Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-05
THE PEOPLE
 OF THE MIST.
By H. RIDER HAGGARD.
ICopyright, 1898, by the Author.l CHAPTER NX

and Nam entered. After his customary salutatiuns, which on this occasiun were more cupious than usual, he unmarked blandly that the moon had T.. sen in clear sky.
 (Which means suppose, that it is time for Us to start, " said Leonard grut1ly.
 Then they set out, Juanna in her monk like robe and Otter in his rcd fringe and guatskin cape which he insisted upon wearing
 Il may as well die warm as cold, baas, be explained, for of cold l shall know enough when am dead"
 At the palace gate OIfan and guard were waiting. but they found no Opportu- nifty of speaking with him. Here also were gathered a great number of priests, who preceded and followed them. The process sion being formed, they were led solemnly to n different gate of the temple from that by which they had entered it on previous occasions. This time the secret passages wcre avoided and they passed up broad avenue through the center of the amphi- i thcatCr to seats that had been prepared for them on that side of the pool which was | farthCst from the colossal idol. As before, | the temple was crowded with thousands | of human beings, and their advance through il Was very impressive, for the ] priests Chantcl as they walked, while the l nlulJltDCG lTtSCTNGu an OlllnOuS SllSnGe 1 At first Leonard was at q loss to know | why they were placed on the hithcr side of i the prul. but presently he saw the reason. ! In front Of the chairs to he occupied by | .Juauua and Otter an open space of rock l wa> l. II. SUniCirCular in shape, on which ] were srt other seats to the number Of HO , ur murr. These seats were allotted to eld- | CTS of the people, who, as Leonard rightly ! guessed, had been chosen 10 act as their 1 judges, and the position was selected Tor their convenience and in order that the words spoken might bc audible to larger l proEurtiUn uf the vast audience.
 When Juanna and Otter were seated and Leonard and Francisco had taken their places behind them, Nam came for ward and addressed the council of elders and the multitude beyond.
 Elders of the People of the Mist" he said, have conveyed your wishes to the | holy gods, who but lately have dCigned to l put on the flesh of men and visit Us, their l pcoplc-namcly. that they should meet you here and talk with you of the trouble which has come upon the land. And now the gracious gods have assented to your wish, and hchold they are face to face with You and with this great company of their people, Now be pleased to make known what you desire to the gods, that they may answer you either with their own mouths or Ey the voice of me, their servant"
 He ceased. and after a pause, during which the people murmured angrily, an elder rose and said:
 We would know of you how 1t is, c Aca and 0 Jal, that the summer has de serted the land. Now our strait Is very sorry, for famine will come upon us with the winter snuws. Awhile ago 0 Aca and O Jal, you changed the worship oi the land furhidding the victims who had been prcYurr,l to he offered up at the spring festival. and. To! there has been nc spring. Th,rrfurc we ask a word of you on this matter, for the people have con suited together and say by our voice that they will have no gods who kill the spring Spcak, Q yc gods. and you, Nam, speak also, for We Muu!d learn the reason O. , these evils. and from you, o Nam, WI would learn how il comes that you hav' proclaimed gods in the land whose brcatl
 has destroyed the sunshine, "
 '.Yuu ask me, 0 People of the Mist, answered JuaHna, "why il is that th' winter strrtchcs ont his hand over th' slumbCr of the spring, fOrbidding her t' awake. and will answer you in few word l. and short II is because of your discbcdi cncr and the hardness of your hearts. O " 1ebcilious children. Did ye not dc sacri 3 flee when wr forbade you to take the blOOC of men? Ave, and have not our servant |. been stolen secretly away and put to dcatl { to satisfy yOur lust for blood? It is fo , | this reason, because of your disobcdicnce 5 shat the heavens have grown hard as you
 own hearts and will not bless you wit their sunshine and their gentle rain. B have answered you.
 Then aEaiM the spokesman of the elder " arose and said:
 3. ..Wc have heard your words, O Aca, an
 they are words of little comfort, for [ l. sacrifice is the custom of the land, an p, hitherto no evil has bcfallen us because c
 that ancient custom. Net if there ha l. been offCnSc it iS not We who have offend | cd, but rather the priests in whose hand
 these matters lie, and as for your servant l' we know nothing of them or of their fate
 Now. Nam, mako answer to tho charge
 of the gods and 10 the questions of tn
 people for you arc the chief of their scrN - ants, and you have proclaim cd them to
 true gods and s,t them over IS to rule us.
 Thus adjurcd, Nam stood forward, m
 his micn was humble and anxious, for |
 saw well that his aCcusers were not to |
 triLCd with, and that his life, or Ut lea: 1 his power was at stake, together wit
 those of the gods.
 "Childrrn of the Mist, ' he began, you
 words are sharp, yet do not complain ( ., them, for. as you shall learn, my fault ht f been gricvous. Truly, am the chief (
 the servants of the gods, and am also u = servant of the people, and now it woul
 seem that have betrayed both gods an
 people. though not of my own will Ii @, ten. Ne know the legend that has cOII e down To us-how that Aca and Jal shoul If rcappcar in the land wearing the shapes a. the fair white maiden and a dwarf, 'I EnuvT also how they came, as had bee promised, and how 1 showed them to yC
 here in this temple, and yc accepted then
 Ne remember that then they put away Il
 ancient law and forbade the sacrifices, al
 by the hand Uf their servant, who is name
 aelivercr, destroyed two of the priests, II . brethren, in strange and terrible fashion )1 Then I murmurCd, though they threa
 cncd me with death, but ye OverrulC
 my words and accepted the new lay - and since then all things have goI
 i'll. Now, after that night l took counC
 with my heart. for it seemed wondcrf f to mo that the gods should discard the {, n ancient worship, and 1 said to my hear r. Can these be true gods, or have Ipcrchan od lcen dupedi Then 1 held my peace aI ew let myself to watch, and now after nut ,,r! watChlng-alas! that l must say it to Il
 IhamC-I have discovered that they are . true gods, but wicked liars who ha' '0 sought to usurp the places of the gods. IO Ho paused. and a roar of rage and asto
 ishmcnt went up from the assembl
 thousands.
 - 1t has come at last" whispered Leo ,S. ard into Juanna's ear.
 SH Yes, il has come, - she answerC
 Well, expected it, and now we mt
 face it out"
 When the tumult had subsided, |
 spokesman of the elders addressed Nal
 saying:
 o These nr, heavy words, 0 Nam, a 70, having uttered them you must pro
 them, for until they are proved we W
 not readily believe that there live hum