Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-01-28

| Meanwhile, he anticipated being
stopped by the officers Of customs, foi
his passport, which was in readiness
but none appeared, and they kept on
| An hours further travel brought then
to the great rock. The picturesquenes.
of the scene pleased Meryon's artist eye
The rock was of roughly conicaI
shape, about hundred feet high. Il
| stood in the midst of barren plain
but around it, their roots nourished by
the waters of spring which bnbbled
from the ground and filed wide
stone basin, was grove of tall palms
and great hemispherical mangos. All
was silent and deserted in the silent
moonlight. In the base of the rock
was a narrow opening leading to a
small cave or cell, formerly, according
| to tradition, occupied by saint and
| hermit of supernatural powers. Meryon
| looked into 1t, and saw space about
| eight feet in diameter, hewn ont of the
solid rock. by heaping a few loose
powders at the entrance it might be
made dungeon more secure than a
chamber in a New York safe-deposit
| company's vault.
The animals were watered and fc5.
The camcls squattcd down in their
| usual absurd fashion. with their lees
curlcd under them and their noses on q
parallel with the horizon. The drivers
curlcd up beside them and promptly
went to sleep. Meryon did not feel
sleepy. He wandered about, thinking
over what had happened, and speculat-
ing rs to might be to come.
1t was like a mixture Of the Arabian
Nights and a comic opera at the Casino
this prcdicament into which his artis-
tic and susceptible temperament and
devil-may-carc habit had brought him.
No douht his mother-wit and audacitv
had that day saved his neck. but only
70 put it in yet graver jeopardy Again.
supposing all to turn ont well. what
sort Of figure would his oriental bride
cut in the drawing-rooms Of the -Four
Hundred, and al Newport, Lenox and
Bar Iiarbor?
she'll cut swathe-that's what
she'll do said he to himself, with d
chucl;le. But the chucllle died away.
How about his being hanged fer a spy?
Would Ebal succeed in bringing ler
tonight? The lover hoped ardentl7
that he would: then the man of the
world took hand, and hoped be would
not. The adventure was as near being
desperate as il could BE-, already; witt,
her to take care of, il would lap over
about ninety per cent. on the wrong
side. No; the princess was safest in
her own harem for the present.
The moon mounted to the apex of the
dome Of heaven. In another hour O,
5wo dawn would begin. It becarne
2hilly. The stiffness was broken only
by the low gurgling of the spring. a
sigh from the camels. or the sound OF
the horse cropping the heritage. The
artist thought he would turn ii for an
hours nap. Hark.
a noise like 4 faint pu'sation, far of.
It grew stronger, but he could not yet
fix its direction. 1t came nearer. i
was approaching from the city. A
horse-a single horse; Ebal, alone; he
had not brought Terah. "Confound
him" muttered the lover. "a good
thing. too.H retortcd The same person.
The horsaman, whoever Lc was, now
came up rapidly; yet IN that strange
light. il was difficult t5 distinguish linn
~ times he utterly vanished, like
phantom; then he reappcarod, shadow.
like; but each time nearer. All at once,
Is il We're, mp he rode in flesh and
blood Yes, il was Ebal
well. my hoy, So yon didn't ret
hcr?" said Mcryon, stopping up. Ebal
was evidently much exhausted; he
reelcd III the saddle. and would have
iumbled of if Meryon ha1 not caught
him, why, you poor little kid" nut
tered he. co1np2ssionatcly.
Then he gave sudden start. and
stared in tie youths face. Ebars SCOT
blacl; hair, his eyes and features: bat
this supple young body which his arms
held was the body not of boy, but Of
girl! He almost dropped her in aston
jshment.
"Torah! What, Terah? Well by the
great horn spoon. Why, you cunning
little Sweetness" Hero he kissed her.
"Tucl5ered out eli? ] should thinl, she
might! And all sole alone. What be-
came of Ebal?"
The princess was nearly at the end
Of her tcthcr. Being an oriental, she
did not faint; that art is little under
stood in the cast. But She rested in her
lovers arms like a little sack Of soft
peaches, and did not in the least resent
his demonstrations Of affection.
Light Of my soul" She murmured,
"am | safe? Oh, | am so thirstv-and
hungry! Oh, such q ride, That hard
saddle can hardly move my legs
Are we alone? It's so strange being
without a veil, These mems clothes
how must look
Meryon set her down on pile Of rugs
beside the spring. He got n bottle Of
wine and some food, and made her as
comfortable as he could. "You look
like an angel" he said; though not
like male one, in spite of that rig.
You're feminine, my dear, inside and
ont. Luckily that Arab streak in YOU
wherever You got it-Ebal has It. too
keeps you from being so plump as most
of 'em; and that burnors doesn't tell
much: still, the sex is written ell over
,-o,, on1 yt,boavpr fal-ac y-o,, fC,- a l,o,-