Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-05

Tn the ceremonies or the telnple certain rcd and blue stones which, among the white people, are of priceless value. These. being adventures who seek after wealth, they determined to steal, and to this end the ShepherdeSS learned our language, and also by the help of the dwarf how to play the part of Aca, while he, dog that he is, dared to take the holy name of Jal. l will be short. They accomplished their jour ney, and the rest you know. But, as it happened, none of the stones they cOvet have come into their hands, except that one which the Shepherdess wears upon her forehead, and this she brought with her.
 Now, People of the Mist, when doubts of these gods had entered into me, made a plan. l set spies to watch them in the palace wonder, those spies being the wife who was given to the dwarf and her hand maidens; also 1 caused their black serv- ants to be seized and thrown in to the snake one Or two of them at time, for of this was sure-that if they had power they would protect their servants; but, as the snake knows, those men were not pro
 tected. Meanwhile reports came to me from the women, and more especially from Saga, the granddaughter of my broth CT, who was given aS a bride to Jal. This was their repOrt-that the dwarf behaved himself like cur of low birth, and that | when he was in liquor, which was often, | he babbled of his dOings with the deliver | CT in other lands, though all that he said
 they could not tell me, because even now
 he has little knowledge of our tongue. When these tales came to my ears, you
 may guess, O People of the Mist. that if I | had doubted before now my very heart | was shaken, and yet l had no proof. In
 my darkness l prayed to the gods for | light, and, To! light came. Among tho ! followers of these wanderers was wom- 1 an, and but yesterday this woman came l to me and confessed all. Forty years ago | she had fed from among our people, 1 1 know not why, but she took with her a
 knowledge of our secrets. It was she who
 told them of the gods and the story of the
 gods and instructed them how they should
 deceive us and win the red stones which 1 they desired. But now her heart repents
 her of the evil, and will summon her be-
 fore you that you may judge between me l and these liars who have brought me to
 this shame. Bring forth the woman"
 There was a silence, and so intense was l the interest that no sound came from the
 audience, which watched for the appear
 ance of the witness. Presently Sua ad-
 vanced from the shadows at the foot of the
 colossus, and, escorted by two priests, took
 her stand in the center of the semicircle of
 the judges.
 Speak, woman," said Nam.
 Then Soa spoke. II am of the People of
 the Mist" she said, 'as ye may know by
 looking on me and hearing me. was the
 daughter of a priest, and 40 years ago,
 when I was young and fair, fled the land
 for my own reason and travelled south for
 three months journey till came to O will
 lago on mighty river, where l dwelt for
 20 years, earning my livelihood as doc l trcss of medicine Then there came into | | tb, vi o wi bita TrbnSn xVifp ray
 birth to a daughte and died. became tho
 nurse of that daughter. She is the woman | who sits before you, and her name Is Shep- | hcrdcss. Twenty years more went by, and 1 l desired to return to my own land that
 might die among my people. told the
 tale of my land and of its wealth to the
 ShephCrdcss and her husband, the deliv-
 ercr, for l dared not travel alone. There-
 fore, in my w!CkedneSs, l showed them
 how they might pass themselves of as the
 gods of the People of the Mist come
 back according to the legend, for I saw that the dwarf, the delivcrcr's servant, was shaped like to the shape of the statue If Jal, who sits in stone above you. Be ) ing greedy, they fell into the plan, for, above all things, they desired to win the precious stones, but when We were come
 hithcr my heart was troubled because of the evil which had donc and yesterday escaped to Nam and told him all the tale that you have heard. That is the story, People of the Mist, and now l pray your mercy and your forgiveness"
 Soa ceased, and Leonard, who had been watching the multitude. whispered to Ju' l anna:
 Speak quickly if you can think Oi | anything to say. They are silent now be cause of their astOnishment, but in an other minute they will break out, and then our chance will be gone
 ! "Beople of the Mist" cried Jusnna taking the hint, you have heard tho
 words of Nam and the words of her who was my servant They dare to tell yoT
 that we arc no gods. So be it. On thi' 1 matter we will not 1ssason with you, fo ! can the gods descenN to prove their god f head: We will not reason, but will sa . this in warning-put us away if you wish
 and it may we'll chance that we shall sui fer ourselves to be put way, since the god do not desire to rule over those who rejeC
 them, but would choose rather to rctur . to their own place. Yet for you 1t sha n be an evil and an unlucky day when yo = lift a hand against our majesty. for in SC a ing we will leave you that by which W !, shall be remembered. Aye, wo will bC Il qucath to you three things-famino an a pestilence and civil war, which shall rag n among you and destroy you till yo arc n f more a people. Ye have suffered our scrl h ants to bo murdered and disobeyed ou
 commands, and it is for this reason, as have told you, that the sun shines no mol f and the summer will not come. Complet s your wickedness if ye will and let the goo f follow by the path that their servant o trod, and then, People of the Mist, } d shall reap as ye have sown, and death an il desolation shall be your harvest. And no
 for that base slave who has borne fal! .. witness against us. Among tho man il things she told you one thing she left Ill if told-that sho is daughter to Nam, Il ,o priest; that she fled the land because sl n was chosen bride to the snake and Is ther T, fOro an apostate worthy of death. Or word also as to Nam, her father. If tn 'o tale wero true which he has told you, the n he himself is condemned by it. for doub d less he knew 1t all at the beginning, fro v the lips of his daughter Soa, and knowiI
 1t it would seem that he dared to set | ,. gods in the land whom he believed to E- false, trusting thereby to increase his ow d power and glory, and when they fail, ', him because of his wickedness then he 10 not scruple to cry aloud his shame. I ha Il spoken, People of the Mist Now judge b Il tween us and let fate follow judgmer IT for we renOunce you"
 t, She ended, her face alight with ang % and her eyes flashing with excitemen lu and so great was the power of her el 'h quence and beauty that it seemed to thro y R spell of silence over the hearts of h 10 fierce and turbulent audience, while s 'e slunk back Into the shadow and Ma
 covered visibly beneath them.
 n, 1t is false, O people" cried the hi ed priest in a voice trembling with rage nI
 fear. My daughter told me the tale h. the first time at dawn today"
 His voice awOke the audience, as d. were, and instantly there arose a babel st sounds that rent the very skies. "H
 daughter! He says that she Is his daug