Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-08

get their good things In this lifetime.
Nov, goodbye. and God bless your
said Panayota.
why, where are you goingr' asked Pa
she Il not a leper." exclaimed Aglaia
she came to me last night for refuge. and
mot leper!" exclaimed the priest. Now
pray God that she has not caught IT."
| Christ and the virgin save me! Christ
and the virgin" cried Panayota. crossing
1 herself
"Amenl Amen!" said Aglaia- do not
even speak OF 1t. Papas-Spiro."
"Adto!' said Panayota, moving away.
"Adio. and God be with your The old
| priest with the bloated face and the white
| beard extended his hands.
Before you go. daughter" he said. take
| believes in the mercy Of God"
/ Panayota bowed her head.
| God be with this. thine handmaiden."
said the priest solemnly; bless her and
keep her and bring her to place of safety.
In the name Of the Father, Son and Holy
| Ghost amen"
Once out Of the leper village Panayota
walked very rapidly, once or twice actually
breaking into run. The great hills. upon
whose lower slopes lived her mothers
| brother, looked SO near that she fancied
herself able to climb to the top in half an
| hour But she soon lost breath and was
L a
She had no doubt of her welcome by Kurios
K urmlidhes He had often written to her
| Iather-poor papa.-and had expressed the
| greatest wish to see his sisters daughter.
must not tire myself all out at the
start, she reasoned. 1T is much farther
| away than it seems
! So she struck out again in the bright sun
at a strong, steady gait Once she heard
the clatter of horses hoofs I'm the distance
rapidly growing louder as they came near
ana she fancied herself pursued. and looked
about her for some hiding place. Then,
turning around, she saw half dozen red
checked, light haired foreigners upon horse
back, and at their head mere boy with
race ike girl but who, nevertheless
SAT very straight and took himself quite
seriously. She felt the earth shake with
the beating of hoofs and stepped to the
side of the road to see them pound by In a
whlrl OF dust But they had not gone far
ere the young officer threw his arm in the
ar ana called out single syllable in a
clear, sharp tone, and the horses stopped
SO suddenly that they reared on their
launches. The officer spoke A few words
hurriedly, and one of the troopers fell out
ana rode back toward her. She must have
exhlbited evidences of fright, for the man
ca!Ied out IN Greek laughing merrily:
ION be afraid, stupid. We are friends"
What is it? What is it, fellow country
men,! cried Panayota delightedly What
change had come over the earth! But yes
, aeraay you met only Turks, heard only
Turkish, and now the whole world was
Speaking Greek.
Are you from Canea?'' asked the trooner
NO; | am Sphakiote maiden I was
COD. L am escaping
You wouldn't happen to know Yussuf
effendi by sight them"
mo; why?'
Did any old Turk with a white beard
pass here on mule?"
Not a soul, but I've only been on the
road about half an hour. Why, who are
you! What has Yussuf done? Where does
he" '
We're arresting the ringleaders in the
massacre 1ussuf is one of them. I'm an
interpreter with the English army. You
can go back to Canea or anywhere YOU
wish, sister, in perfect safety. 1t isn't
healthy to be Turk these days. Ado,
and many thanks"
They were gone and Panayota resumed
her way. After an hours walk through
gardens and vineyards inclosed in low
t naloo FENCES e. overgrown with vines, she
came 10 the foot of a tiny hill. Climbing
THIS she saw plainly the triangular little
village of the lepers, with it's suburb of
Tn for the dying and the dead
The huts were all neatly whitewashed and
looked very peaceful and pretty against
the foreground of green trees and vines.
furtner away were the round Turkish
mosques the Christian bell towers of Canea
ana the tops OF high buildings rising above
tne gray walls. Two or three thin columns
OF smoke rose to great height and bent
laZily landmarks
tam stream, beside which grew several fig
trees She climbed into one Of these that
forhed near the ground and succeeded in
nndlng half dozen purple figs among the
cool green leaves Then she washed her
face and hands in the brook and took the
bread from the bag.
Poor Aglaia Poor Agaiau she said
shuddering. Heavenly Virgin comfort
herr!
She pulled the crust off the bread and
threw it away, together with the sack and
fire. r
when get to Uncle Petros," she resolved,
Will be to ask him for some clothes. Then
1 will burn these-uh!"
Much refreshed with the bread and figs
and drink Of the cool mountain water
Panayota again set out briskly on her Jour
ney, her heart full of hope. Indeed, she
care, for just as she had come to a place
where there were two roads and was in
doubt as to which one she ought to take.
venerable priest came trotting around a
corner. seated sidewise upon a very small.
blush gray donkey.
Yes. the road to the right led to AS
prochori. about ten miles distant" he re-
piled. removing his tall hat and I5iping his
brow with a red bandana handkerchief
"Oh, yes. he knew Kurios Kurmulidhes very
well indeed. cody and just man-be quiet
there"
The last remark was addressed to a pair
OF young goats. hung to the saddle In q
sack and covered by the fathers long
black robe. He had already heard of the
arrival Of the English and was in hopes.
by the grace Of God, to sell them these two
kids at twice their value. So he trotted
away. bobbing up and down on his little
donkey. not looking at all grotesque to
Panayota, in his tall hat with caves, his
gray chignon and his long, wind-lifted robe.
And as Panayota Jared onward, she had
ever in her mind that she was coming into
the country OF the Cretan insurgents, and
she muttered again and again:
Perhaps shall hear something Of him.
Perhaps he will be there!'
In this new. bright world everything
seemed possible.