Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1910-07-01

the slimiest pools a. IL to patch up
black hideodsness with perfect bloom.
All this tropical splendor finally wear
led even Betty's rapt eyes, and she
clung gratefully to Tyoga's arm as the
negress- said: I'VE are at our journeys
end" And with it had come the night
The yacht had swung through an
archway, and shot into a rooted pas
sage, water dripping from the stones
and moss above them, and a raven
cawed as they stopped at a stubby
wharf, from which led up a dizzy flight
of dimly lighted granite steps.
The stairs ended in a vaulted corri-
dor hung with a few antique brass
lamps. Placed at intervals along the
sides were low stone couches covered
with leopard skins.
To one of these Tyoga motioned Bet
w and then spursing her thick black
lips she emitted peculiar whistle In
stantly there darted forward from one
OF the dusk-hung inches a comely
young negro girl, her glistening body,
satlny as ebony, nude save for kilt OF
striped silk, and short tunic of gauze.
she bowed low before Tyoga, who
addressed to her few half audible re-
marks in strange dialect
The girl nodded her head in the af-
firmative, stealing occasional surrep-
tltious glances at Betty, and then TAX
ing up one of the smoking brass lamps
she led the way toward the end of the
long hall. Here more steps, two flights
OF them, of time -harried stone, moss
grown in the corners, greeted them.
There were more corridors and more
stairs In dizzying never ending Sc
quence, till them. came upon q hall
longer, lighter and lower than the rest.
A hundred archways with tapestry
hang1ngs opened upon this hallway
and In the center arch the slave girl
lowed low again and, pushing aside
the draperies, stood apart for them to
enter.
Ihe room was furnished in skins,
ivory, ebony and gold. The couch of
ebony had no springs, but to Betty's
later surprise the down cushions and
skins piled upon it made it the softest
ped she had ever rested upon. There
were stone stools, chairs of oddly twist
ed tropic woods, and a great mirror of
ebony, ivory and gold, studded with
hundreds of precious stones. Swing
ing from the ceiling was an ornate
lamp of filigree and jewels, and this
burned low and duu.
You will be glad to rest, I know"
said Tyoga. Meta there will bring
you glass of warm milk. and then
you must rest. Rest the sweetest you
nave ever done, my lady. Tonight I
shall not be with you I have other
duties; but Meta will sleep here on a
pallet by your side. Good night. Be
unafraid." She stopped low and kissed
Betty's hand, and Betty could have
sworn tear fell upon it.
Tyoga spoke truly. Meta brought
the milk as deliciously warm and fra
grant as if roses had been stepped
within its limpid depths. The cool
linen garment the slave wrapped
around Betty rested her fevered skin
and the pillows were magic wings that
bore her away to Forgetfulness Land
Sleep came. just sleep, no dreams, and
the sun was topping the heavens when
Dlue-eyed Betty awakened Tyoga
was not yet returned, but Meta, faith
full and silent, stood by the couch gen.
tly waving a huge palm branch.
"A modern Cleopatra; but where is
my Antony?" smiled Betty to herself
smuggling comfortably back into her
nest. She stretched her feet luxuri-
ously back and forth under the silken
coverlids, then reused to full conscious
ness with a start
"A sorry newspaper woman, l." she
scolded, mentally; here am I with a
whole live mystery between my thumb
and forefinger and doing never a thing
to solve 1t! All. Betty, Betty!"
She rose hurriedly, In pantomime
beseeching Meta to hasten with her
garments. For the shoes Betty had
kicked off and left on the floor of the
Directory Hotel the night of her ILL
fated visit to the Harcourt apartments
Tyoga had substituted a quaint pair
of high h-heeled slippers as unlike Bet
tvs usual substantial footgear as a
rosr is like a radish. And in place of
her strictly tailored waist Betty was
now wearing soft draperies of vari-
colored silk What had become of her
clothes she didn't know, and Tyoga
had successfully resisted all Emporium
ing that might tell Betty the why and
wherefore of her present incarnation
(Tn no