Evening star., 1924-12-14

triremes' bows. And through these tales
soon thrilled shuddering, guilty fear.
| This was the seventh year since Lys
capture. All men know that seven Is q
mystic number. And in Lys there lay,
| all men knew, dark. mystic powers. Had
| she not called the storm which had
snatched her captor to his doom?
Before Irais, great, blown, splendid
| Amazon. her folk made sham efaced,
angry plea.
Send her away. we beg you."
| growled the fretted, surIy men.
| Send her away, we beseech," walled
their scared. glittering women.
Fools, all" Irais laughed them to
scorn. But away she shall go. I'm
| tired enough of her white face, her
! stubborn dumb mouth. Toss her into
your boat. you, Gaius. Carry her
back to her beloved East"
| Gaius. a burly, panic-stricken giant.
scuttled to obey. But halfway to
the Judean coast. his ship overhau led
a trading vessel bound for Joppa.
Gaius was distractedly anxious to
get Lys off his hands. He boarded
the little ship, manacled the terrified
captain and his crew, helped himself
to whatever merchandise suited his
fancy; then. to the captains amaze
ment, he let both ship and men go
| free. Not, however, till he had ex-
| acted a solemn vow from the captain.
| This woman shall be carried to the
| Judean coast. And no man shall
touch her, nor speak with her. You
swear It."
II swear by all my gods" sputtered
| the captain. He gaped In comic be-
fuddlement till the trireme vanished
| in the western sky.
IL
least, through the four days journey
! to Joppa. BY that time, his daze had
swerved to cringing desire. What
| lovely creature this white, unsmiling
| girl was, with her deep eyes, her lips
! like a pale flower!
I.ys, eyes always downcast, read
his veering will. The last day, as
they watched the nearing shores, she
lived through a thousand tortures.
The captain planned shrewdly.
While In Joppa harbor, he feared that
his superstitious crew would rebel II
they learned that Lys was not set
free. But tomorrow. when they were
again we'll out to sea, rebellion would
serve them nothing.
Therefore. that night, as soon as
| the ship was anchored he would send
| the crew ashore, wages in hand, to
carouse as they willed. Lys he would
bring later, so he would declare to
| them. In his own small boat. While,
| in truth, he meant to chain her In
| the hold, slip ashore for a few hours
| diversian. then return to his ship at
dawn before his crew, drunken and
shouting. would come reeling down
| to the harbor again
| All very well. But he had not
| counted upon Lys herself.
| :: :: = p
| TT WAS past nightfall when the ship
was safely anchored. not a 100
yards from Joppa shore. Under a
| faring torch the captain stood doling
| out their money to his impatient men.
Lys drifted near. watched her chance.
| In her gray druEget, she was but a
! gray shadow on the night.
She crept behind the men; she
climbed silently the high poop. Be-
low, the harbor lay, q black mirror,
thick with stars.
There was q faint splash. The cap
! tain paused, listened; only the splash
of a leaping fish, in the jeweled sill
| ence below.
He finished his task in few min
| utes more.
"Now. Away with you
| Eager as schoolboys, the men
| away.
Now for you, my beautiful" The
| captain, his fox face agrin, entered
/ the cabin.
Twenty minutes later, sweating,
! raging. he stood again on deck. He
had searched every inch of the cabin.
He had torn away boxes and barrels:
| he had groped and clawed through
| the hold like a madman. No Lys.
I l. yryt 81 fDcv
| She couldn't swim ashore. Shed
never dare. Some sailor-treachery"
Blind with rage, he heaved himself
| into his own boat Across the black
| harbor he flashed, leaped ashore
| hardly a minute after his leisurely
| men. They turned, aghast at his
| fury.
"The woman! You have her! Give
| her to me! Swine!'
Slack-jawed, they gaped at him.
But one, quicker witted, pointed up
the dusky beach.
I'VE saw not the woman Lys. But
past US a minute since ran a dark
| shape, dripping from the sea"
After her! Ten gold pieces to
him who finds her"
Ten gold pieces. Up the dark
| beach. yelling and whooping, raced
! the hunting pack. Before them,
crazed with terror, fed the girl. The
| blood pounded in her throat. A red
mist whirled before her eyes. Fast
| er.
Oh, If only she could reach turn
! In the street, a Granny for hiding!
| But the long highway stretched be-
| fore her, wide, implacable. Its solid,
comfortable houses were dark as
tombs, all locked and bolted tight
against her need. Her limbs shook
now, her drenched clothes hung on
her like lead. Her heart thrashed
| flesh was sick, her eyes all but
blinded.
Then. straight before her. tho in
credible. A house, whose two great
doors stood open, wide.
"Have mercy: Have mercy!"
Moaning, she stumbled in. But not
a voice challenged. Empty, fre-lit.
She stood alone in the wide, silent
room.
Before the fire stood a couch. COW
cred with a heavy robe Of crimson.
Lys dropped to the floor and crept
! beneath that crimson shield.
Then running feet, high voices:
'She is here, my captain! Search
this house, ;
Fool! AS il fugitive would hide
within a wide-open door!"
Away Ealloped the heavy feet. The
angry shouting echoed, was gone.
A while. Lys lay like dead thing.
/ Then the unspeakable peace Of that
warm, quiet place had its way with
her. She crept from the covert Of
the robe. She loosed her mass Of
dripping honey-gold hair and spread
| 1t around her. Then she laid her
/ chilled little body on the broad wolf
skin before the fire. Instantly she
dropped into fathomless sleep.
II II X !,