Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-02
THE PE6LE
 OF TM MIST.
[Copyright, 1898, by the Author.l
 CHAPTER XVII.
By H. RIDER HAGGARD.

 ] to do honor to the gods, and Leonard, who 1 by this time could mako h6self under 1 stood in the tongue of the People of the 1 Mist, attacked him furiously as to tho | whereabouts of their lost servants. When 1 he had finished, the priest answered with a cruel smile that he knew nothing of the matter. "Doubtlcss," he said, the gods 1 had information of the fate of their own l servants. It was not for him to seek those 1 whom tho gods had chosen to put away" | Then turning tho subject, he went on to ask when il would please the mother to 1 intercedc with the snake that he might cause the sun to shine and the corn to 1 grow, for the people murmurcd, fearing a 1 famine in the land.
 Of course Juanna Was able to give no satisfactory answer to the priests Ques- tion. and after this the quarters of the set clement were changed, and for a few days the survivors slept in safety. On the third night, however, two more of them were l taken in the same mysterious manner, and 1 one of those who remained swure that, hearing soISething stir, he woke and saw l the floor open and n vision of great arms dragging his sleeping companions into a hole in the flcor, which instantly closed again. Leonard hurried 10 the spot and made a thorough examination of the stone l blocks of the pavement, but could find no crack in them. And yet, if the man had 1 dreamed, how was the mystery to be ex- l plaincdE
 After this, with the exception of Otter, 1 who, surc of the fate that awaited them, took little heed of how or when it might l fall, nonc of the party could even sleep be- | cause uf their terror of the unseen foe who | struck in silence and in darkness, drag l ging the victim to some unknown awful I end. Leonard and Francisco took 1t in , turns to watch each others SlumberS lay | ing themselves to rest outside the curtain l of Juanna's room. As for the survivors of | the settlement men, their state can scarce | ly be described. They followed Leonard about, upbraiding him bitterly for leading them into this land of devils and cursing the hour when they had first seen his face. It would have been better. they said, that | he should have left them to their fate in the slave camp rather than have brought them here to die thus. The Yellow Devil was at least man, but these people were sorccrers and evil spirits.
 | Nor did tho horror stop here, for at last 1 the hCadman Peter, q man whom they all | liked and respected, went mad with fear and ran to and fro in the palace Yard While the guards and w5rncn watched him with curiohs eyes as he shrieked out curses upon ] Jualna and Leonard. This shocking Scene went on for some ho"rs, for his cofnpan- ions would not interfere with him, vowing that he was possessed by spirit, till at length he put q period 10 it by suddenly committing suicide.
 | In vain did Leonari caution the surviv- ors to keep their heads and watch at 1 nights. They flew to the beer, which was supplied to them in plenty, and drank till | they were in>tnsible. Ard still one by ono they vanished mysteriously till at length all were gone
 Never might Leonard forget his feelings when one day at dawn, in the fifth week | of their rccratiun, he hurried, as usual, 10 the spot wLtrr the last two of the un- | fortunate men Were accustomed to sleep 1 and found them not There were their | blankets there was the place where they had been, and on il. laid carefully in the form of a St, Andrew $ cross by some un- known hand, were two hugo sacrifcial | knives auc.l the priests wore at their girdit.
 Sick and faint with fear. he staggsred l back to thc thrpnCroom.
 Oh, what is it now;" said Juanna, l who. carly as it was. had already risen, looking at him with terrified eyes and trembling lips.
 Only this, ho answered hoarsely, the last two have gone and here is what was | It1t HI IIlS pIslCC CL lACLll Anu uc CttSG 1 down the knives onto the pavement. Then at last Juanna gave way "Oh, Leonard, Leonard, " she said, weeping bit terly, they were my fathers scISants whom hnvo known since I was a child, and have brought them to this cruel l end. Cannot you think of any way of get ting out of this place. If not, shall 0.Rl of fear. can sleep no more. feel that l am watched at nights, though I cannot tell by whom. Last night thought that I heard some one moving near the curtain where you and Francisco lie, though Soa declares that it was all fancy" It is impossible said Leonard. "FrancisCo was watching An, here he IOlnCs!''
 As he spoke Francisco entered the room with consternation written on his face.
 "Ouuram." he gaspcG, ''some one must have been in the throne chRnber where we slept last night All tho rifles have gone-ours and those of tho settlement men also"
 Great hcavcRs!" said Leonard. ''But you were watchmg."
 II suppose that I must have dozed for a few moments" answered the priest. n is awful, awful, they are gone, and we are wcaponlGss."
 "Oh, can we not escaps''' muancd Ju, anna.
 There is DO hOpe of it," answered Leonard glooIhily. We have no friend: here, except Olfan and he has little real power, for the priests have tempered witt the captains and the soldiers, who feal them. How can We get out of this city, And, if we got out, what would become o us. unarmed and alone: All that we cal do is to keep heart and hope for the best ir,fy Fh rf. hr hn ha no good comes of seeking after treasure < though believe that We shall live to vii : it yet. ." ne added.
 What, delivercr, said a satirical vOic
 behind him, do you still desire the ne
 stones, you whose hearts blood shall soO
 reddcn q certain stOnU yondorr Truly tn
 greed of the white man Is great"'
 Leonard looked around. It was Soa wh = spoke Soa who had been listening to thei } . talk, and she was glaring at him with 0
 expression of intense hate in her Sulle
 yves. A thought came into his minC
 Was it not possible that this woman Ina
 something to do with their misfortune
 How came it about that the others wel
 taken while she was iefty
 8 Who gave you leave, Soa," he SaiC e looking her fixedly in the face, ito hearl 1 en to our words and thrust yourself iRt Y our talk"
 a You have been glad enough of III
 counsels hitherto. white man," she al = swered furiOusly. Who told you the ta } or this people. and who led you to the lands Was it I or anotherf'
 You, I regret to say." said Loonal
 coolly.
 a "Yes, white man, led you here tn f you might steal tho treasure of my peop
 like a thief. l did it because the She
 herdess, ny mistress, forced me to the dee'
 and in ;b"-, l3>1 : her will was my lay
 Fer heI and You .;une here to my deatl
 and what h.s Loen my reward: I an pV
 away from her: she has EO kind word f. na now you ara about hey always; yC !, hold her counsel, bat to me her mind is
 shut door that I s'sEl 20 longer ope
 hnn. nk i'm