Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-11-20

DF1Uge the Ola woman stopped ana LOOk
from her pocket a thick handkerchief,
which she proceeded very deftly to bind
over my eyes. | could see no longer.
Then she grasped M hand and L al
lowed her to lead me. By the increased
GOODNESS of the air | conjectured that we
were crossing the river. In a few sec
onds the old woman turned to the right,
but we were not quitting the OF
the Zend-Dehroud. [ could hear its
turbulent waters rolling by and break
ing for an instant against the arches OF
the bridge. At last my guide paused,
q key grated, and in a whisper she SAID:
q up"
Five steps only, and then i felt that
my feet were pressing o SOFT, thick car
pet. At the same m she removed
the handkerchief. l found myself IN
a small room, dimly lighted by a copper
lamp. Incense was burning in a richly
chased censor resting upon a table OF
red and green mosaic, and hllng The
o with those Oriental odors which
intoXicate one like the fragrance OF old
wine. Against the walls, hung with
yellow cashmere, were musical lhStru-
ments, and here and there arms III the
midst Of pendant chains and necklaces.
From below came the dull and regular
%murmuring of the river. BY lifting a
little drapery from the window l saw
that the water touched the very walls
of the house. Almost Immediately |
heard a light rustling upon the carpet.
| turned.
1t was Nissa. I was transformed with
aStonishment. She could not have been
more thar II or IS. Her thick, dark
hair fell upon perfectly formed neck and
shoulders, and her face, slightly amber
in color. had all the changing lights OF
mother-of-pearl. But | was especially
struck by the strange contrast between
u I-h14o11nc Of hnp foot n
and the blackness of her eyes. The eye
lashes, the tips of the lids and her lips
were painted. She smiled as she gaZed
at me with her still and burning eyes.
| thought of the Aga's words, and said
to myself that this woman could not
easily be frightened. However, she took
my hand and made me sit upon the
divan.
MY husband has started for Tehe-
ram she said. and smiled.
Then she struck a little gong with
a copper rod, and coffee was brought in.
She began to talk rapidly, telling me
that her life was very dreary and that
she had been interested IN me at hrst
sight. l was beginning to lose my head,
when | heard a noise in the adjoining
room. In an instant she sprang up and
stood erect and trembling. Her welcome
and her sudden fear had followed each
other so rapidly that | had no time to
a~nalyze my feelings. She ran to the
wall. took down a end little dagger
and half concealed it in her sleeve. She
then turned to me, and, with an emphatic
gesture. said: ''IVait!!'' Then she van
ished behind the heavy hangings.
A vague fear stole over me. ] re-
called the Aga's warnings. Possibly L
had been imprudent. Suddenly / again
heard a noise in the next ROOM; there
were sounds of voices, then a short strug-
gle, at last silence. At once the drapery
was pushed aside and Nissa ~reappeared.
She was very pale-as pale as the pearls
upon her neck.
She half leaned against the wall, look
ing like q White statue against the back
ground of yellow drapery. She was still
smiling, and in her smile revealing teeth
as sharp as those of a young wolf. She
took a few steps into the room. Her
knife and hands were red.
Great God! What has happened?'
I exclaimed.
Nothing" she replied.
She tossed the dagger into a corner,
and, with perfect calmness, said:
ct was my husband. He would have
killed us. | preferred to anticipate him.
Come, help me throw his body into the
water"
[ remained motionless, gazing at her in
establishment. Then she fixed her eyes
upon me, with an expression of complete
contempt, and, in a tone l shall never
forget, said:
"Oh, these Frankish dogs! What
nervousness"
She shrugged her shoulders and called
a maid. whom she commanded to open
the window. Then, as if they were do
ing the most ordinary of acts, they lifted
the body and dropped it into the river.
The adventure was becoming too Orien-
tai for me. | confess that | was seized
III ~ ITT.+1o13+ -ro 4,,1o
longer, [ ran away like a mailman.
Where [ went | have no idea. In ten
minutes I found myself in the city, and [
ran through the streets as If pursued by
a legion of devils. When | had reached
my apartments fastened myself In with
a double lock, cursing Nissa and all the
houris of the Orient
What a night! J. did not sleep till
morning. and then my sleep was like
lead. When [ awoke the sun was high
and streaming into my chamber. l was
completely unStrung. What would hap
pen? A man could not disappear with
out the laws taking cognizance of the
affair. Nissa had not even made an at
tempt at ~concealment. The servant had
seen and aided her. I should be imDli-
Gated, and at the very idea of being as
ISOLATED with a crime | felt my hair
standing on end with horror.
All that day | remained in the same
condition, keenly ANXIOUS, ana not GAR
ing to go out. The evening came, and
still l had formed no resolution, and no
news yet of Nissa. Had she been ar
rested? What had become of her? l
retired early, out could not sleep. On
the second day [ could endure it no long
er, and decided to see my friend the Aga.
| arrived at his palace about noon. !
was announced, and then entered. The
Aga was reclining upon a divan peace
fully smoking his chibOuk.
"Ah, it is you," he said, when he saw
me. Have you heard the neWs?o
1.-THE news-the news? No, II have
heard nothing"
You remember Astoulla, the rich mer-
chant, Nissa's husband, whom l told
you about?"
1t was all over, the crime was known.
l muttered an almost inaudible Yes"
The poor devil" continued the Aga;
my dear friend he has suddenly disap-
peared."
And the Aga looked at me intently. I
could bear it no longer. | was about to
confess everything when he said:
He was just setting out for Teheran.
And suddenly--vanished. Nothing has
been heard of him."
For tho second tiuoa tho A0a looked