The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-04-21

ihe returned and handed me a very rare
and richly illuminated Hafz. l saw at
Dnce its value to a bookworm.
"'Pekker l said, which is the Persian
word for admiration. What do you
want
'She looked at the Abyssinian and said
something in Persian.
Sell he said, looking at me-.
Frank:
"That is the name applied in the cas- to
the people from western Europe.
American I said.
II found he was familiar with English,
and we kept up a running conversation.
She was on the alert and was watching
me when she was not watching the Abys.
sinian. We spoke to each other through
the interpreter. She wanted money for
the book and evidently had some idea of
its value.
"'Tell her that if she unveils I'll buy
| boldly said. He hesitated, then told her
what I had said. saw her tremble for
a moment; then she threw aside her veil.
I stood spellbound. her face was so strik.
ingly handsome, tinged with the healthy
hues of youth and sparkling with vivac-
ity. She saw the admiration in my eyes,.
and a like expression filled her own.
There was a tender, yearning look back
of them which gave me to understand
that she had conceived a violent affection
for me. At least that was the construc-
ton which l placed upon it. l felt Ey
pulse throb. Whittier would it all lead?
Suddenly there was u nolse LII the cor.
ridor outside. Sho swiftly replaced the
veil, and a low exclamation of alarm
broke from her lips. She closed her hands
tightly to keep them from trembling.
SEQ! said the A~byssinian slave. a pal
lor in his dusky face.
"He pointed to the heavy ~hangings be-
yond. | parted them, passed through
several dim, magnificently furnished
rooms and found my way at last into a
secluded corner. was foolish enough
to continue to run, and thereby attracted
the attention of some attendants, who,
seeing ! was a foreigner, started in pur-
suit of me-. l leaped the wall, alluded
them in the wild shrubbery outside and
reached the bank of the river.
Il found there a small caique or barge,
which | showed out into the current and
then hid myself behind the boathouse.
Two fierce looking Turks suddenly ap-
peared. They thought that I was in the
boat under the canopy, too exhausted to
use the oars. They plunged into the wa
ter and swan toward the caique. That
was just what l thought they would do.
l crept back into the shrubbery and safe
ly reached my quarters i'll the heart of the
city. Whether an irate father or a jeal-
Gus husband had unexpectedly returned
| never knew. was sure, though, that
both of our lives would have been forfeit
ed. I'll never forget that fascinating face
and the alarm which urged me away"
What construction did you place upon
the occurrence?" | asked.
None that ever satisfied me" replied
my friend. Thine and again have /
been astonished at my foolhardiness,
though impetuous youth never counts
the risks. The powerful Abyssinian slave
could have killed me at any time. The
woman may have meant me well-may
have been ready to die under a suddenly
conceived passion for me-or she may
have been cruelty leading me on to de-
struction. Perhaps she wanted to sell
me the Hafz, and that was all. The
footsteps in the corridor may have been
my salvation"
You never saw her afterward?" I
asked.
No. was afraid to look for her. l
was afraid Of her and Of myself. was
cured Of my folly and left for Smyrna
the next day."
And the Hafiz?'
Il had it in my hand when ran away.
That is it. 1t is worth $1,000 to an anti
quarian. | would not take $4,000 for
it."-New York Mercury.