The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-04-29
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE WASHINGTON D. g. THURSDAY

SIS not any or all this, ," said Aga Yusef, his
rising irritation at his rebuffs wearing away
the studied and seductive politeness he had
40 far maintained, "better than shaving away
thy young life for some dog Of an unbeliever
some landless bandit like thy betrothed,
who turks by day in the caverns Of Mount
Psilorati, and plumbers by night3 II it
not -
But his further speech was stayed by the
fiery outbursting Of Ida's long-restrained
temper She became flame Of wrath,
beautiful but terrible.
"Nay,' she said, and her voice, though ring
ing high, had still that perfect, flute. like
sweetness which always characterized 1t;
"nay thousand times to thee viper OF Islam,
and to thy masters before whom thou cring-
est, and whose vile work thou art swift TO
do. Nay, q thousand times nay, to thee and
them, from Retimo to Stamboul-irom Aga
to Padshah. Nay, though thy worshiped
Padishah, whose feet thou wOuldst De glad
to lick, vert monarch of 40 worlds such as
this and his sole Queen.
"Nay-forever nay Better thousand
times dinner Of black bread and olives in
the poorest hut in sterile, wind-scourged
Sphakia. with those of my own race and re-
ligion, than silks and slaves and the COM
piete luxury Of the world by the side of the
Arch Enemy of the Virgin and Of God. l
will die here, but thou shalt die with me,
foul abdnctor of women. Not another
weeping wife or maiden shalt thou drag
from her home to pollution and perversiOn."
One swift, fash-like step, and she had
snatched tho heavy knife from her fathers
belt, and struck full at the Aga's heart.
Ibrahim was used to scenes like this, and
prepared for them. He had slipped un-
noticed behind her as she spoke, and with a
cat-like spring he caught her arms, but not
qnck enough to prevent the. knife's keen
point reaching through Yusefs embroidered
vest to his flesh, and cutting cash over his
heart.
The kavasses felt they must show their
interest and zeal. A scimeter flashed in the
air and Papa Demetrios fell to the floor.
Another kayass knocked Kallimakis down
with his heavy horse-pistol.
at is not deep cut-did not touch the
RIBS said Aga Yusef, with returning COM
posure, as he examined his hurt, and stanched
the blood with his handkerchief "Ibrahim,
thou vert slower than wont, but never did
see ANYTHING so quick. Before Allah, she ls
swifter than bird upon the wing. BE as
gentle as possible with her, 1brahim. We
must not spoil the bulbups plumage by
rough handling. AS for the men, ye kavasses
can do as ye like Bring all that lives on
the place and all that is of worth away with
MS. The men shall be disposed of as pleases
the Pasha. The rest is our spoil"
1t was fl We long hours from Basil Kanaris's
mill to Marcus Kallimakis's farm, even for
such swift walkers as the Sphakiot mount
aineers.
Though they swept along the rough, stony
roads, over the torn gulles and the rugged
hilltops with the tireless sinews of the ibex
of their mountains, which they were used TO
chasing, it seemed to Basil Kanaris's impa-
tient heart that they moved like snails. He
was far in advance even of his cousin Nike
las, straining his eyes constantly for the first
sight of the Kallimakis farm, or for some
sign Of the fate of its people.
Against hope he kept hoping that Ida and
her father, alarmed by impending danger,
whatever it was, had left the farm and
started toward him, and that he might meet
them somewhere on the way. He ran up
every hill in the hopes that from its crest he
might catch sight of the loved ones in the
valley below, and he looked longingly at
every grove of olives for them to emerge