The Washington times., 1904-06-05
By E. w. MAYO.

The room into which she emerged
was like a court in form. with Il lofty
ceiling that rose to the height of two
ordinary stories. This apartment was
lighted by a score of swinging lamps.
with sizes Of cut and colored glass, from
which a diffused light was shed through
cut the place. The walls were hung
with Moorish tapestries, and a pleasant
incense rose from a slowly-burnine
brazier, standing in one corner.
Its fragrance was waited 20 all parts
of the room by the vigorous movements
of a second black woman. who welded a
huge fan before It.
There was an Oriental luxury In every
Getal of the apartments furnishings
which was the more surprising because
Il the unpretentiOus appearance of the
house on the outside. and it's location
in the roughtest quarter Of the town
IT seemed as though the owner. through
i5otives OF fear or prudence. had given
his abode the nleanest possible show
-ug to the passerLy. and had atOned for
this sacrifice by fitting It's interior with
the most sumptUous products of the
Orient
Passing quickly across the court. the
girl tursed aside at a curtained door
way. beside which a third woman was
stationed. Thence she mounted a mar
row stair that led upward and toward
the rear OF the building.
This terminated In a room almost as
large as the first though not so lofty.
From the abandon with which the girl
flung herself down on one Of the silk
canopied couches. as we'll as from the
tagerness with which two black women
advanced to offer their attendance. II
was evident that this was her own
domain.
II seemed In truth more like the re-
treat of a princess than the room one
would have imagined as belonging to
the girl who had dashed UP the hillside
in such heller SHELTER fashion a few
hours before.
The women moved swiftly and noise
.essly about their work. removing her
garments, bathing her with perfumed
waters, and then bringing a long gown
OF costly Jet covered cloth in which
they proceeded to robe her.
When they had completed these oper-
atIcns another woman attendant, older
and Of less ebon hue than the others,
approached and draped above the gown
long lace veil that fell from the girls
dark masses of hair to the floor and
rallied behind her as she walked
To this woman the girl spoke for the
first time since entering the house. in
curing II her father was at home.
He is" the woman answered, land
now waits for you to join him at table.
When ne asked for you told him that
you were dressing and 1 trembled much
whec the hour grew late and you did
not come. Some day you will bring
my old back 10 the LASH
Not So said the girl, patting the
older womans wrinkled cheek. II
raise not my hand against you none
other shall dare TO do it, Besides, you
know. that I may always be III
How many times has that tale served
already" Queried the woman, parting
her lips in a voiceless smile, and each
time your bright cheeks pronounce it
| a falsehood No. if you Will be so for
ward Of your goings, you must return
more promptly. But hasten now, for
| the master waits
With an indolent air, as though to
/ Indicate that she moved at her leisure
the girl, transformed 70 a quenly APP
| pearance by her change Of costume, ad-
! varced across the room, descended a
stairway that led to long hall. softly
! lighted, and passing through this en-
tered another room. This. from the
freshly laid table in the center, pro-
GAINED Itself the dining hall It's walls
were paneled. and there was an array
of cleaning silver upon the sideboard
| At one side OF the table man was
! already seated, the master Of the house
The two greeted each other politely
but with no show OF affection Neither
their manner nor their appearance sug
Ecsted that they were father anc
daughter.
! From the richness with which Tit
/ dwelling was furnished and from Ill
/ Oriental atmosphere. one might hav'
/ imagined Il the house OF some larg
! girthed Moorish merchant or Of Syrian
Jew. or some one of half q dozen othel
types familiar on the borders of tn
! Mediterranean, who turned empty palm
toward the world. but within their Owl
homes revelcd In richness denied 4
princes.
The man who sat with bowed form
and blinking eyes before this shining
| board was ike none Of these. III
! thin, wiry bod-, the struggling bear'
that had once been a chestnut color bu
now vas faded and strealSed with gray
proclaimed Andrew Courtney native
the British Isles and a descendant
the race of St. Andrew.
The richness OF his surroundings con
trasted strangely with the unkempt ap
| pearance Of the man himself. and IN
! pIaInness Of the food before him. II
was making his meal from dry brea
! and washing II down with gulps OF
thin. red wine from the hagon at m
elbow.
As he raised his eyes now and the
to gaze about the room they blinke
like those of some night bird unac
customed TO face 50 much light. with
IN the eyes themselves there grew
, look Of peculiar cunning as they rosie
upon one object after another as thoug
the sight recalled some memory in whic
their owner exulted.
For some moments the two sat !
silence while the serving woman noise
lessly entered and departed bearing varl
Gus dishes At length the man cease
/ his busy crumbung of bread and al
| dressed daughter, while his un
speaking eyes still roved about the room
His voice possessed a distant, fog
like quality that seemed 10 have tn
saItiness IF the sea in II, as he saiC
| speaking IN English
HIVE YOU been well today, Anita?'