San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-12-21

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madness III the man before him. He
found himself wondering what encour-
agement Unorna had given the seed
of passion that it should have grown
to such strength, and he traced the
madness back to the love, instead of
referring the love to the madness.
But he said nothing.
so she was born" continued KAT
ka, dreaming on. And nothing re-
sisted her. Neither man nor woman
nor child had any strength to oppose
against her magic. The wolf hounds
licked her feet, the wolves themselves
crouched fawning in her path. For
she is without fear-as she is without
mercy. Is that strange? What fear
can there be for her who has the magic
charm, who holds sleep in the one
hand and death in the other, and be-
tween whose brows is set the knowl-
edge of what shall be hereafter? Can
Que harm her? Has any one the
strength to harm her? Is there any
thing on earth which she covets and
which shall not be hers?"
Though his voice was almost as
soft as before, the evil smile flickered
again about his drawn lips as he
looked into Unorna's face. He Won
dered why she did not face him and
crush him, and force him to sleep
with her eyes as he knew she could
DO. But he himself was past fear.
He had suffered too much, and cared
not what CHANGED to him now. But
she should know that he knew all, If
he told her so with his latest breath.
Despair hal given him strange con-
trol of his anger and of his words,
and jealousy had taught him the art
of wounding swiftly, surely and with
light touch, This one chance Of
wounding was given to him, aud he
would use it to the utmost, with all
subtlety, with all cruelty, with all
determination to torture.
Whatsoever she covets is hers to
take. No one escapes the spell in the
end, no one resists the charm. And
yet it is written in the book of her
fate that she shall one day taste of
the OF fruit of ashes, and drink of the
bitter water. 1t is written that who
soever Stays with the sword shall die
by the sword also. She has killed with
love, and by love she shall perish. |
loved her once. l know what | am
saying"
Again he paused, lingering thought
fully upon the words. The Wanderer
glanced at Unorna, as though asking
her whether she should not put a sud-
| den end to the strange monologue.
She was pale and her eyes were
bright; but she shook her head.
Let him say what he will say"
she answered, taking the question as
though it had been spoken. LET
him say all he will. Perhaps it is the
last time"
Il will tell my story, not that any
one may judge between you and me.
I There is neither Judge nor justice for
| those who love in vain, So l loved
you. That is the whole story. Do
you understand me, sir! | loved this
woman, but she would not love me.
! That is all. And what of it; and
! what thenP Look at her and look at
me-the beginning and the end"
In a manner familiar to Orientals,
the unhappy man laid one finger upon
his own breast, and with the other
hand he pointed at Unorna's fair
young face.
She laughed in hard tone. But
Israel Kafka's eyes grew dark, and
the somber fire beamed in them as he
spoke again. The weary, tortured
smile left his wan lips and his pale
face grew stern.
Laugh, laugh, Unorna?" he cried.
you do not laugh alone. And yet
i love you still. And he who dies
for you, Unorna-of him you ask
nothing, save that he will crawl away
and die alone and not disturb your
delicate Life with such an unseemly
sight"
You talk of death, exclaimed
Unorna scOrniuliy. "You talk of
dying for me, because you are i'll to-
day. Tomorrow Keyork Arabian will
have cured you, and then, for aught
know, you will talk of killing me in
stead. This is child's talk-boy's
talk. Ii we are to listen to you, you
must be more eloquent. You must
give us such a tale of woe as shall
draw tears from our eyes and sobs
from our breasts-then we will APP
plaud you and let you go, That shall
be your reward"
The Wanderer glanced at her in
surprise. There was a bitterness in
her tone of which he had not believed
her soft voice capable.
care you mad, indeed?" asked the
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