The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 37: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A PERUVIAN PARADISE, — 37 Keeth laughed again, this time to hide his embarrassment. ‘Thou art very fair indeed, princess,’’ he said. A little shadow rested on the girl’s face. ‘‘ But in thy country they are fairer?’’ she asked. ‘‘ What are they like?” Keeth drew from the leather case in which he carried the map a bent and dogeared photograph and showed it to her. ‘The color left her face and her pretty teeth pressed her red lip till the color fled from that, too, as she bent over the picture. “Is it the work of :gods—or demons ?’’ she asked breathlessly. ‘Thy people have carvings and paintings on the walls of this temple,’’ said Keeth. ‘‘ My people make their pictures more lifelike. ‘This is one thing we have learned in turning our backs upon war.”’ " But who is she? She zs beautiful!’’ The admission seemed fairly forced from her lips. Keeth looked at fhe noble, high bred face, so different from the dark, passionate living one beside it, and sighed. ‘‘It is my sister,’’ he said. The color flashed back into Imozene’s cheeks and she smiled again. ‘“‘ And thou canst never see her again,’’ she said slowly. ‘‘ And she is so beautiful—much more beautiful than I. I never had a brother,’’ she added, aftera moment. ‘‘ She must be sorrowful to lose thee, my lord—and thou to lose .her.”’ | Keeth bowed. The girl crept nearer and laid her little hand again upon his bare arm. ‘I‘he touch thrilled him and he started to draw his arm away and then hesitated, fearful that he might offend her. But he dared not look at her—for his own sake. ‘‘Let me be thy sister in her place,’’ she whispered softly. ‘‘I am sad for thee, my lord.’’ She leaned against him as he sat upon the stone bench and, after a moment, slid down upon the seat beside him. Keeth was forced to look at her and found her dark eyes running over with laughter. ‘‘How do brothers show their love for their sisters in thy country, my lord?’’ she asked, glancing at him sideways out of her sparkling eyes. In a flash Keeth had his arms about her and turned her face up to his. For a single instant their lips met. ‘The blood suffused her cheeks, the laughter died out of her eyes and tears filled them instead, and she darted away from his side. For a moment she looked at him reproachfully and then turned and fled from the room, leaving him filled not alone with wonder at her action, but with anger at his own. CHAPTER X.—A CRISIS. KEETH could not understand how he had offended the princess so sadly ; but that she was offended there could be no doubt. She had been so be- witchingly coquettish that he had broken the promise he had made himself when first she sought his society, and now paid the penalty for his unfaith- ° fulness. For days together he scarcely saw her, and when he did, it was never alone. He had no opportunity to crave her forgiveness for his rash- EoOmicsoo (E@)