People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-04-06

4O4eiHCSo eldb hSlL DSCdIuS MS Eduu
stature and characteristic face.
How came he to your country"
! asked curiouslv.
He was wrecked with some others
on our Shore" said the Syrian,
starving and in rags, and / took
pity on him and employed him as a
shepherd. He was quick at picking
up our tongue, and the life suited
him, he became industrious and ava
riciOus and one day | saw by acct
dent in his hut picture of woman
so beautiful that it set my heart on
fire, and he told me that she was his
sister, and as good as she was beau
tlful.
He drew from his breast a silver
lOcket and showed me the face with
in. 1t had been taken at Plymouth
and was very beautiful.
81 struggled and fought against
such folly, but my peace was gone,
and took no pleasure in my AOcks
and herds, and at last | said to him,
GO home to your sister, tell her that
if she will be my wife, ! will make
her a good husband, and to you-to
you | will give the post of chief
shepherd. >"
You took her consent for
granted" said. "but woman usu-
ally has some voice in the matter !"
Seth said she would be
| quite willing" said the Syrian calm
/ ly, land sent her a noble marriage
gift by him of a hundred golden
pieces; he said that like all women.
/ she lOveo money, and even if she had
another love that would decide her. p"
So here was the secret Of the mon
ey found in Seth's belt, truly the
] rascal had been clever, for, failing
Judith's highly improbable return
with him to Syria, he possessed the
means of keeping himself in comfort
for years.
Where is that money now" said
the Syrian sharply.
Il don't know said.
The Syrian looked at me search
ingly as if to read my very thoughts,
and l gave him back gaze or fgaze.
"You are not deceiving me-" he
said; "she is not married."
no" | said truly enough. "she is
not married" For her prayer and
Stoves that they might be married
before her child was born, had been
I refused on the ground that the church
could not sanctify union that she
had committed a crime TO bring
about
"A look Of intense relief, exultant
even. crossed his features.
Il was beginning to fear" lie said,
that the man had fooled me,-but he
is dead and ! have wronged him.
When shall ! see herr"
You shall see her." / said, "but
not yet She is away at considera-
bic distance from this place, and she
must be prepared for your visit"
The Syrian chaied visibly. but
soon displayed the self-control upon
which | could see he prided himself.
Meanwhile" said, remain here
as my guest, the place, such as it is,
and all IN it is at your service"
He thanked me civilly enough, and
then proceeded to get out food and
wine; which set before him. He
did not touch the latter, but asked
for milk and | observed that he ate
much butter and cheese, but scarcely
any meat.
/ Apparently half asleep in my chair,
| watched him closely. but found
nothing to crafty my curiosity. unit
the meal was done, when he drew
from his pocket a small horn box
shook some OF its contents (Which
could not see) into the palm of hi:
hand and rapidly swallowed it.
Whatever it may have been. i
brought to his face much the same
satisfied expression as that worn by
the dram-drinker whose craving i,
for the moment appeased, and wher
he sat down opposite me, ] felt hal
inclined to ask him what his secre
refresher was.
But as self-constituted host haC
some duties to perform. and when
had improvised a rude bed for him
and removed the plates and dishes,
found the Syrian, accustomed Il
his early hours and early rising
halfasleep by the fire, and considera
bly, to my Disappointment, he shortly
after disrobed and turned in.
Sitting over my solitary pipe ant
the coffee | presently prepared.
had ample leisure to consider tn,
strangeness Of the mans unexpected
arrival, but in no way could | per
ceive that he would influence Judith
fate one jot.
Why, then, had I pressed hospital
ity upon him. and after com
hitting myself to lie tina
he would, in all probability
speedily discover, saddle mysel
day and night with a man who coult
at best be but an irksome companion
to me?
| cannot tell. save that | chung {,
straws and if Judith's wild assertion
that Seth Treloar killed himself
were true, then this man, who hat