The San Francisco call., 1908-03-15

and the tears came 70 her eyes, though
she tried 20 squeeze them back with
her crCokes fingers
The sick woman called TO the TWO III
a weak voice Zoe was al her side
instantly. and Nectarsa shuff1ed as fast
as she could % the pan OF Goals and
crouche6 down 10 blow upon the en-
bers IN order 10 warm some milk.
III is OF 10 use" sighed her mother
! shah die I shall not live iii morn
ing
She had been a very great lady OF
Constantinople- the Kyria- wifi. OF the
Pretosparthos Michael Rhangabe,
whom the Emperor An6ronicus had
put 70 death with frightful tortures
more than a year ago because he had
been faithful 70 the Emperor johannes
Until her husband had been impris-
oned she had spent her life IN mar
bic palace by the Golden Horn, or in
z beautiful villa on the Bosphorus- She
had lived delicateIy and had loved
her existence. and even after all her
husbands goods had been confscated
as well as ali her own. she had lived
in plenty for many months with her
children. borrowing here and there OF
her friends and relatives But they
had forsaken her al last; not but that
some Of them were generous and would
have supported her for years If il had
had become e question Of life and
death after Rhangabe had been exc
cute6 and none OF them would risk
being blinded or manned or perhaps
strangled for the sake Of helping her.
Then she had fallen into sb5ect pow
erty: her slaves had all been taken
from her with the rest Of her prop
erty and sold again in the market, but
old Nectaria had hidden herself and
SO had escaped. and she. who knew
the city had brought kyria Agatha
and her three children 10 the beggars'
quarter as q last refuge when no one
would take them in
Zoe was not Kyria Agatha's own
daughter. No children had been born
10 the Protosparthos and his wife for
several years after their marriage and
a. last il despair. they had adopted
little baby girl. the child OF q young
Venetian couple who had both died Of
the cholera that periodically visited
Constantinople Kyria Agatha and
Rhsugabe brought her up as their own
daughter and again years passed by
Then al last TWO boys were born 10
them within Is months Michael
Rhangabe's affection for the adopted
girl never suffered the slightest
change Kyria Agatha loved her own
children better. as any mother Would.
and as any children would have right
TO expect when they were old enough
70 reason She had not been unkino
70 Zoe. still less had she conceived
z dislike for her. but she had grown
indifferent 70 her and had looked for
ward with pleasure 10 the time when
the girl should marry and leave the
house
The girl knew the truth about her
birth. for Rhangabe himself had not
thought Il right that she should be de-
oeived. but she bad not the least res
ollec1ion Of her own parents tsae Pro-
tospsrthos and his wife had been her
real father and mother and had been
kind, and il was -heT nature 10 be
grateful and devoted She saw that the
Ky-ia loved the boys best but She was
already too womanly not 10 feel thai
human nature must have its way where
the ties OF flesh and blood were con
cerned: and besides. II her adaptive
mother bad been cold and cruel instead
OF only Indifferent where she had once
been loving. the girl would still have
given her life for her, for dead Rhan-
gabes sake
Are you warmer nowg' she asked,
tenderly
~Yes-s little. Thank you. child"
Kyrfa Agatha closed her eyes again,
but Zoe still watched her. The con-
xsctfon grew IN the girl that the real
danger was over. and that the deli
cately nurtured woman only needed
care and warmth and food That was
all, but that was the unattainsbIe since
there was nothing left that could be
sold: nothing but Zoe's rare and lovely
self A hundred golden ducats were &
fortune In old Nectsria's hands such
q sum would buy real comfort for more
than 4 year. and IN that time no one
could tell what might happen a turn
Of fortune might bring the Emperor
John back 70 the throne. Then Zoe's
freedom might be bought again. and
she would 90 into a convent and live
q good life 70 the end. in expiation Of
such evil as might be thrust upon her
as e bought slave
This she could do and this she must
Go. for there was no other way TO save
Agatha's life and the lives Of the little
boys
Zoe sank upon her knees beside the
bed. forgetting that she was cold and
half starved. as the tide Of her
Then she sprsng 10 her feet like a
startled animal. Some one had knocked
at the door
Who knocksz7 she asked in a very
low tone. clasping her tattered gar
ments TO her body.
The Armenian's smooth voice an
swered her in oily accents.
denly obliged TO go on 4 journey and
I start at dawn VIII you make up
your mind2 1 viii give you half as
much again as I promised"
The girls face had been pale: il
turned white aow, for the great mo-
ment had come very suddenly She
made an effort 10 swallow. In order 20
speak distinctly. and she glanced to-
ward the bed Kyria Agatha was in
a deep sleep
Have you brought the money with
your Zoe asked. almost painting.
Yes
The hand that grasped the rags to
keep them together pressed desperate
u against her heart While Gullabi
could have counted 10 there was ST.
lence.
Twice again she looked toward the
bed and then. wil44 infinite precautio,,
she slipped out the wooden bar that
kept the door closed Once more she
drew her rags over her. for they had
fallen back when she used both h..
hands She opened the door a little
and saw GuiIabi muf5ed in cloak. his
eager face and black beard thrust for
ward in anticipation OF entering BIZ;
she stopped him and held out one hand