Middletown transcript., 1902-11-01
lass in the other, like an attet diahet

glass in the 5thef like an after dihbef
orator.
Il am very sorry" he said, addressing
his host, 'tfor this interruption. It's long
past the time for birds, and 1 hadn't
thought Of this ones serving for an entrec.
Mr.. Marasaru and the Count" and he
bowed pleasantly to the two gentlemen,
'sare right, my dear Benedict they're
wrong. The stork you have just seen
was Amada's sacred stork yesterday; to-
day it's mine-and that it has already
fallen from grace may be gathered from its
untimely entrance. A more regenerate
bird would have arrived on the scene be-
tween the filet and the salad"
In the excited conversation that fol-
lowed, Osborne remained calm.
81 took sudden fancy for the bird"
he declared. ''It seemed to me that it
would make nice pet-quiet, clean and
decorative. Ny man has committed SER
ious blunder in fetching it to the yacht.
I suppose he wanted to show it off to the
crew."
Still smiling and imperturbable the Of
fender insisted upon an examination be-
fore the Toyama authorities, and the last
thiBg Evelyn saw of him was from the
Spindrif's deck as she watched him set
out for the shore in company with her
brother, the Count and Mr.. Marasaru.
When her brother returned the next
morning he looked anxious.
'1t is a grave situation," he told his
wife and Evelyn. "The people are worked
up over it and the little high priest has
stifened into stone image, and will az.
cept no excuse or indemnity. fSacrilege,
sacrilege,' he declares, as if he hadn't got
his bird back and couldn't levy on Os-
borne for new temple, or something.
Osborne could buy up the town and make
Amada a present of it if he wanted to.
But he's as stiff as the priest. I've got
myself into the fix and I'll take the con-
sequences he says, and there he sits on a
rug in that paper Jail, smoking as calmly
as if stealing were his trade and his SEN
tence ten days or ten dollars, instead OF
perhaps the loss of his head. For the
beggarly keeper has been set at liberty
and acquitted Of all completely in the at
fair. When l left, there was set of fa-
natics around the Jail dancing like der
wishes and bowling for justice"
Evelyn listened with sinking heart.
"By Jove, l forget this note for you,
Evelyn" her brother said. Osborne
asked me to give it you."
Evelyn took it and ran down to her
stateroom.
My DEAR Miss BENEDICT: The only
thing that really bothers me is that you
may be anxious over this foolish affair
Don't give yourself any concern. Pm in
no danger. And yet, if l am not pre-
sumptuous in fancying that you may spend
thought on me, the dream is sweet
enough to make a paradise out of this
place, and all that may suffer for my
whim, less than nothing. Believe me
yours, JOHN OSBORNE.
ToYAMA JAIL, October Let, 10
Osborne's firm characters danced be-
fore Evelyn's eyes. She read and reread
the closing paragraph of the letter, and a
wave of color swept from her throat to her
brow. 1t was the first direct intimation
he had given of his feeling for her. Com
ing as it did from one whom she believed
to be in deadly peril, her heart went out
in quick response. She sat on the floor
beside the port hole of her stateroom,
holding Osborne's letter and fixing her
eyes absently on the blink ofgrayish green
water that moved like restless flame
back and forth below the oval of glass.
All at once she started to her feet, remem-
bering the Counts words at dinner the
night before.
'The sacred fire." she exclaimed.
canada is the only resource"
Why should she not appeal to him?
The thought gave her no rest all through
the day. When night came she had de-
cided to visit the temple, taking with her
Mrs. Benedict's maid and Japanese ser
want. She dared not tell her brother of
the plan, SO the three stole away under
cover Of the darkness, and an hour later
were standing before the temple entrance.
The wind was blowing in squally gusts
off the water and the clouds hung low.
In the thick, soft gloom, fountains and i
statues gIimmered palely like ghosts.
There was the ivory stork on guard beside
The gate, and the fantastic menagerie over
head of beasts, seemed to ieer and gibber
1t Evelyn from the shadows. She trem-
oled as the key turned in the lock and
Ilender page in yellow linen with bunch
If keys hanging by jade ring to his
wrist, stood before her. She was bring
ng her petition to the very alter which,
{ might be said, she had herself invaded.
IN the tabernacle of such an ancient faith
1er own brief life was as the space be-
ween sun and sun. The butterfly, sun
hing itself in the smile of the Sphynx,
he newborn infant Graded upon the
nowy shoulder of a glacier, the firefy
urning its feeble fame against the advan-
ing wave of restless sea, how vain the
lope of all these to win warmth, light,
And yet might not her own
Iope of succeor here prove as vain? The
title page listened to Matsu, Evelyn's
ervant, in silence, then turning, led the
Say to the inner room. The curtains
,arted again, disclosing the shrine with
Is jeweled minarets. Before it, as Eye
yn had first seen him, stood the high
,riest. Matsu dropped on his knees.
Tell him." Evelyn exclaimed, looking
t the little figure that stood SO stif1y in
lis shining robes, his dark brows drawn
MO a straight line above his piercing
lack eyes, ''tell him, Matsu, that I have
ONE to plead for friend who has charged
himself with crime he did not commit,
o shield someone who is guilty. If Amada
Fants his life for an atonement, he must
ale mine too. for I thought a sacred