Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1895-05-30

S1Dly OF EnSlanQs nome, ana beauty
Kaki came to work as usual, and I
watched him as he set about his task.
Something peculiar in his manner
caused me to take more than ordinary
notice Of his proceedings. There was
no doubt that he seemed to be uncom-
monty perturbed in spirit, His heart
was clearly not in his work. Moving
about irresolutely, he appeared to be
incapable of fixing his attention for
long on anything. Then, for change,
he would fall into a brown-study, only
to wake up and glance about him with
a half-nervous, expectant air. And so
on.
If l was puzzled with Kaki's cratic
behavior was considerably more so
by the unexpected apparition, at one
of the entrances to the garden, of Zee
lab, the dusky belle of Accri I had
not seen that graceful little creature
for many months, and her presence
was a pleasing sight. Report had it
that she had sent to Krobo, the fetch
stronghold in the hills where all maid
ems Of marriageable age are sent for
the purpose of being subjected toIcer.
tain heathenish rites. However. that
may have been, there she was now as
comely as ever, attired in a simple ar.
rangement of blue bait, and looking
charmingly picturesque. Zeelah lin
gered awhile where she stood and then
passed in, walking with timid steps to
where Kaki, with his back turned to her,
was leaning over his rake, apparently
engrossed in one Of his brown studies.
He was not aware of her presence until
she was quite close to him. AS soon
as he looked up and was recognized it
seemed, from the disappointed express
sion but too plainly depicted on Zee
lah's face, that he was not the person
she expected to meet Making the
best of the situation, however, she
smiled, wished him good day and in
quired as to where she could find Sat-
too She had only just come in from
the hills, she said, in a low, soft voice,
and Leetlas, her guard, had allowed
her to stop at the castle to see her be-
trothed. Where was he? Did not Sat
too still work each day with Kaki?
There was not a little anxiety in Zee
labs tones as she put these questions.
Tell me-" she continued, ''Sattoo is
well?-nothing has happened to him?'
She saw that something was amiss,
and the suspense evidently wrung her
heart.
Kaki, as if unwilling to cause the
pain which he knew his announcement
would give, seemed to hesitate at first,
but then told her how Sattoo had sud
denly vanished, and no one knew what
had become of him. But he (Kaki)
knew-a statement that he conveyed
with wink and shake of the head
indicative of much wisdom-and since
Zeelah wished it, he would tell her. It
might be hard thing for her to bear,
but it was best that she should be told
it at once. Saftoo had forgotten her,
and was married to Dede, his cousin,
whom Zeelah knew. They lived in
Akin. 'But Manniko will tell thee all
about it," he added, ''for is it not the
Holy Father that l see coming towards
us?'
Entering at the northern gate while
Kaki was speaking, there then ap-
peared upon the scene the individual
in question, an arch priest in fetichism,
and parsonage not frequently seen in
public. He was most remarkable
looking figure. At first glance one
might be deceived into the belief that
he was not man but a woman-fat
and forty--though certainly not fair.
His waist was lost in another portion
of his body, and if he was not addicted
to the ways of the sybarite, his face
certainly libeled him. He wore no
covering on his head, and his wool,
which had been allowed to grow to un-
usual length, was twisted into plaits,
which, by dexterous arrangement on
the skull, resembled cluster Of inter-
twined snakes. There was cunning,
wicked look in his small, twinkling
eyes. His nose was broad and fat, his
mouth large, his lips thick and color
less. He waddled rather than walked.
Such was Manniko, who had the repu-
tation-not without good ground, l
fear-of being a singularly accom-
plished rascal. / felt convinced that
his presence in the garden BODIED no
good.
During the recital of Kaki's account
of Sattoo's taithlessness, Zeelah re-
manned speechless. 1t was six months
or more since she had seen or heard of
Sattoo, the seclusion of Krobo being
rigorous in the extreme; and, 10th as
she was to believe it, the thought
would assert itself that after all he
had forgotten her. 1t was a cruel
blow, and the heart of the little fragile
thing was split fairly in two.
Mannlko expressed no surprise at
seeing Zeelah. 1t was to be assumed
that he was fully informed of the
movement of every member of his
flock, and she belonged to it. On be-
ing appealed to by Kaki, he took up
the tale of Sattoos desertion and de-
livered himself of many pious refec-
tions on the subject of her happy es-
cape from such villain.
But Zeelah hardly heard She felt
benumbed, and all the light and joy
in her little world were extinguished.
Without vouchsafng a word, she
turned from the two men and moved
slowly away. But her strength failed
her, and, with eyes bedimmed, she sank
into the first seat that presented itself.
AS she sat there with bowed head and
broken heart, she might have been in
the tomb for any impression that her
could make upon her.
When she awoke from this state of
trance, she found Manniko standing
by her side.
"Biyo" (daughter), said he, ut is not
good for thee so to tearathy soul with
thoughts of Sattoo. He is bad man,
and made but pretense to love thee;
and when thou wentest to the hills he
married Dede; and have I not seen
them after the days toll, at sunset,
walking hand in hand, making great
love to each other? Think no more of
Sattoo, little Zeelab. I have plans for
thee that will make thee haapy."
what wouldst thou have me do,
e IL y =