St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-01
DEAD TO HOME.

ceiling like serpent STRIVING FOR Mole,
the faces of the Hen Shone out in ghastly
lights and shades.
There were Arabs who had followed
Arab Pasha, Sepoys whose fathers had
been in the Indian mutiny, and white
men from all ends of the earth. When
the light from the lamps streamed upon
one side of mans face and left the
other black blank it was like yellow
specter. There were drunken mutter-
ings in all manner of tongues. When
men from the farther borders of tine
world come to Cairo and seek for amuse-
ment they must expect to find it
swarthy, evil-looking thing. Unless
they happen to stand in with the gentle
men who frequent the palaces. In that
case
They were making free space in the
middle of the room. and the eyes of the
men began to shine and their lips to
moisteil. Donald rockingham. who
was on his way back from Hong Kong,
wandered into this place because he had
seen a particularly notwithstanding Arab
enter, and had wanted to sketch the
mans face for picture he had IN hand.
When he found what kind of place he
had come to. be congratulated himself
and proceeded to enjoy the murkv color,
the evil language, the bad wine, just as
he invariably enjoyed every new ex-
perience that came in his way. When
the keen-eyed servants began arranging
the open space under the oil lamps Don
aid lit another Egyptian and waited, in
dolently, for what might come.
Into the dim, yellow light there came
presently six girls, with flames in their
eyes ana the quickness of fire in their
limbs, and began to dance. The Kohl
under their eyes accentuated the bright
ness of their pupils; the gauzy, scarf
like garments that tioated tempeStuOuSly
about their swaying forms enhanced
rather than hid the vOluptuOuS 1.-the
ness of their figures. They had strings
of coins about their Threats, their an
kIes, and their wrists; they flashed them
scornfully about, as if they hated the
half in shadow, half in light; now the
murky, unprecedented light hung just
over them and threw its color upon their
faces and now they danced all in dark
ness. naught save the chinking timbre
of their ornaments disclosing their pres
ence.
1t was in moments like these that ex-
CARNATIONS of approval came from the
OnlOokers, and orders went out for more
wine. Donald was viewing the grim
picture with something OF scorn sue
ceeding his first feeling of curiosity and
interest; his eyes were half-closed. He
was wondering in what strange, I'M
fathomaDle grooves the minds Of these
girls might be running; speculation
that has never anywhere, at any time,
been answered, that never will be an
SWered.
Into his thoughts came soft voice.
"This,' said the voice out of the dark
ness, 'is strange place to choose for
brown study" He started and looked
about. There was no one near who
looked the least like an Anglo-Saxon.
Besides it had surely been wOman's
voice. In front Of him the tinkle of
coins told him that one of the dancers
was Swaying in the dusk there. But
surely that was impossible, surely-no,
ne must have been dreaming.
A soft, perfumed strand of hair
whisked across his face, he felt the fiut-
ter Of feet close to him. Then ont of
the dimness he saw two eyes burning
into his, eyes that were promises Of
heaven. eyes that were mirrors Of his
own suddenly awakened wishes. He
heard the soft voice whispering again:
Il wear an amber bracelet" but when
he put out his hand. only little ripple
| of laughter came to him.
Now he fastened his eyes upon the
brightly lit middle space, and presently,
as some of the others danced into the
| farther dimneSS, he noticed that grim
ray of light was falling upon one girl,
| who Swayed and flashed about with the
| suppleness of half-tamed tiger, velvet
| footed, cruel-eyed, and wearing a circlet
| of amber ON her wrist. Donald peered
| fiercely at her. and then his senses
| for an instant waYered. The girl
was white. white as he him.
self. His eyes met hers and
the cruelness in hers suddenly spun into
| delicious invitations; he remembered
that the accent of that English-whisper
! ing voice had been as pure as his own;
horrible wonder as to how an English
| girl came to be there mingled with the
fascination IN which the girls dancing,
her voice, her face, her mystery envel-
oped his senses. Curiosity. the pre-
cursor of much earthly torment, was
awake in Donald.
| He flung her coin. She caught it
and smiled with her eyes. The smoke
| swallowed her up again. Some Of the
| girls were disappearing. Men went
away also. One greasy Arab poured
| handful of coins into one girls tam
| BOURNE and looked at her with heavy,
shaking eyes; they passed out together.
BY Donald's side there was again
whispering. Curiosity, is dear; will
you pay for the answer"
He caught hand that dropped warm
in the darkness. "Who in the name OF
| all that is wonderful are you, and
What?" he asked. The hand went up
to his mouth and pressed gently upon
his lips.
ut is not good to know things. 1t is
better to dream. But if you will
The stars that enviously eyed Cleo
patra were hanging in the blue canopy
like Chinese lanterns i'll a garden.
White outlines of minarets were pen
ciIed against the soft spaces of azure.
Domald's eyes held the picture lovingly.
II shall always remember Cairo" he
said softly.
Donald went through his old pastors
house with memories sDringing into be-
ing at every nook and corner. He was
full of EXPLANATIONS and pleasant chat
ter of long-ago days. The white-haired
rector smiled in that loving, indulgent
manner of his, replying to the younger
mans questions with a kind Of paternal
grace. charming pride in the house,
the place, its associations.
Before a miniature pastel portrait
Donald stopped and grew suddenly
afraid with terrible fear. But he
nerved his voice to evenneSs. THAT"
he said, looking at the old rector, lis
h'm, now, which of you is that? I've
been away so long really"
That is Rosa, our eldest daughter"
said the minister gravely. "She was a
child when you went away"
Those eyes! Where-Where had DON
aid seen them before? Those burning,