The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-28

toward Jerusalem. SO absorbed was
he in his devotions that it was not till
he had ended them and risen that he
saw Aziel standing in the chamber.
Behold an answer to my prayer"
he said. My son, they told me that
some fresh danger had overtaken you,
though none knew its issue. Therefore,
it was that 1 prayed, and now l see
you unframed" And, taking him in
his arms. he embraced him.
1T is true that have been in danger,
father" answered Aziel; and he told
him the story OF his escape from Tho
bal.
Did 1 pray you not to accompany
this embassy"
/ Yes. father, but vet I have returned
( in safety. Listen. L come with tidings
that YOU will think good. Not an hour
since l promised Saxon that 1 would
/ leave Zimboe, where it seems my pres
} ence breeds much trouble"
/ Good ttdings, indeed" exclaimed Is
{ sachar. And never shall l know a
peaceful hour until we have seen the
/ last of the towers of this doomed city
and its accursed people of devil wor-
! shippers
Yes, good for you, father, but for me
most i'll, for here shall leave my youth
and happiness. Nay, / know what you
! think, that this is but some passing
fancy bred of the pleasant beauty of
a woman, but it is not so. I say that
from the moment when first saw her
she became life of my life and soul of
my soul, and that l go hence beggared
of joy and hope, and carrying with me
a cankered memory that shall eat tiny
heart away. You deem her a witch
one to whom Baaltis has given power to
drug the minds of men to their destruc-
ton, but l tell you that her only spell
Is the spell of her love for me; also that
she whom you name so grossly is the
servant not of Baaltis, but rather of
him we worship"
ELISA not the servant of Baaltis?
How come she, then, to be her high
priestess? Aziel, your passion has made
you mad"
she is high priestess because Metem
and others brought about her election
without her Will, urged on to it by 1
know not whom" and he looked bard
what matters it who did the ill Decd
he continued, since this, at least, is
certain, that here my presence breeds
sorrow and bloodshed, and therefore L
must go, as L have promised"
When do we go, prince?" queried
Issachar.
L know not. it is naught to me. All,
her ecOmes Metem; ask of him."
"Metem," said the Levite, the prince
desires to leave Zimboe and march to
the coast, there to take ship to Tyre.
When can the caravan be ready?"
IS l have heard. Issachar, for Saxon
tells me that he has had speech with
the prince upon this matter. Well, l am
glad to learn it, for troubles thicken
here, and l think that the woe you
pro phesied is not far from the city of
Zimboe where every man seeks to
serve his own hand, and is ready to sell
his neighbor. When can the caravan
be got ready? Well, the night after
next, that is. We can start that night
for tomorrow evening, as soon as the
sun is down. / will send on the camels
by ones and twos. and with them the
baggage and treasure, to a secret place
l know of in the mountains. where we
and the princes guard can follow upon
the mules and join them. AS it chances
/ have q safe conduct from Ithobal;
still / should not wish to put his troops
into temptation by marching through
them with q laden camels, or to lose
certain earnings of my own that will be
hidden in the baggage. Moreover, If
our departure be known, half the city
would wish to come with us, having no
love for soldering and misdoubting
therl much of the issue of this war
with Ithobal.'
las you WILL" said Issachar you are
captain of the caravan and charged
WIFI the safety VI litE uDOIl HIS
journeyings. l am ready when you Will,
ard the quicker that hour comes the
more praise you will have from me-"
Come with me; 1 would speak with
you" said Aziel to the Phoenician as
they left the presence of IssachOr. Lis
ten he added. when they had reached
his chamber. I'VE leave this city soon.
and L have farewells to make"
ITO the Baaltis?" suggested Metem.
''To the Lady ELISA. I.would send her
letter of farewell; can you deliver it
into her own hand?'
1T may be managed, prince, at
price; nay, from you l ask no price. l
have images that 1 wish to sell. and
merchants go everywhere, even into the
presence of the Baaltis, if it pleases her
to admit them. Write your scroll and
will take it,"
So Azel wrote, and, having sealed
the writing, gave it to Metem.
Your face is sad, prince" he said
as he hid it in his robe, but, believe
me, you are doing what is right and
wise"
1T may be So answered Aziel. yet
1 would rather die than do it and may
my curse lay heavy upon the heads of
those who have so wrought that it must
be done. Now, / pray you, deliver this
writing into the hands of her you know,
and bring me the answer, if there be
any, betraying ii to none, for / will
double whatever sum is offered for the
treachery."
Have no fear. Prince" said Metem,
this errand is undertaken for friend
ship not for profit. The risk is mine
alone: the gain--Or loss-is yours"
An hour later the Phoenician stood |
in the palace of the gods. demanding. /
under permit of Saxon. governor OF The |
city. to be admitted into the presence |
of the Baaltis, to whom he desired to |
sell certain sacred images cunningly /
fashioned in gold. Presently it was an
nOunced that he was allowed to APP
proach. and the officers of the temple /
led him through guarded passages, to |
the private chambers of the priestess. |
Here he found her in long, low hall, |
sweet with scented woods, erich with |
gold. and supported by pillars of cedar. /
She was seated alone at the far end of /
the hall. beneath the window place, /
clad in her white robes of Office, richly |
broidered with enbiems of the moon |
for her women, most of whom were |
employed in needlework, though some /
to each other. were gath /
cred at the lower end of the halT near
the door. Metem saluted ti%m as he /
passed, and they answered his greeting |
with requests for news, and jests not /
too refined, or with demands FOR pres
ents of Jewels, in return for which they |
promised him the blessing of the god
dess. To each he made some apt re-
ply, for even the priestesses of Baaltis
could not abash Metem; but while he
banded words his quick eyes noted one
Of their number who did not join in the
playa spare, thin-lipped woman
whom he knew for Mesa, the daughter
OF the dead Baaltis. who had been the
rival candidate for the throne of the
high priestess when ELISA was cho-
sen.
When he entered the hall Mesa was
patad ,rrop copUacc STOOL Ift+Ia I