The Iola register., 1890-06-06


heavy cloak. "Who passesl" said the voics
of Brennus.
"a merchant, may it please thee, sir
who having brought gifts from Alexandris
to lady of the Queens household, and
having been entertained Of the lady, now
departs to his galley" answered in 9
feigned voice.
"'Umph!" he growled. "The ladies OF
the Queens household keep their guests
late. Well; tits q time of festival The
password, Sir Shopkeeperl Without the
password thou must needs return and crave
the lady's further hospitality
"'4ntony,' sir, and right good word, too.
All! I've wandered far, and never saw SO
goodly man and so great General And,
mark you, sir, I've travelled far, and seen
many Generals"
"Aye; 'ARtony' Is the wordl And Antony
is good General in his way-when it is a
sober way, and when he can not find skirt
to follow. I've served with Antony-and
against him, too, andknow his points. Well,
well; he's got an armful nowr
And al this while that he was holding me
in talk, the sentry had been pacing to and
fro before the gate. But now he moved q
little way, leaving the entrance clear.
"Fare thee well, Harmachis, and begone, /"
whispered Brennus, leaning forward and
speaking quickly. "Lnger not. But at
times bethink thee OF Brennus, who risked
his neck to save thine. Farewell, lad;
would that we were sailing north together, I"
and he turned his back upon me and begun
to hum tune.
Farewell, Brennus, thou honest man, )"
answered, and was gone. And, as long aft
~erward heard, when on the morrow the
hue and cry was raised because the murder
-ers could not find me, though everywhere
they sought me to slay me, Brennus did me
= service. For he swore that as he kept his
watch alone an hour after midnight he saw
me come and stand upon the parapet Of the
roof, that then stretched out my robes and
they became wings whereon fioated up to
heaven, leaving him astonished. And all
those about the court lent ear unto the his
tory, believing therein, because of the great
fame of my magic; and much they won-
sdered what the wonder might portend. The
tale also travelled into Egypt, and did much
to save my good name among those whom /
had betrayed; for the more ignorant among
them believed that acted not of my will,
but OF the will of the dread Gods, who OF
their own purpose waited me to heaven.
And thus, even to this day, the saying runs
that "Bhen HdTmdchfs comes again E0gpt
-sh1a be free" Only Cleopatra, though she
was much afraid, doubted her of tho tale,
and sent an armed vessel TO search for the
Syrian merchant, but not to find him, as
shall be told.
SWhenFI reached the galley whereof
Charmion had spoken, found her about TO
sail, and gave the writing to the Captain.
who conned it, looking on me curiously, but
said naught
So went aboard, and immediately we
dropped swiftly down the river with the
current And having come to the mouth
OF the river uuchalenged, though we passed
many vessels, we put out to sea with a
strong favoring wind that ere night fresh
sened to great gale. Then the sailor men,
being much afeared, would fain have put
about and run for the mouth of the Cydnus
once again, but could not because of the
wildness Of the sea. All that night it blew
furiously, and ere dawn our mast was car
ried away, and we rolled helplessly in the
trough OF the great waves. But / sat
wrapped In cloak, little needing; and be.
cause showed no fear the sailors cried out
that was wizard, and would have ecast me
into the sea but the Captain would not At
dawn the wind slackened, but ere noon il
once more blew in terrible fury; and at the
fsurth hour from noon We came in sight of
the rocky coast of that cape in the island Of
Cyprus which is called Dinaretum, where is a
mountain named olympus, and thitherwards
we drifted swiftly. Then when the sailors
saw the terrible rocks, and how the great
waves that smote thereon spouted up in
foam, once more they grew much afraid,
and cried out in their fear. Fer, seeing that
Istill sat unmoved, they swore that GER
tainly was wizard, aud came to cast me
forth as sacrifice to the Gods of the sea.
And this time the Captain was overruled,
And said naught Therefore, when they
cam eto me rose and defied them, saying: