/IDs Minter (Barben 



night, as if he feared she would vanish 

 upon first exposure to solitude. 



As for the lady, she seemed neither 

 greatly interested nor wholly indifferent. 

 Her beauty of face and form suited well 

 her priceless finery of dress and jewels; 

 but she did not show pride or haughtiness. 

 Every one loved her. In that strange 

 sylvan home amid the palms, cacti, and 

 roses, she lived nearly two years, and 

 meantime bore a child which was glori- 

 ously beautiful. The dark husband 

 beamed with passionate joy, scarcely ever 

 passing an hour out of sight of his wife 

 and babe. It was all a great mystery, 

 however, and the people somehow got ear 

 of a rumor, vague enough to be romantic, 

 which hinted that the young wife was not 

 happy and that the husband feared lest 

 she should escape from him. 



Rarely is a story so crisp and short 

 when love and mystery combine, but this 

 one ended in an explosion, as it were ; for 

 on a fine day in April a fleet and beautiful 

 vessel sailed into this bight of ours. A 

 boat was lowered, manned by six stalwart 

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