Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-12-31
THE PEOPLE
OF THE MIST.
[Copyrisht. 1893, by the Author.I
CHAPTER XIV.
By q. RIDER HAGGARD.

CHAPTER XIV.
1t was ut this juncture that Francisco
recovered his senses "Oh,'' he gasped,
opening his eyes and sitting up, is ft
done, and am dead.'
No, no, yOu are alive and safe, " an
swered Leonard. stay where you are and
don't look over the edge, or you will faint
again. Here, take my hand Now, you
brute and he made energetic motions to
the priest, indicating that he must lead
them back by the path they came and at
the same time tapped his rifle signif-
cantly
The man understood and started down
the dark tunnel as though he were glad to
go, Leonard holding his robe with one
! hand, while with the other he pressed the
muzzle of the loaded rifle against the back
of his neck. Francisco followed, leaning
| on Leonard's shoulder. for he could not
walk alone. As they had come, so they
returned. They passed down the steps of
stone which were followed in the body OF
the colossus they traversed the long
underground tunnel. and once more, to
their intense relief, they stood upon tn,
solid ground and in the open air. Now
that the moon was up and the mist which
had darkcEed the air was gone they could
see their whereabouts. They had emerged
upon platform of rock within n bow
shot of the great gates of the palace, from
whence the secret subterranean passage
used by the priests was gained, its open
ing being hidden cunningly among the
stone work of the temple.
Il wonder where the others are!" asked
Leonard anxiously of Francisco.
As he spoke Juanna, wrapped in her
dark cloak, appeared, apparently out of the
stones of the wall, and with her Otter, the
settlement men bearing their dead COM
panion, and a considerable company of
J priests among whom, however, Nam was
not to be seen.
oh, is that you, Leona I:" said Juan
ma in English and in n voice broken with
fear. Thank heaven that you are safe!''
Thank heaven that we are all safe!''
he answered. Come, let us get on. No;
we can walk. thank you" and he waved
away the priests, who produced the filters
from where they had hidden them under
the w.sslIl
The priesfs~fell back, and they walked
on. At the gate o. the palace a welcome
sight met their eyes;1Qr mere stood Oman,
and with him at least fftEitRdred captains
and soldiers, who lifted their speaEs in 81,
lutte as they advanced.
'-Olfan. hear our bidding said Juat--
na. suffer no priest of the snake TO en-
ter the palace gates. We give YOU com
mand over them. even to death. Set guards
at every gate and come with us
The tx king bowed and issued some Or
dcrs, in obedience to which the sullen
| priests fell hack murmuring. Then they
all passed the gates, crossed the courtyard
| and presently stood in the torchlit throne
room. where Juanna had slept on the pre-
vious night. Here food had been prepared
| Cor them by SOa. who looked ut them curl
ously. especially At Leonard and Francisco,
rs though indeed she had never expected
to see them again.
''Hcarken, Olfan." said Juanna, we
have saved your life tonight, and you have
sworn fcalty TO us. Is il not sou
lit is 20, queen. the warrior answered.
And 1 will he faithful TO my oath. This
heart. that but for you had now been cold,
beats for you alone. The life that you
rave back to ms i yours, and for You
live and die
And he glanced at her with an expires
sion in which, as it seemed to Juanna,
! human feeling was mixed with supcrnat-
/ uraI awe Was il possible, she wondered
| with 4 thrill of fear. that this savage king
| was forgetting tn. worship Of the goddess
for that nf the. woman, And did he begin
to suspect that She WIS TO goddess, after
all: Time would show. but at least the
look in his eyes alarmed her.
Fear not. he went en-. a thousand
men shall guard You night and day. The
| power If Nam Is broken for awhile, and
| now all this company may sleep i'll peace }"
lit j. well. Olfan. Tomorrow morning,
after We have eaten. we will talk again.
for we have much 10 say. Till then
watch"
| The great man ho,-cd and went, and Mt
last they were alone.
Let us cat" said Leonard. Hello,
what is this: Spirit or Il very good imi-
tatiOn of it. We'll. l never wanted n glass
of rrog moro in my life
When they had finished their meal, at
the request Of Leonard. Juanna translated
all that had been said in the temple. and
among her listeners there was none more
interested than ~oa.
say, Soa. - said Leonard when she had
finished. you did not expect TO see us come
back alive, did you: And that is why you
staid away
NO. delivCrCr,' she answered. II
thought that you would be killed, every
one of you. And so it must have come
about had it not been for the Shephcrdess;
also 1 staid away because those who have
looked upon the snake once do not desire
to see him again. Many years ago 1 was
bride TO the snake. dcliverer, and had
not fled my fate would have been the fate
of her who died this night
! Well. don't wonder that you ran,
said Leonard.
oh, baas, - broke in Otter, why did
you not shoot that old medicine man, as
told you: 1t would have been easy when
you were about il. baas, and now he would
have been broken like an eggshell thrown
from n housCtOp and not alive and full OF
the meat of malice. He is mad with rage
and wiCkedncs$, and say that he will kill
us all if he can
Il rather wish l had" said Leonard
pulling his beard. II thought of it, but
could not do everything, and on futur'
occasions, Otter, will you remember thai
your name is Silence: Luckily these PEG
pie do not understand you. If they did
you would ruin lis all What is the mat
ter, SOa:'
Nothing, deIiverer,'' she answered
''only 1 was thinking that Nam is my ia
ther and am glad that you did not shoe
him, as this black dog. who is named
god, suggests.
"Of gods know nothing, you old COW,
answered Otter angrily. They are a farof
people, though it seems that 1 am one o
them-at anyFate among these fools, you
kinsman-but of dogs 1 can tell you some
thing, and it is that they bite"
Yes, and cows toss dogs said Soa
showing her teeth.
Here is another complication, though
Leonard to himself. 'One fine day thi
woman will make it up with her respect
ed parent and betray US, and then wher
shall we be: Well, among so many dan
gers an extra one does not matter
Il must go to bed" said Juanna faint
ly my head is swimming. 1 canno
forget those horrors and that giddy place
a When 1 first saw where 1 was nearl
I tainted and fell but after awhile ~
more used TO it. Indeed while was s. Al
ing to the people l quite forgot my II
and the height seemed to cxhilarate
What a sight ii was, When all is said III
done, it is q grand thing to have live
through such an experience. i wonder
| any ON. hns oyer seen il likns-'