Evening star., 1900-08-18
CuApTER XVII.

Panayota was lying face down upon the
bed. but when she heard heavy footsteps
in the hall and the scratching of the key
upon the door, some one outside fum-
bled at the lock, she sprang to her feet
and backed to the wall at the farther side
of the room. She cast her eyes about the
bare dim room though there must De
some way of escape. moaning meanwhile:
Little Virgin. save mel Oh, God, what
shall 1 do?''
when Kostakes entered he found her
thus. her fists clenched. her lips white. She
was looking at him with great eyes of fear
and horror, and she scarcely seemed to
breathe. There in her attitude the
alertness of hunted cat that hopes TO
make a sudden dash for liberty and get
away even at the last moment.
In the name of God. Panayota. he SAID
tenderly why are you frightened
Have / not told you l would not touch u
hair of your head?'
She made no reply, but slid along the
wall. with her eyes fixed on the open door.
He turned with an exclamation of i'm
patience, shut it with a slam, locked 1t
and put the key in his pocket.
''Nor' he said, don't think Of escaping
Try to fix your mind on what l am going
to say to you. And now. in the first place
1 swear to you by my hopes of salvation
that l mean you no HARM Now listen to
mel love you. Panayota.
rs that why you murdered my father?'
why do you say that l murdered your
father
Bring him to me alive and then 1 shall
know that you did not
You ask an impossible thing. Panayota
He IS probably among the SphaktOte noun
tains by this time, and you know there
aren't troops enough in all Turkey to get
him out"
Then I'll tell you what to do" cried
PanayOta eagerly, advancing step or two
LET me go and find him I'll return here
to Canea with him. Honestly l will, hon
estly-and you shall come and talk to me
all You like
Kostakes gave his mustache an impatient
twist.
ITO let you go after all the trouble I've
had getting you? Oh. no. PanayOta. You re
mine. by Allah, and whoever takes you
away from me must kill me first. You don't
know how l love you. | could never tell
you. Listen. There isn't a drop OF Turkish
blood in me. My grandfather became a
Turk because-because Of circumstances.
to save his life. / am the son Of Greek
mother. and she used TO sing ireek lula
bIes to me In my cradle" He talking
very fast now. Il have always aid wou
turn Christian some time. and when l saw
you / made up my mind to do 1t right
away i have heard great news Everybody
says that the powers have decided to give
the island to the King OF Greece Then
there will be more Turks here. They will
either go away or become orthodox. Say
you'll have me. Panayota, and III get rid
of my harem and Wen be married before
the priest"
viii you murder your wives you did
my father" asked the girl kostakes stared
az her. deprived for the moment Of the
power of speech. In his enthusiasm he had
talked himself into the feeling that his
dreams We're already realized. Panayota g
voice, hard. sneering. cold with hate.
shocked him like sudden blow in the face
with a whip. Then rage surged up IN his
veins and knocked at his temples. His
hands, that he had extended pleadingly.
trenbled. and he gnashed his teeth. Kos
takes was not beautiful at that moment.
Panayota laughed.
''Oh. you Turk she cried, you coward
ly Turk, You needn't grind your teeth at
me. I'm not afraid Of death. It's only
your vile love that l fear"
Kostakes raised his doubled fists above
his head and brought them down with
such violence that Involuntary "Ah"'
escaped him
by God. girl, you would drive a saint
crazy he cried. Here l am Offering to