The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-18

perably hard should that veil be torn
away.
Instead of the high cheek bones, light,
thin hair and narrow eyes which mark
the true Bulgarian. this woman's features
were exquisite In contour. her hair thick
and dark brown. and her great violet eyes
were shaded by long silken lashes
The correspondent hurried her down
stairs and out into the night.
Scarcely had they left the house when
a mother, carrying an infant. ran
screaming across their path. At her
heels were twenty hell hounds in human
fern. true children of the sick man OF
Europe. The nearest tore the child
from her arms, and with the mad laugh
ter of fiend dashed out its life against
tree. The others closed In on the
young mother. but as their hands strip
ped from her breast the blouse-l like
covering. the Bulgar burst like young
tiger through the group and sunk. his
dagger into her heart.
Pardon of God!'' yelled one of the
men,, didn't you see that was a woman,
fool? They are not for death untl-but
hold. brothers. what have we here
beside?'
In an instant the whole wild group
r!nged around the American. their lean
and terrible faces alght with every evil
passion which the night could wake
Share with us-thou!" they shouted.
"Share with us! Have done with her
here-the village is full of them''
Tho American answered them with a
laugh as wild and as brutal as their own
"rhe greater fools you!" he shouted
In return, Ito ask a share where each
might choose for himself Get YOU gone
to the center where there is light.
chose this one In the dark and found
her so ugly that I wrapped her head in
shawl. Splendor Of God-off with
you!"
His words sent them whlrling back
toward the village; all but one. who
halted and turned. lifted his musleet.
with a dim idea In his drunken brain
that somehow he had been cheated
Since she is 30 ugly, brother" he
howled. ''let her die-seek further!"
golden head of Hastings shoulder, then
vanished into the night waving his
musket exultantly.
But the young Buigar had seen the
tween the Turk and his selected victim.
1t was tho lad who fell.
end Of the world. like you--perhaps, from
your country. stranger; He came to make
UOUkS VI many lOIl6u ~ year dSo
he ded-and she had no one. But IT
was a prince among my people then
and 4 had lived, Perhaps might have
! have-no peopla-no country-now;,
crimson at his lips. He HhIvsred, and
imneratively. She had sunk beside him,
"IIe Is dead--we cannot stay. Come"
Together they stumbled on, yet thank
full for every step, gained: At last they
paused to rest, Hastings could feel the
girls heart throbbing in terrified beats
against him, but 1t was 80 dark lle could
not see even the outlines of her form.
"Ah heaven, the awful daikness.' she
shivered "Oh God. why does Ho keep
back the dawn?"
'But-but you are speaking Americana"
stammered Hastings.
And you are tool" she cried joyfuly.
"Oh, why didn't You tell me? Are you
the esoIresspondegntt whom we heard had ar
"Yos, it was r." returned her astonshed
savior: 'and you must be Eleanor Field
Ing, the, daughter of the savant who
buried himself out here?"
'Ycs-but oh look-the first shaft of
light In the east! And to think that you
should prove to be my. countryman--hoW
sweet the word sounds! But we shall
never reach home, Behind us Is that poor
village IN ashes, and before LIS
"And before us!'' cried Hastings. catch
ing her hand and pointing to the rising
sun-r'before us lies the border--and safe
ty!'