The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-10-12

ly, hung down upon his forehead. The
charmer turned to his visitor, looked in
her eyes and smiled. During this scene
she had neither spoken nor moved. She
still leaned forward with clasped hands
and gaze intent.
But as the spell of the incarnation sub
sided she drew deep breath, answered
his smile and murmured, "Yes, you have
conquered DEATH"
"You must often have seen stranger
sights in India" said he, carefully un.
winding the somnolent cobra from his
neck. "The masters of the art are there.
am an amateur only and self taught"
''Such power cannot be taught re.
piled the girl. "You were born Saprani's
master. and she recognizes you"
"But I can delegate the power" said
the other. "Saprani is the friend of all
who are friends to me-"
'Is she my friend?' asked the girl ina
low voice.
"That is known to you better than to
me-" was the reply.
She threw back her silken shawl, and
stretching out her firm round arm laid
her hand unhesitatingly upon Saprani's
folds as she lay in her masters arms.
But the queen of serpents was not SO
deep in slumber or in apathy as sLe
seemed. At the touch of that slender
hand strong quiver ran through her,
as a woman might shudder at the con.
tact of something she feared or hated.
But with Saprani to hate was to resent.
Swiftly as the eye could follow the move.
ment her black neck rose and drew back
and was launched forward again at Sin.
fires unprotected bosom.
But swifter yet was the movement of
the charmers hand, which caught the an
CRY cobra just below the head and with.
held the fatal stroke. The next moment
Saprani was in her cage, and the screen
Of glass had slid into its place. Then the
cfarmer returned to his visitor.
She had risen to her feet. AS he came
toward her she laughed lightly, but laid
her hand over her heart.
"You were not touched?' he asked
quickly.
"No, but in that moment made
long journey-away and back again.
Death is remote country-to be Sol near!
Well, Saprani does not seem to believe
in our friendship, Cousin Frank"
81 will not ask you to forgive her. I
need all your forgiveness for myself for
having exposed you to such a danger"
"You saved my life, and life is per-
haps the most formidable of dangers"
she replied, smiling again. ''But thank
you none the less. And Saprani is su-
perb creature. I bear her no grudge.
She ia iealo1a Of her master"
"She has shown that I am not her
master. shall not need the hint Sec
ond time"
"Perhaps she perceives some harm to
you in our acquaintance which you and
I are still unconscious of. They are mys-
terious beingstserpentsp
"Nothing but good can come from you
to me, Sinfire, though you are more
mysterious than Saprani."
"Imysterious? Oh, Cousin Frank, You
wish to make game of mel"
"You are q mystery from your name
onward" he repeated, taking her. hands
in his and looking in her eyes. "You are
no cousin Of mine. Your ancestors had
been civilized thousand years when
ours were eating shellfish and shooting
flint arrows on the lagoons of Europe. /
speak as scientific man, az an ethnolo-
gist and physiognomist. Sinfre, you
are gypsyW f. 4,
As he said the last words the man of
science felt the pulse leap in her deli
cate wrists. These organic symptoms
cannot easily be controlled, though, on
the other hand, nothing is easier than, to
misinterpret them. She instantly laughed
and said: 'You are wizard! Ihave al
ways thought there must be Romany
blood in me. And can tell fortunes"
There was no tremor in her voice, nor
did the color deepen in her cheeks But
the wizard resolved to try his luck once
more. 81,
"My brother knows more about gyp-
sizes than I do, = he said. ..He once lived
among them for several months. If you
are interested in them, You might learn
much from him."
"He has lived among themi" she ex-
claimed. "He never told me 90. And I,
thought" she added, with what seemed
the Eghtest intonation Of irony, "that he
had told me all he knew" :
Poor John! This did not promise well
for the chances of Sinire becoming Mrs.
Mainwaring. But this assurance that
wealth and ambition were not what Sim
fire sought only tended to substantiate
the theory that was doubtfully taking
form in the wizard mind. Henow pro-
ceeded to spring his trap, perceiving that
he should take her wholly at unawares.
'We are not speaking of the same per-
son" he said. II expect him here in
few days"
"You expect-whom?"
"My brother, Henry Mainwaring."
"Ah!" said Sinfire in low tone. But
her hands turned cold and slipped from
her companions clasp.
After all, am still in doubt. But
henceforth who shall dare affirm that
DR.. Frank Mainwaring is not romantic?
To be continued.