Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-07-23

whispered, anu l6lb uIms
He went down the winding corridor.
He thought be heard the voice OF Amru
himself coming from the garden. de
drew back and stealthily crept Into the
adjacent passage. He moved into the
shadow of a doorway. There, indeed,
he heard two voices. They were the
voices Of Murad and RakiYah.
"There is risk Of failure" murmured
the lady.
"No. She will never handle ser
uept after tomorrow night. And II she
escaped this first ENHANCEMENT, her de-
structon is assured by another.
"How?"
mark me. This girl has been known
to declare that she will either Kill her
self or kill Amru rather than marry
him. Need Iremind you that 1t is your
custom TO mix each night draught for
the PashaP What better means OF dis
arming the distrust of the girl and OF
proving your humility TO Amru than by
deputing your cherished function to
Miriam? Tomorrow night let her mix
the drink. l shall take it from her be-
hind the scenes. I shall convey it TO
Amru. And IL, after the cup has
passed through my hands, the Pasha
survives the drinking Of the contents
two minutes, give you free power over
my own life."
"You will not shrink from thisP"
Have you known me in times past
to shrink from anything, however dark
and desperate?"
you are faithful, Murad."
81 think so. When danger comes to
you / shall share it. When the mo-
meAt Of your death is II hand the knell
OF mine also shall have sounded. To
conclude, then, should she elude the
embraces OF the tremendous playfelloW
we design for her, she is confronted
with a fatal alternative. The drink
prepared by her hands will destroy Am
ru. She will be arrested. Her previ-
Gus declaration will stand forth against
her to prove that she is deliberate as
sassin. She shall die, and thus again
are you freed from both your wrong
ers."
"YOu attend on me with my SER
peuts?"
Yes"
"Her own father is her attendant.
az shall eircumvent him. shall con-
trive to divert his attention for a few
seconds. In those few seconds the SER
penis can be changed"
Osman heard no more. He stole
away with CHASTITY face and disordered
steps, and at length departed unseen.
Before evening he had interviews with
Miriam and her father. And heidi not
sleep that night.
The evening Of the entertainment
came on. At the end of the great gar
den Of Amru's house was q screened-otr
platform, in front Of which the specJa-
tors were congregated in q crescent.
The screen was thrust apart, and ten
glass cases with brazen fittings were
seen ranged five on each side OF
the stage. There was the
sound Of gong from behind the plat
form, aud Miriam assembled. She was
covered with golden armlets and brace
lets and necklets. Her father tall,
strong man, who had entered behind
her, raised the lids Of the cases to the
left. And one after another the silent
glistening snakes came forth and swarm
ed about the beautiful girl. The stage
was lit up by the electric light. Miriam
was accompanied by a weird, barbaric,
strangely seductive music. The small
serpeuts glided amorously around her
body and arms and neck, and curled
above her head In marvellous convultlons
yet never disturbing the adornments
which so much resembled themselves
while she executed a won
drous ethereal dance. 1t was rare
spectacle, rarer still from the almost
overwhelming grandeur Of its environ
ment. The girl, with her superb face
and figure and limbs, with her great
black eyes outdazzling the blaze Of
gems aud glittering serpents and silver
lights Of which she was the centre; the
flower beds with their throng OF blooms
folded In gorgeous slumber on all sides;
the expanded heaven afame with innu-
merable stars; the moon rolling streams
OF pale spleudor on the immortal Pyra-
mids toward the West; the fiery and
sombre desert stretching into the i'm
measurable distance beyond-these
were surroundings which few spectators
could have regarded without certain
sense ofawe. Miriam disappeared.
And now there entered a woman
wearing q crimson mask. The electric
light had been gradually lowered with
her advent, but the astounding wealth
OF diamonds and sapphires and rubies
worn by her seemed TO supersede the
necessity Of other light. With her
every movement q msny-colored fire
seemed to kindle and break out all over
her and TO grow more startling and
ghoStly from the framing of the dark
ened platform. This woman performed,
in the opinion of many, with a skill and
grace quite equal to Miriam's. The
Pasha, at least, seemed to think so; for
he sent a special message TO her behind
the scenes, whence she came, heavily
yelled, 10 receive what appeared to be
his congratulations. And during this
interlude the screen was lowered.
On 10 the platform thus concealed Mi
Rams father and Murad now came.
They removed the cases Of small snakes.
Then they rolled up with difficulty each
a case thrice as large as any yet seen.
Murad moved his case to the right; Mi
Rams father his To the left; and the
latter assistant, having done his work,
went unconcernedly away. Murad was
left alone. He looked on all sides. No
one was in view. He returned to the
cases, half lifted, half rolled that on the
left across to the right, that on the right
to the left; then be Quilted the plat
form, still with a complete absence Of
noise, and disappeared. The next mo-
ment man rose from amid some dra-
perry behind the stage. He crept over
to where stood the case to the left, and,
looking into it, started. Then he re-
transposed the cases with a promptitude
aud secrecy not inferior TO Murad's; and
in his turn vanished.
And now Miriam, acting by the in