Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-09-24
- ~ntpped. If he
he stxfRped and

aocursed bskore han The empress
wN do muoh Tor Deucalion Just now"
"alrl," said you ere nearer 70
hat whipping than you think tr.e
Il have got name,s she reeorted.
looking 1t me sullenly from nhder
her black brows. They cali me
Ylga. You might have heard that as
we rode here on the mammoth had
you not been so wrapped up In Phore-
nice"
I gazed at her curiously. "You have
never seen me before" said, "and
the first words you utter are those
that might well bring trouble to your
self. There is some object in all
this"
She went and pushed to the massive
stone that swung in the doorway of
the chamber. Ahen she put her lit
tie jeweled fingers on my garment
and drew me carefully away from the
air shaft into the farther corner. 81
am the daughter of Zaenon," she
said, whom you knew"
"You bring me some message from
him?"
How could II he lives in the
priests dwellings on the mountain
you did obeisance to. I have not put
eyes on him these two years. But
when saw you first step out from
that red pavilion they had pitched at
the harbor side, II felt pity for
you, Deucalion. I remembered you
were my fathers, Zaemon's, friend,
and I knew what Phoreniee had in
store. She has been plotting 1t all
these two months"
II cannot hear words against the
empress"
"And yet"
"What?"
She stamped her sandal upon the
stone of the floor. you must be
very blind man. Deucalion, or very
daring one. But shall not interfere
further: ct least, not now. / shall
watch, and II at any time you seem
to want friend, will try and serve
you"
II thank you for your friendship"
"You seem to take it lightly
enough. Why, sir, even now do not
believe you know my power, any more
than you guess my motive. You may
be first man in this kingdom, but let
me tell you, ! rank as second lady.
And remember. women stand high in
Atlantis now. Believe me. my friend
ship is commodity that has been
sought with frequence and industry.
"And, as l say, am grateful for It.
You seem to think little enough OF
my gratitude, Ylga; but, credit me,
never have bestowed it on woman
before, and SO you should treasure 1T
for its rarity"
WELL" she said, my lord. there is
en- edueation before you" She Left
e1e then. showing me how TO call
slaves when I wished Tor their help,
and fac full minute I stood wonder
Ing at the words I had spnken to her.
Tho was this daashsee OF 1sAnon.
Fiat she should induce me to change
The habit of q lifetime?
The slaves came at my bidding, end
showed themselves anxious to deck
noe with thousand fooiahnesses in
the matter CT robes and ga,lds. and
fwhat seemed to be the modern fast=
IA OF har CLASSY holding cut the viz
tues OF score of perfumes and UNI
guents. Their manner irritated me.
Clean was already, and shaved; my
hair was trim, and my robe was un-
soiled: and, considering these press
ing attentions of theirs something of
an impertinence, set them to beat
one another as punishment, prom
Using that If they did not do 1t with
thoroughness, would hand them on
to the brander to be marked with
stripes which would endure. It is
strange, but a common mental can
often surpass even rebellious gen
eral in power of rufflipg one.
I had seen many strange sights that
day, and undergone many new sem
sations; but of all the things which
came to my notice, Phoremce's man
ner of summoning the guests to her
feast surprised me most. Nay, IL did
more; it shocked me profoundly; and
cannot say whether amazement at
her profanity, or wonder at her pow
er, was for the moment strongest in
my breast. I sat in my chamber
awaiting the summons when grada-
ally, growing out of nothing, a sound
fell upon my ear which Increased In
volume with infinitely small grada-
tions, till at last it became clahg-
Ing din which hurt the ear with it's
Aerceness; and then II guessed what
was coming) the whole massive fab
sic of the pyramid trembled and
greaned and shook. as though it had
been merely child's wooden toy
brushed about by a strong mans san
dal.
It was the portent served out year
1y by the chiefs of the Priests clan on
the Sacred Mountain, when they bade
gil the world take count of their sins.
It was the sacred reminder that from
roaring, raging fire, and from the
agony of monstrous earth tremors,
man had been born, and that by these
same agencies he would eventually be
swallowed up-he and the sins within
his breast. And here the empress was
prostituting its solsmnities into q
mere call to gluttony. and sign for
ribald laughter and sensuous display.
It was with very undecided feel
ings, then, that obeyed the sum.
mons Of the earth shaking. and babe
!. the slaves lead me through the wind
ings Of the pyramid to the great ban
quoting hall. The scene there was
dazzling. The majestic chamber with
its marvellous carvings was filed with
company dscked out with all the
,ds. e.