Middletown transcript., 1902-11-01

npPOoISo DcHcdtu eacA uaII ClOseu eye
lid
"By no MEANS" said the keeper, pro-
ducing bis purse from the depths Of his
sleeve. "Athird of the stork's price will
relieve me of an inconvenient weight Of
metal"
IA half was the amount agreed upon,'
interposed the interpreter bIandly.
"A third, " repeated the keeper, count
ing out twenty sovereigns and putting
the remaining forty pieces back into his
purse. "And now"
''And now," said the interpreter, lay
ing his large, smooth yellow hand on the
purse, having assisted your memory, 1
will make bold to correct your arithme-
tic" and still with smile upon his round
face, be took from the purse ten sover-
eigns which he added to the pile of coin
| upon the table. "It is pretty toy" he
went on, slipping the silver ring over the
silk meshes of the little bag and pushing
it toward the keeper, "but forty sover-
eigns would have taxed its capacityP'
Events were crowding thick and fast
upon Osborne. The night after his sue
cessful capture of the sacred stork, he
found himself seated opposite Evelyn at
dinner in the cabin Of the Benedicts'
yacht, the Spindrift Mr.. Marasaru, the
poet, and the Japanese Count sat one on
each side of her. Their dark heads in
clining courteously towards the girls fair
one served as shining mark for Osborne's q
unreasonable irritation. When a man
who is very much in love finds the object
Of his affection removed from him by the
length of table, and apparently absorbed
by two gorgeously attired gentlemen, he
may be pardoned for applying to them
the term "hamingoes."
Mr.. Marasaru's quick ear caught the
word.
"Flamingo? Pardon me, stork."
"And of storks the miracle, F" interposed
the Count, mentally translating his JAP
anese into French and from French into
English. "Its disappearance mysterious
has desolated the high priest and the tenn
pie attendants. Doubtless you it recall,
Mr.. Osborne? A bird majestic, with an
/ eye OF fire and the plumage of the clouds?
Some have limited at the supernatural in
the manner of its evanishment, but the
keepers are under suspect, and with one
it will fare hard, if he is convicted" ]"
Osborne's eyes instinctively sought Eve
lyn's. She went from the pink of the
American Beauty roses before her to the
pallor of the chrysanthemums at her belt.
| Her brother was the first to break the
pause which followed the Counts an
nouncement.
"What is the punishment for such a
crime2" he asked easily. 81 suppose you
have something to fit it?''
SIT is of offenses too serious to be lightly
regarded" the Count replied gravely.
'But," witha glance which indicated the
ladies at the table, "why run after SUBJ
iect painful?'
He turned to Evelyn. Her brown eyes
were lifted imploringly to bis. They were
lovely brown eyes, with golden lights in
them like those which the sun finds in
some still pool through leafy boughs at
midday.
"Was it, "she said clasping and unclasp-
ing her hands nervously, "was it the high
priests stork? The one you see with him
in that inner room Of the tempIe?''
She held her breath while the Count
replied: 'It is that one"
"And the man who-who took it"
Her voice faltered and again she looked
in Osborne's direction.
"Must appease the great Amada's wrath
by sacrifice, Mr.. Marasaru said, fixing his
eyes dreamily upon Evelyn'stroubled face.
The Count nodded.
"a human sacrifce?" Evelyn repeated
in horror-stricken tone. :.
Osborne, in the act of swallowing bit
OF sweetbread, felt the thrill in Evelyn's
voice, and his heart jumped to his throat
30 that he almost choked. For her sweet
solicitude he would, if the adventure were
to be gone through again, cheerfully
possess himself of Amada's entire aviary.
"By all means human sacrifice" the
Connt replied. "But there are many
keepers. One more or less" And he
shrugged his shoulders by way of ending
the sentence.
"But mans life for bird's?" Evelyn |
persisted, her eyes dilating.
1T is not to be forgotten that we speak |
Of sacred BIRDS" Mr.. Marasaru again in
terposed. "The mysteries Of our religion
-
"But there is one resource" the Count |
suggested. canada can save the life of the |
guilty one by miracle-the sacred fire."
'Ah, yes, the sacred fire" repeated Nh.
MarasaFu in reverent whisper.
Evelyn looked piteously at Osborne, but
between herself and him mist Aoated |
The glittering oval Of the table might have
trimmed planet and these two have been
at that planets either pole, so entirely |
were they cut off from each other.
"How can he sit there SO quietly
Evelyn thought in despair. "when per.
haps before tomorrow"
She did not finish, for suddenly, sounds
which began below, cries, the tramp of |
feet, the clatter Of falling glass and silver
gained in volume, and at their height the
leather door opening into the Spindrift's
cabin swung violently upon its hinges, and /
great bird with white wings extended
and long neck thrust forward, precipita-
ted itself almost upon the dining table.
Close upon it followed the yachts stew
ard in his white cap and apron, his cheeks
crimson, his breath coming stertorously.
Around and around the room raced the
bird, around and around after it sprinted
the steward, making no sound, but with
an unholy fire in his eyes and grim deter
mination stiffening the lines Of his face.
L. n - 4