The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-09

a hosrse glfaw and went back. Panayota
could not Tor the moment believe Il. She
feared that they were simply torturinR her,
mat they would turn back IN a moment and
almost TO stand. yet. not daring TO stop. She
waa passing. u row Of tiny houses, They were
square patches Of BLUSH gray and the doors
were long holes where the dark came through
Here was absolute silence, ~ though she were
in the city Of the dead and the walls Of the dwell
ingS were giant tOmhStone~ But hero M last
wa~ the house Of the light. panayota stood
on the opposite side of the road and looked into
a christian NJ last she cried Now God
he praised
~ chaiT~ aud q pair Of barangas; or platforms
Of plank on either side 81 the fireplace But
the wall hung an nikon OF the dear. blessed
Virgin and upon a shelf beneath sat q tumbl"r
" olive oil. upon whose surface tOated a burn
ing wick. \ woman stood before the eikon
crossing herself r~hythmioally and praying with
u silent motion of The lips
But while Pans yOta stood in the door. before
she could open her mouth TO speak, her feet
ing Joy gave place 70 The old terror This was
TO take refuge and the Turks were Just behind
her and all around about.
Panayota seized the door jamb to keep her
sell from falling. and her head dropped against
her Hrm, , II, ..,a ,, No., r,,,,
Why do you not rInE The Turk! the Turks"
tn" woman looked around She was Young
ana cCnclv, with an oval face from which the
hlnck hair was neatly brushed back, low down
! over IN" ears, Her eyes were large lnnatur-
| Hly lHrg" and dark and there was IN them an
expression which aw"d panavotH. Their utter
i"arlrssn"7s was uncanny at such a time. and
back of it was a depth ~ accepted despair thar
has tasted all grief and hence knows no further
iear.
said the woman. Her voice was infinitely
calm u came into, Panayota's world Of FIRE.
massacre outrage, like a vote" from another
world or from The grave.
Then all at once Hight seemed to break in
upon Panayota's mind as She stood there be-
Ssh" is dazed with fear or some great mis-
fortune. she thought she IS losing, her
mind ana; sprlnginG forward, sh" sei7ed the
Como away sister the Turks the Turks
But the woman shook her IN and Shrunk
stretched arms and nplifted palms, saying
DO not touch me-
But the Turks are upon YOU
We who live in thiS village are not afraid
~ the Turks. Who come, here r ms a greater
danger ihqn that 81 IN" knife
yota turning her face toward the door and
Who could offer violence 10 q leper?"
" there j. any horror in a Crrtan girls mind
equal 20 that 81 diShonor II Is the horror Of let-
rosy. thn' hidcous sore on the body Of tho
loveliest siren isle that floats In any sea. pana-
vota In her vigorous and lfe-giving noun
tain home had heard leprosy spoken 81 a. q
curse Of God. She had always classcd II with
he ,p~lnishinents Of he'll. or something 10 be
Shuddered AZ even when mentioned. but the
possibility ~ coming In contact with IL had
never entered her mind.
She turned TO fee again into the darkness,
when she heard In the street, almost before the
door, the sound or footsteps, and husky. Earg-
ling voices talking Turkish Panayota sank
Ia tho floor senseless Two M%ahomet8n lepers,
who lived further dow the street, passed
because Aglain; stepping quietly over the
PROSTATE form. had closed the door
CHAPTER XXXvGi
Agl0la stood lTTaSOlutp, looking at tho woman
who Law a, quietly as though she were sleeping.
upon the, floor of hard beaten earth Her
first impulse was 10 pick her up aud drag her
10 one Of the platforms At III" fireplace, for
her heart forgot It's. own bitterness for the
moment. and was filed with pity for tho Chris
tian maiden who had taken refuge in her horrid
home
AZ last. for So 1t Is most frequently given and
SO she drew M a chair and lat watching
Panayota She old not have long 10 wait,
for the Young. vigorous constitution soon
asserted itself Panayota opened her eyes
and stared straight up at the ceiling then me
~murmuring, "Panayeia. save mel" She sat
up and lookct deep into AGlaia's large and
mourninl eyes The latter sali nothing, but
ton drawninRi in her guests countenanCe
DO not be so frightened, said Aglaia Il
will nor touch YOU nor come near You, and II IL
only by contact that ono catches the -leprosy.
And the Virgin will shield YOU
Panayota rose to her feet. She was a priests
daughter. and religion vas her ever present
comfort she has saved mo thus far in n
wonderful manner; she replied, and going
over TO the eikOn she prayed that the panayeia
would protect her from the horrible disease
and help her Ia escape TO tho mountains and
her own people. Aglaia brought bread from
"A closet, olives and cheese ana set them upon
NO" she said. eat and gain strength. and
We will devise some means for YOU 10 get aw ny
Panayota felt a. though the very food were
contaminated, bur she managed TO ear some
80 ,Aa lraah fttllipg YAnrSalS from tho IN Tor ipr
OF The loaf. Once again she heard voices from
without, and started from her seat, whispering:
Far nothiIg here. said ARlaia, in that
calm, uncaring voice. you are n safe here
as { you were in your grave safer. for the
Turks sometimes exhume the bones of Chris,
tians. but they never disturb ", We are all
dead in thiI village, dead to me. hate Of the
-ymrpatRy seemed a mockery in The face Of
such sorrow a: thi,s, She stepped TO The door
street. The lepers are not a gay folk, and sleep
Is TO then Gods greatest boon,
We do pot fear the Turk-.' she muttered.
NY God Suppose should catch it! ! must
get away from here"
Turning, she looked keenly AZ Aglaia, who
sat with hands Claspad in her lap. rocking gen
But YOU do not seem to be sick. my sister.
VIII; Do you think you have lepro~y' Why
hriaia laughed bitterly. Rising. she struck
her left leg with her doubled fist, and stamped
Numb. numb" she said. No feeling.
Dead. am only one fourth rotten now, but
II will creep on. on, over my whole body. Come
here n few years from now. when ~ gets into
my face, and Won will know whether am II
leper or not
Panayota stood for u long time looking out
into the darkness. She was weary to very
faintnps-. hut II seemed safer 10 stand there.
leaning her face out into the night. breatllng
the cool air. Besides, she could not talk with
th's woman, She did not know what 10 say
IL. ..er. At last Aglaia spoke again.
Forgive me-" she said, with a sob in, her
voice. Il have no one to talk 10. and sit here
and brood over il. And IT will be for years for
wears But you must he very tired, and you
must rest so as TO 90 on with your journey;
Come and liz down on tho barangit7a. ! VIII
not como near yOn,
panayota lay down upon the hard planks
and made a pillow Of her arm
Il cannot Ohcr you the bed clothing, said
Aglaia 1T may not b. safe
So weary was Panayota that she dropped on
into n drowse, only to be awakened after a Few
moments by the sound of low sObbing Listen
ing, she heard the words.
"Oh my God. | am an %outcast, athing accursed!
| am poison to the touch HOLY virgin save
my children. save my little ones
Pnnayota sat mp on the bench.
&c" cannot sleep, sister Aglaia, she said Il
am 80 sorry for you II my father were here
he would know what to say 10 YOU lie was
killed by the Turks. am an orphan
She spoke Of her own gTief instinCtiNely,