El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-08-19
The Herald's Daily
Shert Story

Stop" cried Marine. Come here; I
will not hurt you. little one
The big mans voice was kind. and
looked at each other in the gathering
dusk Then with a shout Marlno laid
his hands upon the boys shoulders
Tt IS my little Ado4ir' ne cried. Tor
grown so big as not to be recOgnizedi'
Why. it is Marine, And did not
know you in that dress And how red
you are. And-oh, what cut that
Tell me, Adoni-how does your little
sister? Tell me of Marianthe-'
looked -: away. we thought that you
Dead: ' Why? Men came in boats
from the town to meet me. They did
me-living."
The news of your coming arrived
only today. We thought that you had
Marines gaze, then with startling sud
denness the lad hid his face against
the big mans sleeve and began TO cry
And before Marine could hold him
Adoni broke away and fled.
Something was wrong. The heart Of
the fierce warrior beat audibly.
Il will go to Marianthe." he said
and strobe forth.
Ae he approached the house a man
darted out and. brushing by him with
out a word, sped away in the direction
of the village
His gray beard told Marine that this
was the father of Marianthe-
They are fleet of foot tonight.
thought he. and came to the door It
was open, and the dim hsht Just SUI
feed TO show him the one room OF
which the place consisted.
There was an armchair by the open
window, and in it woman rocked to
and fro in an agony of grief.
Marine stood silent for several mo-
ments. Then he went in and took the
woman in his arms.
'Marianthe, my loved one. have
For a moment her arms were about
his neck. and she raised her eyes to his
and looked at him sorrowfully.
DO you not say anything to me
Why did you not come sooner? PIN
a whisper so low as scarcely to be
heard.
sible. Why do you look so at me-?
He broke off and seized her hands,
and covered them with kisses.
'Adoni said that the story came that
I had been killed"
yes. They brought the cap I made
for you. all stained with blood and
torn by a bullet"
II lost the cap six months ago. But
they brought it-Who2"
For the first time the shadow of
suspicion crossed his mind. He was
stroking her hands still. waiting for
! her to speak. Then. as his grip tight
ened upon the fingers O. her left hand,
he felt something he had not noticed
! before. His heart seemed TO stop. Gray
hands of fear tore at him, but he re
manned silent.
'D'metri. He came back in the
spring He said that you were killed
"AyEand them" The words Kissed
! out from close clenched teeth.
The girl suddenly rose and pulled
away her hands from him.
And then-and then she cried, he
came TO my old father For a long time
Z nothing was said to me, but know
now that it was arranged between
them that I should marry D'metri All.
loved one, there was no life for me
when you were dead. there was moth
ing But I loathed Dmetri. I tried to
flee away from the island, but they
brought ne back And at length-at
! length I was forced to give in. Ma
/ terdayr'
What do you say-yesterday?"
Papa TZantili married US today. and
Just as we sat down to eat afterwards
a man arrived from Athens, saying you
were not only alive, but were coming
by the next steamer TO Mitriane"
Marine rose, and roughly dragged
the gold ring from her finger. For a
moment he looked out of the window.
watching the afterglow of the sunset
tide Tapped against the rocks. Half
way between lay one who was white
and cold and stared forth from the
rock cleft.
He held the ring in the palm of his
hand.
Our forefathers buried ornaments
of gold with their dead" he said. and
burst into a roar of laughter.
Go and comfort thy MASTER" he
shouted and hurled the ring away.