The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-21
CHAPTER x.
THE EMBASSY.

Weak as she was with recent illness
and half fainting with the shock of the
terrible f2te that had oVertaken her
ELISA was borne in triumph to the
palace that now was hers. Around her
Silded litter priestesses danced and
sang their wild chants, half bacchana-
liam and half religious. Before it
marched the priests of 81. clashing
cymbalS and crying, Make way, make
way for the new born goddess Make
way for her whose throne is upon the
horned MOON" while all around her the
multitude of spectators Frustrated
themselves in worship.
ELISA was borne in triumph Vague
~ she heard the shouts and music,
dimly she saw the dancing girls and
the bowling crowds, but all the while
her heart was alive with pain, and her
brain, crushed beneath the menace of
its misery, could grasp nothing with
clearness, save the completeness of her
loss. Loss? Yes, she was lost indeed.
One short hour ago and she was re-
joicing in the presence of the man she
loved, and who, she knew. loved her,
while in her mind rose visions of some
happy life with him far away from this
city and the dark rites of the wor-
shippers ot Baai. And now she her
self was the chief priestess of that wor-
ship, which already she had learned
to fear and hate, and as its priestess,
till death should come to comfort her,
cut off forever from the man whom she
adored, and from the hope of that new
spiritual light which had begun to
dawn upon her soul. She looked upon
the beautiful women who leaped and
sang about her little, and listened to
the jangling of their ornaments of
gold. and as she looked her eyes seemed
to gain power, TO behold the spirits
within them. dark and hideous things.
with shifting countenances, terrifying
to see, and themselves wearing in their
eyes a flame a stamp of eternal ter
TOR, while the music of their golden
necklaces was changed to the clank
of letters and of Instruments of tor
ment. Yes, and there before them in
the red cloud of dust that rose from
their beating feet floated the shape of
the demon of whom she had been
chosen the high priestess.
Look at her hooking. inhuman coun-
tenance and her bent brow of power.
Look at her spread and flaming hair
and her hundred hands outstretched to
grasp the souls of men. The clash of
the cymbals and the cry of the music
blended together and became her voice,
a dreadful voice that gave greeting to
her as priestess, promising her pride of
place and long life power in payment
for her service.
It desire none of these her heart
seemed to answer: II desire him only
whom 1 have lost"
rs it so?" replied the voice. Then
bid him burn incense upon the altar of
Ell and take him to yourself Have
not given you enough beauty to snare
a soul from among the servants of the
god of the Jews?"
Nay, nay!" her heart cried; Il will
not do this thing"
YEA, yea." Knocked the phantom
voice; for your sake shall he burn in
cense upon my altar"
The phantasy passed, and now the
golden gates of the palace of Baaltis
rolled open before her, and now they
bore her to the golden throne, shaped
like the crescent moon, and threw over
her a black veil .spangled with stars,
the symbol of night, and, having shut
out the uninitiated. worsniped her al
ter their secret fashion till she sank
down upon the throne with WEAKNESS,
and they carried her to that wonder of
workmanship and categorical art, the
ivory bed of Baaltis, and there laid
her down to sleep.
At dawn on the following day an
embassy, headed by Saxon, governor of
the city, in whose train were Metem
and Aziel, went to the camp of Tho
bal to give him answer to his suit. At
some distance from the camp they
halted, while messengers were sent for
ward, inviting the king to a conference
on the plain, for it seemed scarcely
safe to trust themselves within the
stout thorn fence which had been built
about il.
Metem, who said that he had no fear
of Ithcbal went with these men. and,
on reaching the zeriba, was at once
hidden to the tent of Ithobal he found
the great man pacing its length sui
lenly
What seek you here. PhoenicianY'
he asked, glancins at him over his
shoulder.
My fee. king. The king was pleased
to promise me 100 ounces of gold If
saved the life of the Lady ELISA.
come. therefore, TO assure him that my
skill has prevailed against the poisoned
arrow Of that treacherous dog Of the
desert, which pierced her hand as she
spoke with the Prince Aziel the other
night, and to claim my reward. Here
is a note of the amount" and he pro-
duced his tablets.
If half of what l hear is true" an
swered Ithobal, savagaly, the tor
mentor and the he2dsman alone could
satisfy all my debt to you. Say, mer-
chant what return have you made to
me for that camel load of gold you
bore hence some few days gomez
THE best of all returns, king" an
swered Metem, cheerfully, although in
ruth he began 10 teel AFRAID. Il have
kept my word and fulfilled the com
mand of the king. l have made it inn