The Argosy, June 1904 — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

FORCED INTO SOLDIERY “You! You keep them off!” was the reply. “You wouldn’t stand up before two children.” “Oh, I know how to fight.” 7 Hurry up,” I said. “T want some coffee, and so do these other people. We saved your inn for you, now get us some refreshment.” “Tam now upon that errand,” said Nufet blandly, and he proceeded about it in his leisurely way. “Do you consider us out of danger now?” asked the white-haired man. “Yes, sir, I think with the cessation of firing the Turks have gone out of business. I know those bandits, and they are very thorough in their work.” “T should much regret any loss of life,” he said. “ But I am glad that God has spared us, and He uses His own methods in His work.” “ The losses in these bloody affrays in the East are much exaggerated,” I ex- plained. “TIT don’t suppose a life has been taken in Orlitz to-night.” “No, I suppose not, but that was due to the courageous stand you made here, and the arrival of the bandits. Let us, however, not forget our debt to Him who has preserved us. Let us pray.” The white-haired man looked noble, almost sublime, as he stood with his flowing snowy locks falling to his shoul- ders. livery person present, and there was a motley horde, respectfully listened. “Our Father,’ he began, “we bow before Thee to-night in thanksgiving. Thou hast once again shown Thy mercy and hast brought us through danger and into safety. Accept our thanks, O Lord, for this exhibition of Thy love and care for those who are Thy children. Let the hght of the true word be spread in this land that these things shall come to pass no more. {t is nm Thy teachings that we learn to spare our fellows and turn our minds to ways of peace. “ And now, let this, our daily prayer, ascend to Thee, and even in the evening of our lives let the petition sent up from the hearts of my faithful companion and myself be answered ere we part from earth. Let Thy blessing fall upon us in our work, and permit us, O Lord, once more to gaze upon the features of that one whom Thou gavest, and who PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG COMmicooe 565 hath now been lost to us since infancy. O Lord, day after day for seventeen years we have sent up this prayer, and yet have learned not the dwelling place of the Greck Gironda, nor if he and our child are still allve——” “Father! Mother!” The ery came from Adria with a tem- pestuous outpouring of emotion. The old man paused, for in the young peas- ant with me he could have had no thought of finding a woman. The missionary turned and gazed, while his wife, starmg with eyes that grew brighter, rose beside him. il Henry! '’ she said. “Henry! Let us be careful what we do.” “Who are you? ” asked the man, and his voice quivered. “Tam Adria Morton, “Gironda is dead, fore——” She could say no more, but flung her- self into the arms of the missionary’s wife and wept with her. “'Phis amazes me,” said the mission- ary, turning to me with a puzzled ex- pression. “Is your companion a girl?” “Yes, and she has adopted the peas- ant’s dress as a measure of safety. Are you Henry Morton?” “Yes, that is my name. You know the story?” “ Gironda told it to me as he was dy- ing. Adria and [ have had some rough experiences, and escaped only a few hours ago from those same bandits that saved us from the Turks. My name is rank Webb. I am delighted, ‘of course, at the way things have turned out to- night, but w ould never have expected to meet you in Europe. Gironda said you were in Armenia.” “Yes, we have been in many places, a spirit of unrest keeping us forever moving and inquiring, searching, for the Greek to whom we gave our child for safe-keeping. We trusted him, but for years we have believed he was false to the trust. We could not find him.” “He was a rich merchant of Salonika. Adria inherits all his wealth.” “Do you tell me this? My girl a rich woman?” “ Rich, I should say, to compare with one worth millions in America.” “ But Gironda was poor.” ” she answered. and told me—be- ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED CO