Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-09
ELISA UNLOCKED THE GATE.

your soul with such sin. Moreover. 1t
will avail nothing. for the doom of the
dead prophet lies upon us and l cannot
| cape from death, neither can you escape re-
morse, and, as l think, that worst of all
desires. the desire for the dead"
Aziel
"Metem will tell you that it is impossible
day and night l am watched and guarded
also Ithobal holds Zimboe firmly in his
net that no sparrow could fly out of it and
he not know. And there is worse to tell
Beloved, they purpose to give me up
peace offering TO Ithobal. Yes, even my
father is in the plot for he thinks it his
| duty to sacrifice his daughter to save the
! town, if, indeed, ii will avail to save IT.
! But you are the Baaltis and invioate.''
In such a time the goddess herself would
not be held inviolate in Zimboe. much less
her priestess. Aziel. This very night they
purpose to seize me: yes. Mesa and others
| have been chosen for the deed, and offer
me as a bribe to Ithobal. for he will
| take other price"
| Aziel grOaned aloud. "It were better
| that We should die he said.
She nodded and answered. 1T were bet
| ter that l should die. But hear me, for l
| have plan and there is still hope, though
worry little. Perchance as YOU drew near to
Zimboe by the coast road you may have
noticed three miles or more from the gates
| of the city a shoulder of the mountain al
| most overhanging the path which you
Travelled where the rock is cut away, show
ing the narrow entrance to a cave closed
| with door of bronze"
II saw it, answered Aziel, land was
/ told that there was the most sacred bury
ing place of the city"
ut is the tomb of the high priestesses Of
Baaltis," went on ELISA, and this day at
sunset I must visit it to lay an offering
! upon the shrine Of her who was the Baal-
| It's before me. entering alone. and closing
| the gate, for none may pass in there with
| me. Now the plan is to lay hands me
as 1 go back from the tomb to the palace.
| but shall not go back, Aziel. I shall
4 IN, ha
dead. l have hidden food and water there,
enough for many days, and there with the
| departed 1 shall live till am of their num-
| ber."
But If so. how can 1t help you? For they
| will break in the gates of the place and
/ drag you away"
IF so. Aziel. they will drag away
| corpse. and that they will scarcely care to
I, present to Ithobal. See in my breast l
| have hidden poison, and here at my girdle
| hangs n dagger. Are not the two of them
| enough to make an end Of one fral life?
| Should they dare to touch me, as I shall
/ tell them through the bars. most certainly
| shall drink the bane use the knife,
| and when they know it they will leave me
| unframed, trusting to chance to snare
| me-"
You are bold, murmured Aziel. in ad-
| miration, but sclf-murder is a sim
1T is a sin that l will dare. beloved as
| in past days 1 would have dared ii for less
cause. rather than be given living into the
! hands of Ithobal. for to whatever else
death / will be true"
Now Aziel groaned in his doubt and bit
| ternesS of heart, then turning 20 Metem,
! asked:
Have you aught to say, Metemo"
| Yes, prince, two things answered .he
| Fhoerician First, that the Lady Elisa
! is rash. indeed. TO speak thus openly be-
| fore me, who might carry her words tc
the council or the priests"
Nay, Metem, l am rot rash, for know
that, although you love gold, you will not
| betray me-"
you are right, lady, I shall not for gold
would be of little service TO me in q city
that is about to be taken by storm. Also
l hate Itkcbal, who threatened my life
as you did also, by the way-and will do
my best to keep you from his clutches.
| Now for my second point 1t Is that ]
can see little use In all this, because Ith,o-
bal, being defrauded of you, will attack,
and then
And then he may be beaten Metem,
for the citizens will fight for their lives
skilled IL. war, will fight also. IL he has
| recovered his strength
Fear not, ELISA Give me two days and
l will fight to the DEATH put in ARIEL
| AT thu least" she went on, this scheme
gives us breathing time, and who knows
but that fortune will turn, or II 1t does lot
1 have no better
, mo more have l." said Metem, 'for al
| length the oldest fox comes to his last
double. / might escape from this city, OIL
| the prince might escape, or Lady ELISA
: three of us could not escape together, see.
| ing that within the walls We are watched
and without them the armies Of 1thobal