Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-26
CHAPTER !.

little city of central Asia, unknown
to European travellers; and the secret
of the treasure belongs to the two
chief families Of the place, and has
been carefully guarded for many gen
erations. anded down through the
men fro thsr to son; and often the
childrs these two families have
marie 1t none Of the women ever
learned .he way to the mine from
their fathers, or their brothers, or
their husbands, none excepting one
only, and her name was Baraka,
which may perhaps mean "Blessed;"
but no blessing came to her when she
was born. She was much whittier and
much more beautiful than the other
girls Of the little Tartar city; her face
was oval like an ostrich egg, her skin
was as the cream that rises on sleeps
milk at evening, and her eyes were
like the Pools of Peace in the Valley
of Dark Moons; her waist also was q
slender pillar of ivory, and round her
ankle she could make her thumb meet
her second finger; as for her feet,
they were small and quick and silent
as young mice. But she was not
blessed.
When she was in her seventeenth
year traveller came to the little city,
who was not like her own people; he
was goodly to see, and her eyes were
troubled by the sight of him, for the
stranger was tall and very fair, and
his beard was like spun gold. and he
feared neither man nor evil spirit, 60
ing about alone by day and night
Furthermore, he was great physi-
clan, and possessed a small book.
about the size Of q mans hand, in
which was contained all the kpowl-
edge Of the world. By means Of this
book, and three small buttons that
tasted Of mingled salt and sugar, he
cured Baraka's father of q mighty
pain In the midriff which had tor
mented him whole week. He brought
with him also written letter from a
holy man to the chiefs of the town;
therefore they did not kill him,
though he had a good Mauser revol-
yer with ammunition, worth much
money, and other things useful to be-
levers.
Satan entered the heart of Baraka
and she loved the traveller who dwelt
in her fathers house, for she was not
blessed; and she stood before him in
the way when he went out, and when
he returned she was sitting at the
Goor watching, and she took care to
show her cream.white arm and her
slender ankle, and even her beautiful
face when neither her father nor her
mother was near. But he saw little
and cared less, and was as grave as
her father and the other graybeards
Of the town.
When she perceived that he was not
moved by the sight of her, she watched
him more closely; for she said in he1
girls heart that the eyes that are
blind to beautiful woman see one OF
three things: Gold, or power, OF
heaven; but her sight was fixed only
on him. Then her throat was dry, he1
heart futtered in her maiden breast
like frightened bird, and sometimes
when she would have tried to speak
she felt as II her tongue were broker
and useless; the fire ran lightly along
her delicate body, her eyes saw moth
Ing clearly, and strange rushing
sound filled her ears; and then, all al
once, fine dew wet her forehead anG
cooled it, and she trembled all ovel
and was as pale as death-like Sap
pho, when a certain god-like man wa.
near. Yet the stranger saw nothing
and his look was bright and cold as {
winters morning in the mountains.
Almost every day he went out ant
climbed the foothills, and when tn,
sun was lowering he came back bring
ing herbs and flowers, which he driet
carefully and spread between leaves
Of gray paper in large book; and h,
wrote spells beside them in an un
known tongue, SO that no one dare,
to touch the book when he went out
lest the genii should wake and com,
out from between the pages, to bin,
the curious and strike the gossip
dumb, and cast leprosy on the thief
At night he lay on the roof of tn
forehouse beside the gate of the court
because it was cool there. Barak
came to him, before midnight, whel
her mother was in deep sleep; sh
knelt at his side while he slept in tn
starlight, and she laid her head besid
his, on the sack that was his pillow
and for little while she was happy
being near him, though he did no
know she was there. But PRESENT.
she remembered that her mothe
might wake and call her, and sh
spoke very softly, close to his cal
fearing greatly lest he should star
from his sleep and cry out.
"The ruby mine is not far off," sh
said. II know the secret plac.
Rubies! Rubies! Rubies! You sha
have as many ss you can carry of tn
blood.red rubies!"
He opened his eyes, and even in tn
starlight they were bright and COLI
She stroked his hand softly and the
pressed 1t . little.
Come with me and you shall kno,
the great secret" she whispered. "Yo
shall I'LL this sack that is under you
head, and then you shall take me wit
you to Egypt, and we will live in
marble palace and have many siave
ana be always together. For you wi
always remember that 1t was Barak
who showed you where the rubie
were, and even when you are tired {
her you will treat her kindly and fee
!. her with fig paste and fat quails, sue
as ! hear they have In the south a
winter, and Frank rice, and COTE