Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-12-15


| bare another bracelet. on the mans
| right wrist. Size for size this was the
1 same as the one that had been stolen
/ from himself.
| Memory prompted him. He felt its
outer edge with a finger nail. There
was the little nick that he had made
| in the soft gold when he struck 1t
! against the cell bars in the Jail Mt the
Mir Khan palace! He touched the
gold. 1t was warm. He repeated the
test on the woman's wrists. Hers was
warm. too. Both bracelets had been
worn by living being within an
/ hour
He muttered and trowned in thought.
and then suddenly jumped backward
The leather curtain Lear the bed had
moved on its bronze rod.
Aren't they dears?" voice said in
English behind him. Aren't they
sweet?"
/ Iasmini stood not two arms lengths
away, lovelier than the dead woman
because of the merry life in her. young
and warm, aglow, but looking like the
dead woman and the woman Of the
frieze-the woman of the lamp-bowls-
the statue-come to life. speaking to
him in English more sweetly than if
1t had been her mother tongue. The
English abuse their language. Vas
/ mini caressed it and made it do its
work twice ever.
Being dressed as native, he
salaamed low. Knowing him for what
he was, she gave him the senna-
stained tips of her warm fingers to
kiss, and he thought she trembled
when he touched them. But a second
later she had snatched them away and
was treating him to raillery.
MAN of pills and blsters :" she said
tell me how those bodies are pre-
served Spill knowledge from that
learned skull of timer
He did not answer. He never shone
in conversation at any time having
made as many friends as enemies by
saying nothing until the spirit moves
him. But she did not know that yet
'f I knew for certain why those
two did not turn to worms" she went
on, almost | would choose to die now,
while l am beautiful What would
they say, think you. King suhib. if
they found us two dead beside those
/ two? Speak, man. speak! Has kim
| jan struck you dumb?"
But he did not speak. He was star
ing at her arm, where two whltish
marks on the skin betrayed that brace-
lets had been.
ooh, those, They are theirs. /
would not rob the dead. or the gods
would turn on me. | robbed you, in
stead, while you slept File, King sa-
hib, while you slept"
Bat her steel did not strike on flint
1t was her eyes that flashed. He would
have done better to have seemed
ashamed, for then he might have
! fooled her, at least for a while. But
having judged himself he did not care
Il fig for her Judgment Of him She
realized that instantly and having
found a tool that would not work,
| discarded it for better one. She
grew confidential.
Il borrow theIe." she explained,
''but / put them back. take them
for so many days. and when the day
comes-the gods Ike us to be exact
You were near death when I took the
bracelet last night. The time was up.
| would have stabbed you if you had
tried TO prevent met"
Now he spoke at last and gave her
a first glimpse Of an angle Of his mind
she had not suspected.
princess" he said. He used the
word with the Difference some men can
combine with effrontery, so that very
tenderness has barbs. "You might
have had that thing back if you had
sent a messenger for 1t at any time.
a word by a servant would have been
enough"
you could never have reached
khintan thenl" she retorted. Her eyes
flashed again, but his did not waver,
Princess" he said. why speak of
what you don't known"
He thought she would strike like n
snake, bat she smiled Ut him instead
And Whel Yasmini has smiled on
man he has never been just the same
man afterward. lie knows more. for
one thing He has had lesson ia
one Of the finer arts.
Il win speak Of what I do know"
she said. mo, there IS no need Look
Look!"
She pointed at the hed-at the man
on the bed-fugers locked in those Of
u woman who looked 80 ike herself.
He looked Knowing well there was
something TO be understood, that
stared him in the face Bun for the
life of him he could not determine
question or answer.
"What is IT, your bosom5' She
asked him.
lie pat his hand TO his shirt.
Draw it out - she said, as d teacher
drills "a chid.
lie drew o1t the gold-hutel knife
with fhe bronze blade. with which q
man had meant TO murder him He let
II lie on the palm of his hand and