The herald., 1895-01-01

There was q great fire and the odor OF
good food. They who had made the
camp, pity ing tbs invalid, gave her to
eat and made for her bed OF little
branches of the short.leaved mountain
pine; and on that scented couch, under
the cool sky whsrefrom fell no dew, the
invalid slept we'll.
Il will seek q fiat place little be.
yond," said the artist, ''and having un.
packed these tired bsGsts will come
back and pass the night here"
He went little way down the mount
ain on that side away from the city, !and
tied the burros to trees, with an axe.
new ground. soon undoing all the intri-
cacies OF the diamond hitch.
But burro is never too tired to 20
too far or in the wrong direction. One
broke away and went crashing through
a thicket where no path was. and the
girl, who had followed to offer help,
heard. as after that escaping burro went
the artist.I
The trees wers many and OF thick
foliage and the moon shone not often
from behind black clouds. Brambles
and loose boulders beset the way, and
the artist scramb bled forward with labor
and with pain. He went far, finding
AOthink Dub tuo bI0ou NAu tho AOJA1 OA
the mountain side, hearing no sound
save that OF his own making, yet press
ing ON until, stumbling over a rock, he
fell and most grievously bumped his
head against q tree. Thereupon the
artist became as othor meu; and he
swore, even one of those unwieldy, nine
cornered oaths wherewith in old timea
were wont adequately to express them
aelves the men OF the army In Flanders.
The clouds drifted across the sky and
the white moonlight STRAINED down into
the gorge. Before the artist, not one
long pace from him, stood the girl. Her
bright hair, unbound, fell about her
face and ner boaom roso and fell with
her quick breathing; and she laughed
aloud, 80 that the rocks and trees and
the tar off walls of the gorge echoed
back the music of her voice. Then she
became silent and her face very grave,
yet very sweet. The artist forgot the
calm eyes of the woman with white
throat nor RENE m bered the fatigue of
the day and ths pain OF his bruises. He
took one step nearer to her who stood
before him. Their faces touched. aud
the srtiet kissed the lips OF the girl. she
masking no resistance.
The black cloud. hid the moon, and
from below came up sounds aa OF
demons in sgony. But the artist
laughed, knowing it to be the voice OF
the burro, mourning because he WAS
stuck fast between two trees growing
near together.
On the morrow, and on other davs
the artist labored diligently and with
skill. making a camp wherein the in
valid and the girl might find comfort.
When, thereafter, the artist turned his
face toward the city. tho girl walked
with him to the top Of the mountain.
The pale moon glided among the clouds
and fiery Mars cleaned red 10 the
southern sky. The soul OF the gil
snone in her blue eyes as gravely ana
with lingering tenderness she kissed the
artists lips.
That man went down into the city
and to to the house whore the woman
with white throat and the baby with
wrinklsd wrists waited for his coming,
giving him welcome when he came. He
painted and the picsures were good
many bought, giving to the artist
shekels of silver and OF gold.
"Lo." said the woman with white
throat. "the cruise is no longer empty OF
oil and the cheat is fall OF msal;" and
she laughed for joy.
Then the artist, with some shame.
face iness, told that the girl had kisaed
his lips.
And the woman with white throat
laughed, not loudly, but with great joy
for the artist WAS her brother, and she
loved him we'll