Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-03-20


been even mindful of that dread oathr'-
and she trembled 'sHave / not played the
spy and told thee alla Have not won the
heart Of the Queen so that she loves me as
a sister, refusing me nothing, ay, and the
hearts Of those about hera Why dOst thou
alright me thus with thy words and
threatsa" And she wept afresh, looking
even more beautiful in her sorrow than she
was before.
Enough, enough" he answered; "what
have said I have said. Be warned, and af-
front our sight no more with this wanton
dress. Thinkest thou that we would feed
our eyes upon those rounded arms-we
whose stake is Egypt and who are dedicated
to the Gods of Egypta Girl, behold thy
cousin and thy Kingr'
She ceased weeping, wiping her eyes
with her Chiffon, and saw that they seemed
but the softer for her tears.
"Methinks, most Royal Harmachis and
beloved cousin,' she said, as she bent
before me ''that we are already made &C
quainted.'
''Yea, cousin" 1 answered, not without
shamefacedness, for never before had
spoken to so fair maid; ''thou vert in the
chariot with Cleopatra this day when 1
struggled with the Nubian."
''Assuredly," she said, with a smile and a
sudden lighting Of the eyes, sit was q gal
liant fight, and gallantly didst thou over
throw that black brute. I saw the fray,
and, though knew thee not, greatly did
fear for one so brave. But I paid him for
my fright, for it was who put it into the
mind of Cleopatra to bid the guards strike
of his hand-now, knowing who thou art,
would had said his head" And she looked
up, shooting glance at me, and then
smiled.
Enough" put in my uncle Sepa, ''the
time draws on. Tell thou thy mission,
Charmion, and be gomez
Thereon her manner changed. She folded
her hands meekly before her and spake:
''Let Pharaoh hearken unto his hand
maiden. am the daughter of Pharaoh's
uncle, the brother of his father. who is now
long dead, and therefore in my veins also
flows the Royal blood of Egypt. Also am
of the ancient faith, and hate these Greeks,
and to see thee set upon the throne has been
my dearest hope now for many years. To
this end have /, Charmion, become serving
woman to Cleopatra, that I might cut a
notch wherein thou couldst set thy foot
when the hour came to climb the throne.
And behold! o Pharaoh, the notch is cut.
''This, then, is our plot, Royal cousin:
Thou must gain an entrance to the House
hold and learn it's ways and secrets, and.
so far as may be, suborn the eunuchs and
captains, some of whom I have already
tempted. This done, and all things being
prepared without, thou must stay Cleo
patra, and, aided by me, with those whom
control, in the confusion that shall ensue
throw wide the gates, and, admitting those
OF our party who are in waiting, put such
of the troops as remain faithful to the
sword and seize the Bruchum. Which be-
ing done, thou shalt within two days hold
this tickle Alexandria. At the same time,
those who are sworn to thee in every
city Egypt shall rise in arms, and
within ten days from the death of Cleopatra
thou shalt be Pharaoh indeed. This is the
counsel which has been taken, and thou
seest, Royal cousin, that, though your uncle
yonder doth think so ill of me, have
learned my part-ay, and played it.''
II hear thee, cousin" answered, marvel
ing that so young q woman, for she had
but twenty years, could weave so bold a
plot, for IN its origin the scheme was hers.
Butin those days I little knew Charmion.
$50 on; how then shall 1 gain entrance to
the palace of Cleopatrar'
s'Nay, cousin, as things are it is easy.
Thus: Cleopatra loveth to look upon a man,
and-give me pardon--thy face and form
are fair. To-day she noted them, and
twice she said she would she had asked
where that aStrologer might be found, for
she held that an astrologer who could we'll
nigh Stay Nubian gladiator with his bare
hands must indeed be master of the stars.
answered her that would cause inquiry
to be made. So hearken, Royal Harmachis.
At midday Cleopatra sleeps in her inner
hall that looks over the gardens to the har-
Dor. At that hour, then, will I meet thee
at the gates of the Palace, whittier come
thou boldly asking for the Lady Charmion.
I will make appointment for thee with
Cleopatra, so that she shall see thee alone
when she wakes, and the rest shall
be for thee, Harmachis. For much she
loves to play with the mysteries of magic,
and whole nights have known her stand
watching the stars and making pretense
to read them. And but lately hath she sent
away Dioscorides, the Physician, in that,
poor fool! he ventured on prophecy from
the conjunction of the stars that Cassius
would defeat Mark Antony. Thereon Cleo
patra dispatched to the General Allienus,
bidding him add the legions she had sent to
Syria to help Antony, to the army of Cas-
sius, whose victory, forsooth, was, accord
ing to Dioscorides, written on the stars.
But, as it CHANGED, Antony beat Cassius
first and Brutus afterward, and SO Dios-
corides hath departed, and now he lectures
for his bread on herbs in the museum, and
hates the name of stars. But his place is
empty, and thou shalt fill it; and then we
will work in secret and in the shadow OF
the scepter. Ay, we will work like the
worm at the heart of fruit till the time of
plucking comes, and on thy dagger'S touch,
Royal cousin, the fabric OF this Grecian
throne crumbies to nothingness, and the
worm that rotted it bursts his servile COW
ering, and in the sight of empires. spreads
his royal wings DER Egypt"
l gazed at this strange girl once more as
tonished and saw that her face was lit up
with such light as had never seen upon
the face of woman.
"Ah!'' broke in my uncle, who was
watching her, ''ah! love to see thee 50,
girl. There is the Charmion that I knew
and I bred up-not the Court girl, whom I
love not, draped in silks of Cos and fra
grant with essences. Let thy heart harden
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