Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-05

should establish yourselves as a sovereign
power, pretending to be equal to me- who
are my servants. Therefore, in the name
Oh my nation, l demand that the tribute
which you pay to me for the use of the
mines of gold shall henceforth be doubled.
that the defenses of this city be thrown
down, and that you cease to enslaye the
natives of the land to labor in your service.
have spoken"
Now. as these arrogant demands reached
their ears the company assembled in the
nan murmured in anger and astonlshment
then turned to wait for saxon 3 answer.
ana II we refuse these small requests of
yours, oh, king" asked the governor sar-
war upon us?"
First tell me- Saxon If Won do refus,
them" 'NN w
In the name of the cities of Tyre and
Sldon, whom l serve, and Of Hiram NV
master, refuse them one and ALL" answer
ed Saxon, with dignity.
Then, Saxon. I am minded to bring IN
loO.oOO men against you, and to sweep YOU
and your city from the face of the earth"
SAID lthobal: Yet. I remember tha- also
Rave Phoenician blood in my veins. MIXED
With the nobler and more ancient blood at
which yonder princelet jeers, and therefore
would l spare You / remember also that
LOT generations there has been peace and
anlty between my forefathers and the
council OF this city, and therefore would
spare you. Behold, then, 1 build a bridge
whereby you may escape. asking but one
niue th1ng OF you in proof that you are in
deed my friend, and it is that YOU give me
your daughter, the Lady ELISA. whom I
love. to be my queen. Think we'll before
you answer, remembering that upon your
answer may hang the lives Of all who lis
Others" '-oo''"
For awhile there was silence in the as
senlply and every eye was fixed upon ELISA
mno seood, neither moving nor speaking,
her face still set like that of a sphinx and
almost as unreadable. Aziel gazed at her
with the rest. and his eyes she felt alone of
an the hundreds that were bent upon her.
inueed, SO strongly did they draw her that
against her own will she turned her heed
ana met them. Then, remembering what
had passed between herself ard the prince
IN eaad very DAY; she eolored family and look
escaping the watching Ithobal.
Presently Saxon spoke:
king Ithobal,' he said. 81 am bonored
that you should seek my daughter as your
love, and this have sworn to her that T
will not force her to marry against her will
whoever be the sutton Therefore king
lake your answer from her own lips, for
whatever it be it is my answer"
Lady" said Ithobal, You have ba.rd
your fathers words; be pleased to say that
you look with favor upon my suit, and Thai
power" '-1Au
ELISA took step forward on the dais and
courtesied low before the king.
On, king" she said. 81 am your hand
maid. and great indeed is the favor that
you would do your servant. Yet king 7
pray Of you search out some fairer woman
OF more royal rank to share your crown
anu scepter, fer am ALI w. orthy of them
ana to those words on this matter which I
have spoken in past days I have none tn
ADD and again she courtesied adding
hfnS, L am your servant
NO" murnur of establishment went up
| from the audience, for none of them
thought 1T possible that ELISA, who how
ever beautiful, was but the daughter of a
iople. could refuse to bee cine the wife of a
KING. lthobal alone did rot seem to he as
ton1shed, for he had expected this answer
Lazy, ne said, depressing with an eff
tort the passions that were surging within
nm think that have something to Of
Ter TO the woman Of my choice, and vet
you put me aside as lEhtly as though 7
mad neither name nor power nor station.
lhls, as 1t seems to me, can be read in one
where"
Have 1t as you will, king" answered
ELISA: my heart is given elsewhere"
And yet. lady. not four suns gone YOU
swore to me that you loved no man. Since
| then it seems that you have learned to love
and swiftly, and it Is yonder Jew whom
you have chosen" and he pointed to the
Prince Aziel.
Again ELISA colored, this time to the
eyes, but she showed no other sign of con-
fusion.
May the king pardon me-" she said, land
may FRINGE Aziel, whose name has been
coupled with mine, pardon me. I said. in
deed, that my heart was given elsewhere.
but did not say it was given to any man..
May not the heart Of mortal maid be
given to the Ever-living?"
NOW for moment the king was silenced
while murmur of applause at her ready
wit went around the audience. But be-
fore 1t died away a voice at the far end of
the hall cried out:
"Perchance the lady does not know that
yonder IN Egypt, and In Jerusalem also