Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01
CHAPTER II.
Masita.

| I had never seen, never even conceived
a fairer picture of beauty, awed and ter
ror-held, than that which the girl pre-
scented as she stared wide-eyed at me.
A mass of rich golden hair, disheveled
in lovely confusion, clustered about a
broad forehead now scored with lines of
alarm; straight eyebrows. dark in hue.
| drawn almost together over deeply dashed
large eyes of the color of the Mediter-
ranean on a cloudless day; a nose as ex-
quisitely shaped as that Of a Greek god
dess, the nostrils dilated, as the strenu-
Gus breath came quickly through the
chiseled lips slightly parted and revealing
| q row Of white and even teeth.
For the moment I stood gazing at her
incapable of speech. The enigma, of her
presence In such a place and at such a
time amazed me.
We looked thus for space at one an
other in silence; she, fear-filled: I. lost in
| sheer bewilderment. Then with a low
cry of unmistakable horror she breathed
| once more her prayer to the Virgin for
help, and buried her face in the pillow.
| Her movement and the intense earnest
ness Of her prayer broke the spell which
| had held me. She spoke in italian, but,
although spoke the language as readily
as my own, I replied in English.
''You are in great trouble. but will
| help you. 1 am friend
| Al Tie SOuHO OIL my voice she started
and looked up at me again. Intense sur
prise was now mingled with the terror in
| her eyes.
| You are Beppo Serrano." she MUIR
INJURED. after seconds pause.
| Why she should call me by this name
did not. of course. understand: but did
not stop then to ask. The first thing to
| do was to loose her bonds. and l moved
to the bedside.
LET me unfasten the cords which bind
Il hot TO- 7 u
Again her reply filled me with astonish-
ment. You tied them yourself, and
should know how to loosen them
| II tied them!' / exclaimed involun-
tarily. as bent down to examine them.
Whoever had done the work had done
| it we'll. 1 tried as gently as I could to
unravel the knots, but failing, drew the
knife from the sheath at my side to cut
them. AS did SO she drew in her breath
quickly with shudder 1 think she saw
| the traces of blood upon it.
Have no fear" 1 murmured. II will
| not harm YOU"
| / severed first the cord which bound
her legs. and then that which held her
arms. The hemp had deeply indented me
| fair skin, and the efforts she had made
| to release herself had lacerated it. She
| did not notice the hurts. but kept her
eyes fixed steadily on mine. as II I were
some wild beast whom she hoped to hold
| In check by the power of her gaze.
| When 1 had done the task l stepped
back few PAGES and stood by the little
table on which had placed the lamp.
| She tried to rise. but the rush Of the re-
| leased blood through the arteries en-
feebled her. so that she could not stand.
| AS she fell back on the bed. l stepped
| forward again to offer my help, but she
shrank from me, and again I noticed the
look Of horror and fear and loathing.
| You need not fear me- l said, reas-
suringly. Then thought occurred to me-
laid the knife on the bed. II have no
other weapon, I declared
| This act had more effect than my
words She, picked up the knife and
placed it we'll out Of my reach. and then
set to work to restore her circulation.
| / stood in considerable hesitation what
| to do next. and was backing to the door
to leave her alone, when she turned to
me.
"Why have you done this?'
'You are in trouble. why should I not
do to-
"Why do you speak to me in English :?
You have some purpose. What is it?''
! MY only wish now is to help you. Can
| do anything further? You have only to
speak and 1 will do all / can"
| She could stand up now and she rose
keeping the bed between us. and faced
me.
| You are Beppo Serrano; scarcely an
| hour ago you helped to bring me by force
| to this room. and yourself bound me with
these" and she pointed to the cords on
the bed. why do you release me now?'
| DO you mean that l have ever seen
you before?'
| The question seemed to anger her. do
you seek to fool me with such a ques-
tion?" she cried, Indignantly. do you
think lie. or am mad?"
| The word recalled my former fears for
my own sanity.
1T is I who must have been mad"
replied. with shudder II have never
| seen you until this moment"
| he I,,, loI f,,nx 4,
| pretense. is 1t? This is the meaning of
your English speech. 1 know you too
| well for such a trick to serve you. What
! Is your object? You have some further