The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06
CHAPTER VII.

III fsaS ~
Some two hours had passed since the break.
mp, Of the assembly In the great hall. and the
Prince Aziel was seated in his chamber lost in
that a woman was without who desired to
speak, with him. Ho commanded that she
the room and bowed before him.
b pleased to unveil and to tell me your bust
With some reluctance she withdrew the wrap
pings from her head, REVEALING a face which he
recognized as one that he had seen seen among the
said. ,glansins at the man who had usherc;d her
into the chamber.
1T Is not my custom to receive strangers
wills" and he commanded the servant to stand
ure.'' he added. rs soon as he had gone.
'tt is here; she answered. and drew from her
bosom sWho a little little pa ,SIu,a nc roll: a
Il know not, Prince; 1t was given to me to
Then he opened the roll and read 1t. It ran
thus; Though We parted with bitter words:
at nioonrisc in the palace garden under The
l shall DO accompanied only by one | trust.
Bring no man with you, for my snke.-lElissa.,
thought awhile. Then he gavo the waiting
T rS%;TF ! f / '' Who s sent a: you is That S"iT obey her words.
who opened her lips to speak, then. changing
her mind, she turned and went.
Scarcely had she gone when the Phrnlcian.
Metem. was ushercd into the presence OF tho
'oh. Prince. he said mnliciously. pardon
me II / caution you, but in truth II yelled ladies
fit thus in and out OF yonr apartments in the
light of day, IL will reach the ears of the holy
but violent Issachar, Of whose doings I come to
speak, and then I tremblc for you.
half contcmptuous. The woman is but q
serving-maid."' he said. who brought me a
m Mess { for ora! you un knew This oG Place nse.' docs set there @S;
stand in the palace garden a great fig tree with
grow there when last | visited the city. whereof
I Is one y; e., pf the wonders because OF it's size
Little, except that l must be under it at
of ; ESSorsGif' you "a "Fs well ! th nsiS no 20 %t Esa t counsel,
Prince" Mctcm answered With a smile. Then
he took the scroll and read it.
'sircc the gossips of Zimboe arc censorious and
indeed would fssachar. Well, doves will COO
and maids will WOO. and. unless can make
money out Of T the affair Is none Of mine"
Of .wooingl' asked tho Prince ~angrily., II go
only to. give her what counsel I can in the mat
ELISA and ! have Inarrelled beyond repair over
that accnrsed sacriace--'
which her ready wit prevented" put in
her i ! could the Primes went on and / ever
II understand. Prince. Well. since you turn
from the lady. whose namo with yours is so
will give hor wise, counsel. namely. to wed Tho
bal and hit the shadow of war from this city;
for none can move her s,nbborness. And. BY
the way, II when she has listened to your wis.
dom: she SHOULD chance to explain TO you a that
her with horror, and that she parted with every
jewel sho owns TO put an end to it.-well. her
words win be true. But, since you have quar-.
relied. they will have no more interest for you.
Prince, than has my talk about them. So now
conduct Of Issachar in the sanctuary and OF the
necessity OF guarding him against assassina-
ton at the hands of the priests Of Fl as q con-
sequence OF his religious zeal. Presently he
was gone. leaving Aziel somewhat bewildered.
Could it be true. as she herself had told him.
and as Mctem now asserted. that ELISA had NOT
templei II so. he had misjudgcd her and been
unjust; indeed; what atonement, could suffice
Well. to some extent she must have understood
and forgiven, them. otherwise she would scarce
y /. h eoyId 19 Seib h sds al nld bd th9 distra he knew not how
When ELISA returned from the assembly she
laid herself down to rest. worn out In mind and
sleep dreams. At first they were vague and
shadowy. then they grew more clear, She
den. and in it a vast tree with twisted roots
that seemed familiar to her. Something NOV
ing among the branches OF this tree attracted
|! without being able to discover what, 4, was.
Now snc saw. The moving thing was q hidcogs
hand a little ivory tipped bow, on tho string Of
which was set an arrow. Her consciousness
concentrated itelf upon this arrow. and though
she knew not how, sho became, aware that it
the tree with a bow and poisoned arrow. she
wondered. Suddenly a sound seemed to strike
her car. a sound of n mans footsteps walking
over grass. and she perceived that the figure
OF the d warf. crouched upon the bough, became
tense and alter. and that his fingers frightened
upon the bow string till the blood was driven
from their yellow tips. Following the glance
of his wicked black eyes, she saw advancing
through the shadow a tall man clad in a dark
robe. Now he emerged into u patch Of moon
light and stood looking around him.. as though
he were searching for some ono. Then the
dwarf raised himself to his knees upon The
man, drew the bow string, to his ear. AT this
moment he turned his head, and the moonlight
shone full upon his face. 1t was that of the
Prince Aziel.
To be continued.