Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-03-09

d ubdlH uukHONu. I1earheni my servant,
who art named deliverer, . and she looked
down upon Leonard. land do my bidding.
! If one of these shall dare to lift his hand
against yonder man, STAY him swiftly as
you know how"
''Smite on, screamed Nam, "smite ON
and fear not
Most of the priests drew back affrighted,
hut one ruffian lifted his knife, and as he
did so Juanna pointed with her hand.
Then Leonard, leaning forward, covered
the priests great breast with his rifle as
surely as the uncertain light would allow
Unconscious of his fate, the priest NUT
tered an invocation, and now the knife
was about to fall upon the throat of OF
fan, when fire and smoke sprang out far
above him, the rife rang and shot through
the heart he leaped high into the air and
fell dead. Terror seized the witnesses OF
this unaccustomed and to them most aw-
full sight
1.-The gods speak with flame and thun-
derl'' one cried, land death is in the
flame
silence, dogsP' screamed Nam. aye
arc bewitched. Ho, you who stand on
high, cast down that wizard who is termed
deliyerer and let us see who will deliver
him from death upon the stone!"s
Then one of the priests who stood by
him made movement to grasp Leonard
and cast him down, but the other was ter
rified and could not stir. The first man
stretched out his arm, but before it SO
I much as touched its aim he himself was
dead, for, seeing his purpose, Leonard had
lifted the rifle and once more it's report
rang through the temple. Suddenly the
priest threw his arms wide; then he fell
backward, and with mighty rush Owed
into sheer space to crash lifeless on to the
stone floor below, where he lay, his head
and hands hanging over the edge OF the
pool
Now for the first time Otter's emotions
overcame him. He stood up on the knees
of the dwarf, and shaking the scepter in
his hand pointed with it to the dead priests
on the paving below at the same time cry
ing in stentorian tones:
We'll done, baas, well denel Now tum-
BILE the old one yonder off his perch, for
am weary Of his hcwlngs.''
This speech of Offers produced even a
greater effect on the spectators, if that
were possible, than the mysterious death of
the priests. That he whose name was ST.
lence should cry aloud in strange tongue,
of which of course they understood no sin
gle word, was dread and ominous thing
that showed his anger to be deep. But
Leonard took no heed. He was too much
engaged in covering the second priest with
the barrel of his repeater. This man, how
ever, had no liking for such dreadful
death. Swiftly he flung himself on to his
knees, imploring Leonard to spare him In
humble accents and with gestures that
spoke more plainly than his words.
Taking advantage of the pause, again
Juanna cried aloud; Eye see, People of the
Mist, that make no idle threats Where
are they now, the disobedient ones? The
tongue of flame has licked them, and they
are dead, and as they have persisted SO
shall all perish who dare gainsay my word
or the word of Jal. Ye know us for gods,
and ye have crowned us kings, and gods
and kings we are indeed. Yet fear not,
for on the robellious only shall oar anger
fall. Answer, though, Nam. Wilt thou
do our bidding, or wilt thou die also as
thy servants diedf"
Nam looked around desperately. He
looked down on the multitude and found
no help there. Long had they covered be-
meath him. Now hope was born In thei
breasts, and in the presence of a power
greater than his, and if only for awhile
they broke his yoke and the yoke of their
red superstitions. He looked at the COM
pany of priests. Their heart was out of
them. They were huddled together like
knots of frightened sheep, staring at the
corpses of their two companions. Then
he bethought him of Otter Surely there
was refuge in the god of blood and evil,
and he cried to him:
The mother has spoken, but the moth
er is not the son. Say, o .Tal, what is thy
command"
Otter made no answer, because he did
not understand, but Juanna replied swift,
ly:
II am the mouth of Jal, as Jal is my
hand. When l speak, speak the words of
jail Do his bidding and mine or die,
thou disobcdient servant"
This was the end of it. Nam was beat
ell. For the first time in his life he must
own a master, and that master the gods
whom he had himself discovered and pro-
claimed.
So be it," he said sullenly 1.-THE old
order passes, and the new order comes. So
be it. Let your will be done, o mother
and 0 son. I have striven for your glory,
have fed your affairs, and ye threaten me
with death and put away my gift. Priests,
set free that man who was king. People,
have your way, forget your ancient paths,
pluck the white flower of peace and per
ish. l have said"
So he spoke from on high, shaking his
clinched fists above his hoary head, and
was gone. Then the priests unbound the
limbs of the ex-king, and he arose from
the stone of DEATH
"Olfan, cried Juanna from on high,
Thou that vast the king, we, who have
taken thy kingship, give thee life and lib
erty and honor. See that in reward thou
servest us well, lest again thou shouldst
lie upon that bed stone. Dost thou swear
fealty to us?''
Forever and forever, o mother and o
son. l swear it by your holy heads"
1t is well. Now, under us once more
we give thee command of the armies of
this people, our children. Summon thy
captains and thy soldiers Bid those that
brought us thither lead US back whence
we came, and there set guards about us,
so that none troubles u.s. For you, our poo
pie, for this time fare you well. Go in
peace to dwell in peace beneath the shadow
of our strength
CHAPTER XIV