Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-03
THE PEOPLE
 OF THE MIST.
By H. RIDER HAGGARD.
ICopyright, 1898. by the AuthOr.l
 CHAPTER XVIII.

high priest; Soa, Juanna's servant, and saga, wife of the snake.
 Nam was an carly riser, perhaps because his conscience would not allow him to sleep or bcrauso on this occasion he had business of importance to attend to. At any rate, oli the morning in question, long bcfurc the break of dawn, he was seated in his little room alone, musing, and indeed his thoughts gave him much food for re tlcCtion. As has lCen s id, he was very aged man, and, NlIntCvar may have been his faults, at least he was conscicntiously GCsiruus of carrying on the worship of the gods according to tho strict letter of the customs which had descended to him from his furrfathcrs and which he himself had followed all his life.
 In truth, from long consideration of them, their attributes and the traditions concerning them, Nam had come to be- liCvc in tho actual existence of these gods. though the belief was q qualified one and somewhat half hearted, or, to put it less strongly, lie had never allowed his mind To entertain nCtivc doubt of tho spiritual beings whose earthly worship was so pow crful a factor in his own material rule and prosperity and in that of his class. In its issues this hali faith of his had been suf Ecicntly strong to induce him to accept Otter and ] hanna when they arrived mys tyriuusly in the land
 WtrC they gods or notr This was the quos,.yn ,hat exercised his mind. If there was truth in prophCsies, they should be guds. But. on inc other hand, there was nothing particularly divine about their ;,rrsuns, characters or attributcs-that is tu say. nothing sufficiently divine to de- ccivc Nam himself, whatever impression might be produced upon the vulgar.
 l,,,S rs.f., in nF soul wishing to himself the while that he had retired into private life before he was called upon to face questions so difficult and sO dangerous.
 | must wait" he muttered to himself at last Time will show tho truth, or, if the weather does not change, the people will settle the matter for me-
 As it chanccd, he had not long to wait, for just then there came a knock upon his door.
 Enter" ho said, arranging his eoat- skin rubo about his broad shoulders.
 A priest carnc in bearing a torch, for there was no window to the chamber, and after him two women.
 Who is this'" said Nam, pointing to l the second of the women. This Is she who is servant to Aca, ia thcr." answered the priest. How comes she herc?" said Nam again. l II gave no orders that she should be l taken.
 she comes of her own free will, fa thcr. having somewhat to say to you" Fool, how can she speak to me when | she docs not kuuw our language? But of her presently. Take her asid. and watch her, Now, Saga, your report. First, what of the wrathcr:"
 It is cold aud gray and pitilcss, father l The mist iS GCnst, and no sun can bC | seen"
 II thought it, because of tho cold" and | he drew his rol,c close round him. A few more days of this - and he stopped then went on. Tell mo of Jal, youl l lord"
 "Jal is uS .JLl was merry and somewhat l drunken. IIc speaks our language i'll, yet when hc was last in liquor he sang song | that told of deeds that he and hc whom thcv namu the dclivcrCr had wrought to | gethcr down in the south rescuing tht l goddess ACa from some who had taken he | captive. At least, so l understood tha | song"
 "Pcrhaps you understand 1t wrong, answered Nam. say, niece. do you stil worship this god:"
 II worship the god ,Tal, but the man | dwclcr in the waters hate," she sait ficrcrly.
 Why, how is this? But two days gon you told mo that you loved him, and tha there was no such god as this man anC no such man as this god
 That was so, father, but since then h. has thrust me aside, saying that I wear. him, and courts a handmaid of mine own and therefore l demand tho life of tha kandnaidCn."
 \,,n smiled criD,1v ..PcrchanCe vOl demand the life of the god alSo:"
 "Yrs," she replied without hesitation T would sec him dead fit can be brough about
 Again Nam smiled. Truly, niece your temper is that of my sister, you grandmothcr, who brought three men t sacrifice because she grew jealous of them Well, well, thCsc are strange times, anI you may live tu sec yOurtieSire satisfied b. the death of the god. Now, what of tha woman? How comes she to be with you?
 she was bound by the order of Aca father, and Jal was set to watch her, bu druggcd JaI, and loosing her bonds lc her down the secret way, for she desires speak to you"
 How can that hc, niecer Can the speak her languages" Nay, father, but she speaks ours. Ha she been bred in the land she could nc speak it better"
 Nam looked asbonished, and going { the door called to the priest without { lead in the stranger. You have words to say to me" said.
 f ''Yes, lord, but not before these. Ths which have to say Is secret" Nam hesitatCd.
 Have no fear lord said Soa, readin
 his thoughts. See, l am unarmed."
 Then he commanded the others to E, = and when the door had closed behind thel
 he locked at her inquiringly.
 "Tell me, lord, who am l!' asked So
 throwing the wrapping from her head an . showing her face to the glare of the torcl light.
 How can l know who you are, wal - dercr? Yet had I met you by chance
 should have said that you were of ol
 blood
 This Is so, lord. I am of your bloc ,' Cast your mind back and think if you ca !. remember q certain daughter whom yC q loved many years ago, but who, thrOuG x the workings of your foes, was chosen
 be a bride 10 the snake" And she pause
 Speak on, ." said Nam in low voice - 'Perchance you can remember, Tor \ that, moved to it by love and pity, on u , nlgnI or tle SdCrluCe you nelpeu tn
 daughter to escape the fangs of the snake
 Il remember something of it," he I
 piled, but tidings were brought to T "a that this woman of whom you speak w 1t overtakeR by the vengeance of the god al
 died on her journey"
 That is not so, lord. am the woma
 your daughter, and you are none Oth
 than my father. l knew you when first
 saw your face, though you did not knc . me-
 3, Prove it, woman, and beware how y, lie. Show Inc the secret sign and whisI
 the hidden word into my ear" r. Then, having glanced cautiously behil to her, SOa came to him and made soI
 movements with her hands in the shadC
 of the table, and bending forward wh
 pered awhile into his ear. When she h ,s. finished, her father looked up, and the - were tears in his aged eyes. \ Welcome, daughter" he said. ! | thourht I was alone. and that none of T