Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-03-02
THE PEOPLE
OF THE MIST
By H. RIDER HAGGARD.
Copyright, 1898, by the Author.l
CHAPTER XIII.


return soon, and went to visit the settle
ment men, whom he had not seen since
the previous evening. He found them in
good case enough, SO far as their material
comfort was concerned, for they were well
supplied with food and warmly lodged.
So much could not be said however, for
| their mental state, for they were terrified
| by the multitude of solemn priests and
warriors who watched them as cats watch
mice. Crouehing round him dejectedly,
| they implored Leonard not TO leave them,
saying that they expected to be murdered
every minute. He pacified them as well
as he could and left them with the assur-
ance that he would return presently, hav-
ing first reminded them that the lives
of all depended upon the maintenance of
the delusion as to the divinity of Otter and
| the Shepherdess. The remainder Of that
day passed heavily enough.
After the first excitement of their strange
/ position had gone by reaction set in, and
everybody was much depressed AS the
{ hours drew on the mist, which had lifted a
little about 10 O'Clock, closed in very
/ densely, throwing the i'll lighted chamber
where they sat into deep gloom In such
! an atmosphere conversation languished.
liiNctt at tililtS 1t NltNl dNh9 uilOStbltEs
and the only sound to be heard was that
| of the monotonous voices of the priests
| without the curtains as they muttered
k prayers increasingly. AT length Leonard
| could bear it no longer, but rose, declar-
ing that he was going out to see whatever
! might be seen, Juaina tried family to
| dissuade him, and Otter wished to come,
| too, which was impossible. The end of it
! was that he went alone.
First he revisited the settlement men
I and tried to cheer them, a process which
they sadly needed. Then he passed to the
great gates of the palace yard and looked
/ through them. The mist had lifted a lit
( tic, and about 100 PAGES away he could per
3 ceivc the doors Of the temple, on either
( side of which rose cyclopean walls so feet
( or more in height Here it was obvious
| that preparations for some ceremony were
4 III progress, and on large scale, for i'm
| mensc crowds of people We're gathered
! about the doors, through which bodies OF
( priests and armed soldiers passed continu-
ally. More he could not learn, for the
I gates of the palace yard were barred and
guarded, and the soldiers would not let
| him through. He stood and watched till
= sunset, then returned to the others and
| iOlu lHtLl MHdO lle ililtl Setll
Another hour passed, and suddenly tho
: curtains wcro drawn aside and body OF
J priests entered, 10 in number, bearing
large candles of fat in their hands and
! headed by their chief Nam. Frustrating
| themselves before Juanna and Otter, they
remained in silence.
| speak on, - said Juanna at length.
! I'VE come, o mother and o snake, y
| said the priest Nam, to lead you TO the
( temple that the people may look upon theil
| gods
at is well. Lead on"
First thou must be ROBBED mother, y
said Nam, for without the temple nonC
may look upon thy divinity save thy
! priests alone.
Then, rising as he spoke, he produced a
black dress from grass bag, which was
4 carried by an attendant This dress was
/ very curious. 1t fastened in front witt
| buttons of horns and either was or seemed
| to be woven in single piece from the soft
] est hair of black Geeced goats. Moreover
| it had sleeves just long enough to leave
the hands of the wearer visible, and be-
| meath its peaked cap was sort of mask
| with three Sits, two for the eyes and ono
for tho mouth. Juanna retired to put on
this hideous garment over her white robe
and presently reappeared, looking like the
| black ghost of medieval monk. Then
they gave her two flowers, red lily and
white, to be held in either hand, and il
, appeared that her equipment was com
| pletc. Next they came to Otter and bound
| II scarlet fringe of hair about his forehead
IN such fashion that the fringe hid his
| face at the same time placing in his hand
Il scepter of ivory, apparently of very an
| Gent workmanship and fashioned in the
shape of Il snake standing on its tail.
"All is prepared, said Nam.
Lead on, answered Juanna again,
"but let our servants como with us, both
H those here and those without, save the
\ woman only, who stays to make ready fol
( our return"
.Juanna spoke thus because Soa had IN
| nounced her wish to be left behind when
they went to the temple, Juanna had con
suited Leonard on the subject, who gave
| it as his opinion that Soa had good reasons
of her own for making this request; also
z he pointed out that in case of disturbance
B she could scarcely help them and might
possibly prove an encumbrance.
/ They wat, answered Nam. "All is
| prepared for them also, - and as he spoke
u sufuUillC Slll1lc fliChtFCu Ol ms NltHCTtu
countenance that made Leonard feel very
uncomfortable. What was prepared, he
/ wondered.
I They passed through the curtains into
\ the courtyard, where soldiers, clad in goat
( skin cloaks, waited with two filters. Here
also were the settlement men, armed, but
! in an extremity of fear, for they were
guarded BY about so of the great people,
! also armed
Juanna and Otter entered the litters,
| behind which Leonard formed up his little
! band going in front of it himself with
| francisco, both of them having rifles in
their hands and rcvolvers at their girdles,
Of which no attempt was made to deprive
them, for none knew their use
Then they started, surrounded by the
bare breasted priests, who chanted and
waved torches as they walked, and proceed
ed and followed by the grim files of tail
soldiers, on whose spears the torchlight
flashed ominJusly. As they came the gates
of the palace yard were opened. They
passed them and across the open space un-
til they reached the doors of the temple,
which were thrown wide open before them.
Here Otter and Juanna descended from
the filters, and all the torches were extin
| EllShttls ltAN tliSiii III h'ltNS l4tOh
ard felt his hand seized and was led along,
he knew not where, for the misty gloom
was intense He could scarcely sec the
face even of the priest who conducted him,
but from the sounds he gathered that al
their party were being guided in a similar
fashion. Once or twice also he heard the
voice of a settlement man speaking in &C
cents of fear or complaint, but such dem
onstrations were quickly followed by thu
sound of heavy blow, dealt no doubt b.
the priest or soldier in charge of that in
dividual Evidently it was expected tina
all should be silent. Presently Leonart
became aware that they had left the opel
space across which they were walking, TO
the air grew close, and their footsteps ranl
hollow on the rocky floor
Il believe that we are in a tunnel,
whispered Francisco.
'Silence, dog, Kissed priest in hi
ear. silence This place is holy"
They did not understand the meaning
of the words at the moment but the ton
in which they were spoken made thei
purport sufficiently clear. Leonard tool
the hint, and at the came time CLUTCHES
his rifle more tightly. He began to b
afraid for their safety. Whittier were the
being led-to dungeon Well, they woul
soon know, and at the worst it was no
probable that these barbarians would harm
.Juanna They followed the tunnel or pas
sag, for about $50 PAGES. At first 1t slope
downward: then the floor became level til
! at length they began to ascend stall
r Thine were 81 steps in this stairway, fo
+ Leonard counted them, each about /
inches high. and when all were elimbe