The Washington herald., 1919-07-01

ming the lives OF his characters in
the little city which nestled under
the shtadow OF the volcano.
The converging threads of the story
are many. giving in the final weaving
a complete picture of the life OF
Pompeii-its shops. tiny palaces.
baths, forum. theater, circus, and ALI
that daily took place in the energetic
life OF this toy copy of Rome at the
beginning of the Christian era. The
story centers around Glaucus, the
Athenian. brilliant. gay, witty descen-
dant of a nobler race frivoUing him
self away amid the coarser pleasures
of the Romans, until finally all that
was fine in him was brought forth
by his love for lone of Naples, who
like himself was a Child of Greece.
And alongside this tale of love runs
the pathetic story of Nydta. the blind
slave girl. who centers all her hopes
of happiness in winning the affections
of Glaucus. To this end she gains
possession of a love potion which the
opulent Julia has had prepared in be-
lief that it will bring to her the much
desired Glaucus. In reality the potion
is a poison which will drive the un.
fortunate drinker mad. 1t is de-
signed by the sinister Egyptian
Arbaces to clear his path to lone from
his rival Glaucus. In his raving.
Glaucus comes upon Arbaces just as
the latter has killed Ione's brother
Apaecides. a young priest of Isis,
who. much to the annoyance of Ar
baces, has embraced the new Christian
faith Arbaces throws the guilt upon
poor Glaucus with apparent success.
But the priest Calenus was hidden
witness. with the final result shown
in the great episode of the book. AS
the crowd in the circus turned their
eyes toward Vesuvius. they behold
"a fire that shifted and wavered in
its hues, with every moment. now
fiercely luminous, now p dull and dy-
ing red. that again blazed territically
forth with intolerable glare. Then
there arose on high the universal
shrieks OF women; the men stared at
each other. but were dumb. At that
moment they felt the earth shake be-
meath their feet; the walls OF the
theater trembled. and beyond in the
distance they heard the crash of fall
ing roofs; an instant more and the
mountain cloud seemed to roll towards
them. dark and rapid. like a torrent:
at the same time 1t cast forth from
its bosom a shower OF ashes mixed
with vast fragments OF burning stone !:
Oter the crushing vines. over the DESC
late streets. over the amphitheater it,
self. far and wide. with many a
mighty splash in the agitated sea fell
that awful shower. No longer thought
the crowd of justice or of Arbaces:
safety for themselves was their sole
thought. Each turned to fy-each
10 q Shino nrpSQinp ~
the other"
1t was save himself who could in
that night of horror. OF the many
episodes seen in the flashes of light
was that of blind Nydia guiding
uraucus to lone, and then leading
both to safety. she the only one at
home in the darkness in which she
had always lived. And then, when
they had gained a ship and put to
sea and all but Nydia had fallen
into exhausted slumber. May the
gods bless you, Athenian." she mur-
INJURED. may you be happy with your
beloved one: may you sometimes re-
member Nydia!"
A sailor. half doing on the deck,
heard n slight splash on the waters.
Drowsily he looked up, and believed.
as the vessel merrily bounded on. he
fancied. he saw something white
above the waves
Copyright, 1919, by Post Publishing Co. THE
Boston POST.
Published by special arrangement with the
Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
All rights reserved.
"sir Nigel" by Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle. as condensed by Alice G..
Grosier. will be printed tomorrow.