Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-04-23


avoidance of him at last became SO
utter that even Scott was moved to
pity. The disconsolate lover tried
all in vain to have a word with the
girl. She deftly thwarted his clum-
sy masculine plans until be became
well nigh desperate.
One evening when this condition
of things had gone on fer several
weeks, the two men were smoking
in the little front room of the inn.
The village had been quiet for some
time when they heard light foot
step and caught a glimpse of Hell.
lene as she slipped quickly out from
a side door into the moonlit street.
Lyle rose with look of grim de.
termination on his face ard follow
ed her. In a moment he vas at her
| side. "Hellene,' he said, tscan't
walk with YOU have wanted to
speak with you about something for
long time."
She made him no answer and they
walked on in silence together.
The road led past the last scatter
tering houses of the village, along
tho baply IF fbo etrao,,, Il 80. l,or
dered by gnarled old olive trees
through whose branches mosaic of
| light and shade filtered from The
moon to the ground. A sleepy
ourgle came now ard then from the
stream near by.
Lyle stopped took Hellene's hand
in his OWE, and said (:
HELENE, you must know what l
want to tell you. You know that
l love you better than life. Don't
you see you've been killing me by
inches Of late Why do you shun
ana AVOID ne
The girls eyes were downcast for
a moment, and then be saw her bos-
ON heaye in quick sobs. Then she
raised her face to his, and there
were tears of great joy in her
glorious eyes. The lovers did not
see the crouching figure of the man,
which glided away from the wall
near by off into the placid night.
| The next day Scott was hard at
work all day on his notes. In the
early afternoon Lyle went alone to
visit distant part of the ruins,
where he was to obtain certain
measurements which he had for
| gotten. HELENE saw him pass from
the inn, and an expression Of sur
prised anxiety displaced the radi-
ance in her eyes.
Lyle proceeded to lonely spot
some two miles from the village, and
was bending over 10 examine a
broken fragment of rock, when he
was suddenly seized from behind by
a powerful hand, and hurled back
ward on the ground with such force
as to render him for moment I'M
conscious. When he opened his
eyes bis feet were tied, and his hands
securely pinioned behind his back.
Stephano was seated on rock near
by. The two men looked at each
other for a moment in silence.
Stepbano was calmly rolling cigar
cite in his tawny fingers, and q
mocking smile played about his
mouth. Lyle could not long control
his wrath. "You sneaking coward"
he cried, as this the way soldier
fights z"
Stephano regarded him moment,
then replied, and his voice was low
and melodious:
"You Americans have saying, /
believe, that all 10 fair in love and
war; You came and stole the heart
of my HELENE, the fairest girl in
Greece. Do you think you could
carry her off.so easily? All.Greece,
you know, once fought ten years for
one woman. You should have been
wiser. Now I'm going to cut the
artery in your arm with the dagger
| point here, and then / shall sit still
and sec you slowly bleed to death y
Lyle's anger burned within him
as he realized his own helplessness.
"What, you internal villain, do
you mean to murder me without a
chance to strike a blow? If you
have grain of manhood in you, set
me free and l will fight you in any
way you choose"
| "Control yourself, stranger" an
swered Stephano, with maddening
deliberation. "There is no need OF
such excitement. You have brought
this on yourself-you risked it and
lost. Now take the consequence
like man,
With careful precision Stephano
felt for the artery in the barred arm
of his victim. A quick stroke, and
Lyle felt the warm blood triekliDg
down over his tied hands. Stephano
seated himself opposite and spoke as
follows
| "Yes, this is an artistic way oil
dealing with au enemy-not a bung'
ling job Of a common assassination
This is the very luxury and refine
ment of revenge. Ali My fine
Paris, think of the HELENE you are
losingl Think OF those eyes
How they look at one. Think o