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

anu WITH MIN at least u hundred captains
and soldiers, who lifted their spears in sa
lutte as they advanced.
"Olfan, hear our bidding" said Juan
na Suffer no priest of the snake TO en-
ter the palace gates. We give you com
inand over them, even to death. Set guards
at every gate and come with us. !"
The king bowed and issued some Or
ders, in obedience to which the sullen
priests fell back 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 at them curl
ously, especially at Leonard and Francisco,
as though indeed she had never expected
to see them again.
''Hearken, Olfan,'' said Juanna, 1--WE
have saved your life tonight, and you have
sworn fealty to us. Is it not sof''
1T is SO, queen" the warrior answered.
''And will be faithful to my oath. This
heart, that but for you had now been cold,
/, beats for you alone. The life that you
gave back to me is 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 supernat-
/ ural awe. Was 1t possible, she wondered
with thrill of fear that this savage king
| was forgetting the worship of the goddess
for that OF the woman. And did he begin
to suspect that she was no goddess, after
alls Time would show, but at least the
look in his eyes alarmed her.
Fear not, I" he went on. "a thousand
men shall e. ird you night and day The
power of Nam is broken for awhile, and
now all this company may sleep in peace. 4"
1T is well, Olfan. Tomorrow morning,
after we have eaten, we will talk again,
for we have much to say. Till then
watch"
The great man bowed and went, and at
last they were alone.
Let us eat said Leonard Hello,
what is this Spirit or very good imi-
tation of it, Well, never wanted glass
Of grog more 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 Soa.
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?'
mo, deliverer' ~ she answered Il
thought that you would be killed, every
one of you. And so it must have come
about had it net been for the Shepherdess;
also l staid away because those who have
looked upon the snake once do not desire
to see him again. Many years ago l was
bride to the snake, deliverer, and had /
not fled my fate would have been the fate
of her who died this night -
We'll, l don't wonder that you ran,"
said Leonard.
''Oh, baas, broke in Otter, why did
you not shoot that old medicine man, as !
told your 1t would have been easy when
you were about it, baas, and now he would
have been broken like an eggshell thrown
from a housetop and not alive and full of
the meat of malice. He is mad with rage
and wickedness, and say that he will kill
us all if heican."
Il rather wish / had,'' said Leonard,
pulling his beard. II thought of it, but
could not do everything, and on future
occasions, Otter, will you remember that
your name is Silence? Luckily these peo-
pie do not understand you. If they did,
you would ruin us all. What is the mat
ter, Soa?'
Nothing, deliverer," she answered,
"only was thinking that Nam is my ia
Their, and l am glad that you did not shoot
him, as this black dog who is named
god, suggests. -
"Of gods know nothing, you old COW,
answered Otter angrily. They are faroff
people, though it seems that am one of
them-at any rate among these FOOLS your
kinsman-bat of dogs 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, F." thought
Leonard to himself. lone fine day this
woman will make it up with her respect
ed parent and betray us, and then where
shall we bet Well, among so many dan
gers an extra one does not matter
II must go to bed" said Juanna faint
ly. My head is swimming l cannot
forget those horrors and that giddy place
When l first saw where / was, l nearly
tainted and fell, but after awhile grew
more used to it. Indeed while l was speak
ing to the people quite forgot my fear
and the height seemed to exhilarate me-
What sight it was! When all is said and
done, it is grand thing to have lived
through such an experience. l wonder if
any one has ever seen its like?''
You are marvellous woman, Juanna,"
said Leonard, land l offer you my con
CALCULATIONS. We owe our lives to your
readiness and courage"
''You see, was right in insisting ON
coming with you," she answered some
what aggressively.
For our sakes, yes; for your own, am
not so sure. To tell you the truth, think
that we should have done better not to
have come at all. However, things look
little more promising now, though Nam
and his company have still to DO reckoned
with, and we don't seem much nearer the
rubies, which are the main object"
Yes, " said Juanna, but you have got
to find them. Come, Soa, undress me
feel half dead. Good night"
Francisco, said Leonard as he rolled
himself up in his blanket, you had a mar
row escape tonight. If l had missed my
hold"
Yes, Outrani, it was lucky for me that
your arm was strong and your mind
quick. All, am dreadful coward, and
can see it nowl" and he shuddered "Al-
ways from child | have believed that
shall Gle from fall from some high place,
and when I saw / thought that my hour
had come At first | did not understand,
for Twas watching the sonora S face in the
moonlight, and TO me she looked like an
angel. Then l saw, and my senses left
me. 1t was as though hands were stretch
ed up from the blackness to drag me down
yes, l saw the hand-but you saved mo
this time, Outram, though that will not
help me, for l shall die in some such way
at last. So be it. 1t is best that / should
die, who cannot conquer the evil of my
heart
Nonsense, my dear fellow!'' said Leon
ard. Don't talk like that about dying
We can none of us afford to die just at
present-that is, unless we are obliged to
do so. Your nerves are upset, and no won
deri AS for the evil of your heart, i
wish that most men had as little. The
world would be better. Come, go TO sleep.
You will feel very differently tomorrow"
Francisco smiled sadly and shook his
head, then knelt and began to say his
prayers. The last thing that Leonard saw
before his eye closed in sleep was the rapt
girlish face of the priest, round which the
light of the taper fell like an aureole, as
he knelt m~ttering prayer after prayer
with his pale lips
no BE CONTINUED
Ar exrhanne evnraccec nood r1~.ot,