Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-09-28


dreams, and melhinks thou tidst call them
to me, oh, Holly"
"Of what didst thou dream, AyeshaY'
| asked indifferently,
81 dreamed" she answered, quickly,
'of one | hate and one loye;" and then,
as though to turn the conversation, she
addressed the captain of her guard in
Arabic-"Let the men be brought before
me-"
The captain bowed low-for the guard
and her attendants did not PROSTATE them
selves, but had remained standing-and
departed with his underlngs down a pas
sage to the right.
Then came a silence. She leaned her
swathed head upon her hand and appear
ed to be lost in thought, while the multi
tude before her continued to grovel upon
their stomachs, only screwing their heads
round little so as to get view of us
with one eye 1t seemed that their queen
so rarely appeared in public that they
were willing to undergo this inconven-
fence, and even graver risks, to have the
opportunity to looking on her-or rather
on her garments, for nc living man there
except myself had ever seen her face. At
last we caught sight of the waving of
lights, and heard the tramp of men COM
ing along the passage, and in filed the
guard, and with them the survivors of our
would be murderers, 10 number of score
or more, on whose countenances the natur-
al expression of sullenness struggled with
the terror that evidently filled their savage
hearts. They were ranged in front of the
dias. and would have cast themselves
down on the floor OF the cave, like the
spectators, but She stopped them
NAY" she said, in her softest voice.
stand; pray We, stand Perchance the
time will soon be when We shall grow
weary of being stretched out and she
laughed melodously.
saw cringe OF terror run along the
rank of the poor doomed wretches, and,
wicked villains as they were, | felt sorry
three. passed before anything fresh occur
ed, during which She appeared, from the
movement of her head-for, ofcourse, we
could not see her eyes-to be slowly and
carefully examining each delinquent. At
last she spoke, addressing herself to me in
quiet and deliberate tone:
"Dost thou, oh, my guest, who art
known in thy country by the name of the
Prickly Tree, recognize these men?'
GAY, oh, queen, nearly all of them" |
said; and saw them glover at he as l
said it,
Then tell me and this company the
tale whereof | have heard.
Thus adjured, l. in as few words as |
could, related the history of the cannibal
feast, and of the attempted torture of our
poor servant. The narrative was received
in perfect silence, both by the accused and
by the audience, and also by She herself.
When had done. Ayesha called upon Bill
lali by name, and lifting his head from the
ground, but without rising the old man
confirmed my story. No further evidence
was taken.
"Ye have heard, said She at length. in
cold clear voice, very different from her
usual tones; indeed, 1t was one of the most
remarkable things about this extraordinary
creature that her voice had the power Of
suiting itself in wonderful manner to the
mood of the moment. What have We to
say, ye rebellious children, why vengeance
should not be done upon ye?'
For some time there was no answer. but
at last one of the men, fine broad chest
ed fellow, well on in middle life, with
deep graved features and an eye like a
hawk spoke, and said that the orders that
they had received were not to harm the
white men, nothing was said of their
black servant, so, egged on thereto by
woman who was now dead, they proceed
ed to try to hot pot him after the ancient
and honorable custom of their country,
with view of eating him in due course.
As for their attack upon ourselves. it was
made in an access Of sudden fury, and
they deeply regretted it. He ended by
humbly praying that mercy might be ex-
tended to them, or at least that they might
be banished into the swamps, to live or
die as it might chance; but | saw on his
face that he had but little hope of mercy.
Then came a pause, and the most intense
silence reigned over the whole scene, which,
illuminated as 1t was by the Pickering
lamps that struck out broad patterns Of
light and shadow upon the rocky walls,
was as strange one as | ever saw, even
in that weird land. There, seated in her
barbaric chair above them all, with myself
at her feet, was the velled white woman,
whose awesome power seemed to shine
about her like halo. Never have seen
her yelled shape look more terrible than it
did in that space, while she gathered her.
self up as it were for vengeance.
At last ii came
Dogs and serpents," She began, in
low vOicn that produo1lv pathoroJ ,Do,,-or