Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1890-01-09

Cleopatra place. Not for long = thy Joy
delayed. for thou shalt see her presently.
hhrauk at her words, as well ! might,
and, seeing her vantage, shs selzeo It
81 come, Harmachis-Royaa NO morei
come 70 ten thee thss thou art FsaI Free
thou art to face thine own infamy, ana see
it thrown back from every eye that trusted
thee, even g shadows are from water. !
come to tell thee that the great piot-the
plot Of twenty years and more-s at its
utter end. None have been siain' indeed,
unless It's Sepa, who has vanished. But
all the leaders have been seized ana put IN
chains, or driven from the land, and tier
party is no more. The storm has melted
ere it burst Khem is lost, and LOST forever,
for her last hope is gonel No longer may
she struggle-now for all time must she
bow her neck to the yoke, and her back to
the rod Of the oppressor"
I groaned aloud. "Alas, l was be-
trayedr SAID; "Paulus betrayed US
'Thou vast betrayed Nay, thou thyseif
vast the betrayeri How came luthat thou
{ list not slay Cleopatra when thou vast
alone with her. Answer. thou for
sworn!"
'.She drugged me-" said again.
20 Harmachisr' answered the pltlless
girl, show low art thou fallen from that
Prince whom once knew! thou who dost
not scorn to be q liar! Yea, thou vast
drugged drugged with love phhtre!
Yea, thou didst sell Egypt and thy cause
for the prlce of wanton's kiss! Thou Sor-
row and thou Shame" she went on. point
ing her finger ut mo and lifting her eyes to
nv face, 'thou Scorn! thou Outcastl-
and thou Contempt Deny it if thou canst.
Ay, shrink from me-knowing what thou
art. well mayst thou shrinkl Shrink and
crawl to Cleopatras feet, and kiss her
sandals till such time as it pleases her
to trample thee in thy kindred dirt; but
from all honest folk shrink shrSnh'
NV soul oaivered beneath the lash Of
her bitter hate, but had no words to an
swer.
"How comes it'll said at last in heavy
voice. "that thou, too, art not betrayed, but
art here to taunt me, thou who once didst
swear that thou didst love met Being
woman, hast thou no pity for the frailty
of manl'
"My name was not on the lists" she said,
dropping her dark eyes. "Herein is an
opportunity betray me also, o Harmachls
Ay, it's because once did love thee-dost
thou, indeed, remember itl-that feel thy
fail the more. The shame of one whom we
once have loved must in some sort become
our shame, and must ever cling to US in
that we blindly held thing so base close to
ourinmost heart. Art THOU also, then, a fool!
| Wouldst thou, fresh from thy royal wan
toms arms, come to me for comfort-to me
of all the world"
"How know l." said. "that it was mol
thou who, in thy jealous anger, didst oetray
our plans! Charmion, long ago Sepa warned
me AGAINST thee, and Of a truth now that
recall"
",Tis like traitor" she broke in, red
dening to her brow, ITO think that all are
of his family and hold common mind
Nav, l betrayed thee not; twas that poor
knaye Paulus, whose heart failed MN a.
the last, and who is rightly served. MOI
will I stay to hear thoughts so base. Har'
machis-Royal no more!-Cleopatra, Queen
of E2ypt, bids me say that thou art free
and that she waits thee in the Alabastel
Hall"
And shooting one swift glance through
her long lashes, she curtsied and was gone
Soonce more came and went about the
Court, though but sp lringly, for my hear
was full Of shame and terror, and on every
face feared to see the scorn of those VIII
knew me for what was. But naughtl saw
for all those who had knowledge OF the plo
had fled, and for her own sake no word nat
Charmion spoken. Also Cleopatra had pu
It about that l was innocent But my gun
Law heavy on me, and made me thin ant
wore away the beauty OF my countenance
And though was free in name, yet was
ever watched; nor might I STIR beyond tn
palace grounds.
And at length came the day that brough
with it OuIntus Dellius. that false Romal
. knight who ever served the rising star. d
, bore letters to Cleopatra from March,
, Antonius the Triumvir, who, fresh from tn
[ victory of Philippi, was now in Asia, wiring
ing gold from the subject kings wherewis
to satisfy the greed of his leglonaries.
Well do mind me of the day. Cleopatrs
clad in her robes Of state, attended BY tn
officers of her Court, among whom stoot
sat in the great ball on her throne OF golf
and babe the heralds admit the Ambass;
: dor of Antony the Triumvir. The great dool
, were thrown wide, and amidst the blare
I trumpets and salutes of the Gallo guard
= clad in glittering golden armor and sea
8 let cloak of silk, came the Roman In, 10