The Meeker herald., 1909-05-08
THE WINE OF
THE NILE
Copyright. b Daily Story Pub. Co,
,, SHERMAN G. DAvpeosr

Richard Harding had never been re-
garded by his friends-and they were
many-As = dreamer. On the con-
trary. he was an active. practical
American. who had contrived to do
more in the 80 years Of his life than
many men do In twice thtat number of
years. He had hunted grizzlies In
America, had shot lions in Africa. and
tigers In India. He had nirted on the
boulevards Of Paris. had fingered with
dark-eyed maidens on the streets Of
Alexandria, and had barely escaped
being bow-strung for attempting to
console a fearful beauty on her way
to Turkish harem. In the mean
time. he had designed and constructed
more than q dozen steel bridges and
trestles, each q marvel Of engineer
ing skill, six Of which had been de-
clared impossible by older and more
experienced engineers. These facts
have no bearing on this story, except
as they show that Harding was q
practical, wide-awake man of the pres.
emit day, and not likely to spend much
time dreaming. or delving into the re
note past.
On this night, as he sat looking out
on the moonlit Bay Of Naples, with
the gay city behind him. and sybil
Ellison by his side. peculiar mood
had possession Of him. one that he had
never before experienced.
He had met her in Naples, ten days
before, and had been unable to break
the silken letters with which her
beauty had bound him. She was the
daughter of an English merchant. who
had welded a dark-eyed, red-lipped
beauty of Alexandria. whom he had
met and loved while visiting that city.
A year later she died in giving birth
to Sybil, who. now fully grown, had
been richly lowered with her mothers
dark. oriental beauty, including the
full. red lips and heavy-lidded eyes. so
suggestive of passions wild and dim
cult to control.
Harding thought Of the supper at the
little cafe, and wondered whether the
wine had brought this mood upon him.
He remembered that the proprietor
himself had poured it for them, saying
as he did 30:
Drink, my children. OF the wine
from the valley Of the Nile. A hundred
years have passed since the maidens
danced and sang while making it.
Drink deep, forget the present. and
revel In sweet memories of years long
past"
As Harding. half-sitting. half-reclin-
ing. rested on one of the broad stone
seats facing the bay. under the boughs
Of thick-fo1iaged trees which over
hung that part Of the garden. his mind
to other scenes and other times,
scenes and times of which he had
never thought until that night. The
song OF the nightingale near by, and
the distant hum of the city, were alike
UNDECIDED by him. The soft swish Of
water against the stones at his feet
sounded like soft whispers of voices,
stilled centuries ago.
He. tried to rouse himself from the
dreamy. mysterious spell that was
upon him, and, falling In this, gave
his fancy and his thoughts free rein
to wander as they might He glanced
at his companion sitting beside him.
and saw her dark, dangerous eyes
looking down into his own.
For a time, he gazed Into her faith
omless. liquid eyes. darker in the dim
reflection of moonlight from the clear
waters of the bay; and, while he
gazed, he forgot the moonlight, the
bay, the city; forgot all, save that he
was with the woman whose beauty
had enthralled his senses and bound
him 10 her side; forgot all, save that
he loved this woman better than life,
and that his future happiness depend
ed on his winning her for himself.
Slowly. gently, his arm stole round
her waist, then drew her closer to
him. There was no resistance on her
part, and net word was spoken by
either. It was as II heart called to
heart, and love responded to the voice
Of love. In low. trembling voice, he
spoke to her:
7, "sybil, my darling, my queen, love
you. l."
"Hush!" she murmured. "Call me
not by that name tonight. Call me
by the old, old name. All evening
have felt that somewhere In the past
ages ago-we knew each other. Now.
It all comes back to me. Don't you re-
member"
Harding's memory struggled to re-
call something that seemed to be en-
folded within 1t but would not a.
sumo tangible shape. 1t was as II he
tried to recall q name, face. once
familiar. but long since forgotten.
Have you forgotten" she contin-
ued, that night, ages ago? see It all
once more. live 1t again. Just as
did then! The moonlight on the waters
of Ahe Nile! How it glitters on the
bnGhd, mirror-like expanse until the
n banks seem to enclose q river of
kolten silver! The beautiful barges.
laden with gay throngs. drift noise
lessly, and the air IL resonant with
u