The Washington herald., 1920-12-04
ANO.HENRY STORY
The Enchanted Kiss

of ii, having care to do so before
the moon is full. and you will not
die any times. See how I trust you.
friend Tansee. Tonight 1 have
bought one young ladee verree
I fpretty-sO fina, gorda. blandita! To-
morrow the Chilli will be ready
Ahora 81! One thousand dollars ]
pay for thees young ladee. From
an Americana have bought-a
verree tip-top man-Sl Capt. Peek
que Sc, Senor?"
For Tansey had sprung to his feet.
upsetting the chair. The words of
Katie reyerberated in his ears:
They're going to eat me Sam" This,
then. was the monstrous fate tc
which she had been delivered by her
d. unnatural parent. The carriage he
had seen drive up from the Plaza
was Capt. Peek's. Where was Katie ?
Perhaps already
! Before he could decide what to do
a loud scream came from the tent.
The old Mexican woman ran out,
a flashing knife in her hand. 81
have released her" she cried. You
( shall kill no more. They will hang
you-ingrato-encantadorw
| Torres. with a kissing exclama-
tion. sprang at herI
"Ramoncito" she shrieked; "once
you loved me-"
| The Mexican's arm raised and de-
= scended. You are old" he cried
and she fell and lay motionless.
Another scream; the flaps of the
tent were flung aside, and there
stood Katie, white with fear. her
wrists still bound with a cruel cord.
Sam" she cried. save me
Tansey rounded the table. and
| flung himself, with superb nerve.
upon the Mexican. Just then a
clangor began; the clocks of the
city were tolling the midnight hour.
J Tansey clutched at Torres. and for
moment felt in his grasp the
crunch of velvet and the cold facets
of the glittering GEMS The next
instant the bedecked caballero
turned in his hands to a shrunken.
leather-visaged, white bearded, old.
old, screaming mummy. sandalled.
ragged. and four hundred and three.
The Mexican woman was crawling
to her feet and laughing. She
shook her brown hand in the face
Of the whining viejo.
Go. now" she cried, "and seek
your senorita. 1t was /. Ramon
cito, who brought you to this. with
In each moon you eat of the 'lIfc-
giving chill. 1t was l that kept
the wrong time for you. You should
have eaten yesterday. instead OF
tomorrow. 1t is too late. on with
you. hombre! You are too old for
met
This" decided Tansey, releasing
his hold of the gray-beard. is a
private family matter concerning
age. and no business OF mine"
With one of the table knives he
hastened to saw asunder the fetters
OF the fair captive and then. fcr
the second time that night he kIsse,i
Katie Peek-tasted again the sweet
ness. the wonder, the thrill of a..
attained once more the maximum
OF his incessant dreams.
The next instant an icy blade WAS
driven deep between his shoulders,
he felt his blood slowly coneeal.
heard the senile cackle OF the
perennial Spaniard, saw the Plaea
rise and reel till the zenith crashed
into the horizon-and knew no
more.
When Tansey. opened his eyes
again he was sitting upon those
self same steps gazing upon the
dark bulk Of the Sleeping conceuc
In the middle OF his back was still
the acute, chilling pain. How had
he been conveyed back there agains
He got stirly to his feet ana
stretched his cramped limbs. Sup
porting himself against the stone
work he revofved in his mind the
extravagant adventures that had
oefalien him each time he had
strayed from the steps that night.
In reviewing them certain features
strained his credulity. Had he
really met Capt Peek or Katie or
the unparalleled Mexican in his
wanderings-had he really encoun-
tered them under commonplace con-
ditions and his overstimuiated brain
had supplied the incongruitiesy
However that might be. q, sudden
elating thought caused him an In
tense joy. Nearly all OF us have
at some point in our .lives--either
to excuse our own stupidity Or
placatee our onscien1esr-=premul-
OufoA NJ 81