The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

48 A PERUVIAN PARADISE. ‘‘Tmozene !’’ he cried, and in an instant caught her up in his arms. She hid her face on his shoulder and he felt the heaving of her bosom against his own breast. | ‘( What is it—tell me, my child?’’ he said, bearing her in -his arms to the stone bench beneath the window. ‘He is dead,’’ whispered the girl, not offering to disengage herself from his embrace ; but her sobs ceased. ‘“ TInzalki?”’ ‘“Ves my lord. ‘The gongs beat out the sad intelligence to my waiting people. Dost thou know what it means to thee—and me?”’’ ‘Po me it means danger, oh, princess, if Gonnatzl now reigns. But to thee it means sorrow for the loss of a kind friend and counselor. ‘Thou wilt reign over thy people with Gonnatzl?”’ ‘Thus my grandfather intended. But it will never be, my lord.’’ ‘“Why not?’’ demanded Keeth hoarsely. Slowly the girl disengaged herself and sat upon the bench beside him. ‘« Had I the key to the treasure cave of our fathers—the cave lost to our people by the will of the gods so long ago—Gonnatzl would not wed me. He has so declared. I shall never wed, my lord. JI am alone—alone!”’ Her head slowly drooped until her forehead rested against the cold stone. Her hair hid her features from her companion, and again the passionate sobs shook her frame. Keeth sprang to his feet and leaned above her. Once he put out his arms as though to gather her again within them. But he fought down the temptation. ‘*God knows I’ve done her harm enough,’’ was his bitter thought. ‘‘T cannot save thee, my lord. Gonnatzl will have his vengeance on thee. I shall see thee die—and then die myself! Before another sun thy friends and thyself will fall before my cousin’s rage.”’ ‘‘We shall not !’’ exclaimed Keeth defiantly. ‘‘ Oh, princess, weep not for us. We shall escape him.’’ ‘Then the gods must shield thee,’’ she said simply. ‘“Imozene cannot.’’ She still lay hopelessly upon the bench, her body shaken by her sobs. Keeth was torn with conflicting emotions. Should he fly alone from the temple, or should he take her with him? He believed she would go without protest. If they escaped she need never return to the wilderness ; if not— well, they would die together. He knew—aye, he confessed it to himself with shame, yet with a strange exultation—that he loved her. He loved this woman—this half savage creature; in all the barbarism of her nature and surroundings, he loved her ! : Yet because this was so he could not do what inclination prompted. He could not sacrifice her. Should they fly together and be captured, what horrible punishment might not be meted out to her by her fanatical people? He glanced back over his shoulder for a last glimpse as he crept like a thief to the door. ‘The little heap of barbaric finery still lay upon the bench, and the last sound he heard as he stepped so softly into the corridor was a choking, despairing sob from behind the curtain of her glorious hair. Eomichbooks (E)