The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-05-16
.Tt is wen.p he answered. "Unvail thy

sn is weII.p he answered. "Unvail thy
self, here thou art safe"
With little sigh Of WEAKNESS she UNI
clasped the peplos and let it slip from her,
giving TO my sight the face and form Of that
beauteous girl who had stood to fan Cleo
patra In the chariot For she was very fair
and pleasant TO look upon, and her Grecian
robes chung sweetly about her supple limbs
and budding form Her hayward hair,
flowing in hundred little curls, was bound
with golden tillet, and on her feet were
sandals. Her cheeks blushed like flower,
aud her dark soft eyes were downcast, as
though with modesty, but smiles and dim
pies trembled about her lips.
My uncle frowned when his eyes fellupon
her dress.
why CONTEST thou in this garb, Char
mionl" he asked, sternly. SIS not the
dress thy mothers wore good enough for
theel This is no time or place for woman's
vanities. Thou art not here to conquer, but
to obey"
shay, be not wroth, my father" she an
swered, softly; "perchance thou knowest
not that she whom serve will have none
Of our Egyptian dress; it is out of fashion.
To wear it would have been to court sus-
picion also l came in haste" And as she
spoke I saw that all the while she watched
me covertly through the long lashes which
fringcd her modest eyes.
"Well, we'll" he said, sharply, fixing his
keen glance upon her face, doubtless thou
speakest truth, Charmion. Be ever mind
full Of thy oath, girl, and of the cause to
which thou art sworn. BE not flight minded,
and ! charge thee forget the beauty with
which thou hast been cursed. For mark
thou this, Charmion; fail us but one jot
and vengeance shall fall on thee-the ven
'geance of man and the vengeance OF
the Godsl To this service he colt
tinued, lashing himself to anger as he
went on, TIL his great voice rang in the
narrow room, "hast thou been bred; 70 this
end hast thou been instructed and placed
where thou art, to gain the car of taat
wicked wanton whom thou seemest toserve.
See thou forget it not; see that the luxury
of yonder court does not corrupt thy purity
and divert thy aim, Charmion." And his
eyes flashed and his small form seemed to
grow till it attained TO dignity-nay, almost
to grandeur. "Charmion,h he said, advanc-
ing toward her with outstrctched finger, 81
say to thee that at tunes do not trust thee.
But two nights gone l dreamed | saw thee
standing in the desert. saw thee laugh
and lift thy hand to heaven, and therefrom
fell rain of blood; then the sky sank
down on the land of Khem and covered it.
Whence came the dream, girl and what is
it's meanings Naught have l against thee
as vet; but hearkenl On the moment that
I have, though thou art Of my kin, and /
have loved thee-on that moment, l say, will
| doom those delicate limbs, which thou
lowest so much to show, TO the kite and to
the jackal, and tho soul within thee to all
the tortures of the Godsl Unburled shalt
thou die, and bodiless and accursed shalt
thou wander in Amentil-ay, forever and
evern'
He paused, for his sudden burst of pas
sion had spent itself. But by it, more clear
ly than before, saw how deep heart had
this man beneath the cloak of his merriness
and simplicity of mien, and how flercely the
mind within him was set upon his aim. As
for the girl, she shrank from him terrified,
and, placing her hands before her face, be-
gan to weep.
"Nay, speak not So my father,H she said,
between her sobs; "for what have / donel
| Naught know Of the evil wandering of thy
dreams. am no soothsayer that l should
read dreams. Have | not carried out all
things according to thy desirel Have not
| been even mindful of that dread oathP'--
and she trembed "Have not played the
spy and told thee ALL Have l not won the
heart of the Queen so that she loves me as
q sister, refusing me nothing, ay, and the
/ hearts Of those about hers Why dost thou
alright me thus with thy words and
threatsp And she wept afresh, looking
oven moro beautiful in her sorrow than she
was before.
Enough, enough" he answered; 'whatl
have said / have said. Be warned, and af
front our sight no more with this wantor
dress. Thiukest thou that we would feet
our eyes upon those rounded arms-wt
whose stake is Egypt and who are dedicated
to the Gods of Egypta Girl, behold thy
cousin and thy King"
She ceased weeping, wiping her eyes
with her Chiffon, and saw that they seemed
but the softer for her tears.
"Methinks, most Royal Harmachis an(
beloved cousin,n she said, as she ben
before me, "tEat we are already made &C
quainted."
"Yea, cogsia." l answered, not withou
shamefacedness, for never before had
spoken to so fair maid "thou vert in tn
chariot with Cleopatra this day when
struggled with the Nubian."
"Assuredly," she said, with q smile and
sudden lighting of the eyes, dit was a gal
liant fight, and calamity didst thou over
throw that black brute. | saw the fray
and, though knew thee not, greatly did
fear for one so brave But l paid him TO
my fright, for it was who put it into tn
mind of Cleopatra to bid the guards strik
off his hand-now, knowing who thou art,
would had said his head" And she looke
up, shooting a glance at me, and the
smiled
Enough" put in my uncle Sepa, 9Th
time draws on. Tell thou thy mission
Charmion, and be gone"
Thereon her manner changed She folde
her hands meekly before her and spakc:
''Lct Pharaoh hearken unto his hand
maiden. am the daughter of Pharaoh
uncle, the brother of his father who is nov
long dead, and therefore in my veins ais
flows the Royal blood Of Egypt. Also l ar
of the ancient faith, and hate these Greeks
and to see thee set upou the throne has bee
my dearesthope now for many years. I
this end have |, Charmion, become serving
woman to Cleopatra, that | might cut
notch wherein thou couldst set thy foe
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 its ways and secrets, and
so far as may be, suborn the eunuchs an
captains, some Of whom l have slread
.nnlnted This done. and all things hein