unlike fires the one dark
and passionate IS the light Of a black diamond,
the other keen and daring as the CLEAN of blue
| steel in the sun.
"Ah. but wilr' she exclaimed. "And what
/ will-shall be-"
AS though she were satisfied with the promise
| thus made to herself, she smiled, her eyelids
| dropped. the tension of her frame was relaxed
| and she sank again into the indolent attitude
| in which the Wanderer had found her. A mo-
ment later the distant door tnrned softly upon
its hinges and a light football broke the STILL
ness. There was no need for Unorna to speak
in order that the sound of her voice might
guide the newcomer to her retreat. The foot
steps approached swiftly and surely. young
man OF singular beauty came out Of the green
shadows and stood beside the chair in the open
space.
Unorna betrayed no surprise as she looked
up into her visitors face. She knew it well.
In form and feature the youth represented the
noblest type of the Hebrew race. 1t was I'M
possible To see him without thinking of young
eagle of the mountains. eager. swift. sure, in
stinct with elasticity, far-sghted and untiriHg.
strong 20 grasp and to hold. beautiful with the
glossy and unruff1ed beauty Of a plumaGe con-
tinually smoothed in the sweep and the rush of
high, bright air. ..tst
Israel Kafka stood still, gazing down upon
the woman he loved, and drawing his breath
eyes devoured every detail of the sight before
him, while the dark blood rose in his lean,
olive cheek, and the veins of his temples
swelled with the beating OF hts quickened
pulse.
"WellY' sr..,s
The SINGLE Indifferent word received the
value of longer speech from the tone in which
it was uttered. and from the look and gesture
which accompanied it, Unorna's. voice was
gentle. SOFT, half-indolent Embarrassing. half
cxpectant and halt-careless. There was some-
thing almost insolent i'll its assumption of supe-
riority, which was borne out by the little defiant
tapping of two long, white fingers upon the
arm Of the carved chair. And yet. with the
rising infection of the monOsyllable there
went rising of the brows, a sidelong glance of
the eyes, slowly wreathing smile that curved
the fresh lips just enough to unmask two per-
feet teeth, all OF which lent to the voice mean.
ing, q familiarity, plant possibility of favor
able Interpretation lit rather to fatter q hope
than to chill a passion. .-.-5-5 ~.--
The blood beat more iercely in the young
mans veins, his black eyes cleaned yet more
brightly, his pale, highcurved nostrils quivered
at every breath be drew. The throbbings of
his heart unseated his thoughts and strongly
Under an irresistible impulse he fell upon his
knees before Unorna, covering her marble hand
with all his lean, dark fingers and pressing his
forehead upon them as though be had found
and grasped all that could be dear TO him in
life.
"Unorna! My golden Unornar' he cried. as
he knelt.
Unorna looked down upon his bent head. The
smile faded from her face. and for moment
look of hardness fingered there, which gave
way to an expression of pain and regret As
though collecting her thoughts she closed her
eyes, as she tried to draw back her hand; then
as he held it STILL she leaned back and spoke to
him.
You have not understood me-" she said, as
The strong fingers were not lifted from hers
but the white face, now boodess and trans
parent, was raised to hers, and look OF such
fear as she had never dreamed of was in the
WIDE black eyes. .r.. s-.
"Not-understood r. he repeated in startled,
broken tones
Unorna sighed, and turned away, for the sight
hurt her and accused her.
mo. you have not understood. ID it my
fault? Israel kafka, that hand is not yours to
hold"
Not miner Unornar' Yet he could not
quite believe what she said.
II am in earnest" she answered. not with
out a lingering tenderness in the intonation.
DO you think am iesting with you or with
myself" -.
Neither of the two stirred during the silence
which followed. Unorna sat quite still, staring
hAedly into III the green shadows OF the foliage.
upon her. Israel Kafka still knelt beside her,
motionless and hardly breathing, like q danger
Gus wild animal, startled by an unexpected
act Of springing, whether backward in flight or
forward in the teeth of the foe, it is not possi-
bic to guess.
Il have been mistaken" Unorna continued
at last "Forgive-forget-"
Israel Kafka rose to his feet and drew back
step from her side. All his movements were
smooth and graceful The perfect man is most
beautiful in motion, the perfect woman in re-
pose. .
How easy 1t is for your exclaimed the
Moravian. How easyi How simplel You
me. and kneel before you. You sigh. and
speak words of love. You lift your hand, and
crouch at your feet. You frown-and 1
humbly leave you. How easyr'
You are wrong, and you speak foolishIy.
You are angry. and you do not weigh your
words" -
Angry! What have to do with so common
a madness as anger? l am more than angry.
Do you think that because have submitted to
the veerlng gusts of your good and evil hu-
mors these many months, i have lost all con-
scousness of myself? Do you think that you
can blow upon me as upon a feather. from east
and west from north and south, holly or coldly,
as your unstable nature moves you? Have
you promised me nothing? Haze you given
me no hope? Have you said and done nothing
whereby you are bound? Or can no pledge
bind you. no promise lind foothold in your
slippery memory no word OF yours have mean
ing for those who hear itT'
off therr nj adj
answered Unorna in harder tone E'The only
hope have ever extended to you was this,
that would one day answer you plainly. l
have done SO. You are not satisfied. Is there
anything more to be said? 1 do not bid you
leave my house forever, any more than mean
to drive YOU from my friendship"
From your friendship. All, 1:thank you,
Unorna. most humby thank you'll For the
mercy you extend in allowing me to linger near
you. / am grateful! Your friend, you say?
Ay, truly, your friend and servant, your servant
and your slave, your slave and your dog. Is the
friend impatient and dissatisfied with his LOTT
A soft word shall turn away his anger. Is the
soon teach hm his duty. Is the slave diSo-
bedient? Blows will cure him OF his faults.
Does your dog fawn upon you too familiarly?
Thrust him from you with your foot and he will
cringe and cover till you smile again. Your
triendshIp-I have no words for thanksr'
Take it, or take it not-as you will.n Unorna
glanced at his angry face and quickly looked
away.
Take it7 Yes, and more too, whether you
will give it or not'' answered Israel Kafka
moving nearer to her. Yes. Whether You
will or whether you will not-I will! have all,
your friendship. your love, your. life, your
breath your soul-all or nothingp''
You wise to suggest the latter alter
native as a possibility" said Unorna, coldly,
and not needing his approach.
The young man stood still, and folded his
arms. The color had returned to his face. and
q deep flush was rising under his olive skin.
"po you mean what you say?" he asked
slowly. do you mean that shall have not
all but nothing7 Do you still dare to mean