Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-10-01
CHAPTER VII.
THE B1TERs OF THE WALLS CUR.


THE BITERs OF THE WALLS CUR
THEIR ACCOUNT.
"You will set me free" she said,
regarding me from under her brows,
without any further exactions or
treaty."
II will set you free exactly on those
TERMS" answered, unless indeed
we here decide that 1t is better for
Atlantis that I should die. in which
case the freedom will be of your own
taking"
my lord plays . bold game"
"Tut, tut" l said.
"But l shall not hesitate to take
the full of my bond, unless my the
cries are most clearly disproyed to
me-"
"Tut," I said. "You women, how
you play out the time needlessly.
Show me sufficient cause, and you
shall kill me where and how you
please. Come, begin the accusation"
"You are tyrant."
"At least I have not paraded my
tyrannies in Atlantis these 30 years.
Why, Nais, did but land yester-
day"
'You will not deny you came back
from Yuoatan for purpose?"
II came back because I was sent
for. The empress gives no reasons
for her recalls. She states her will;
and we who serve her obey without
question"
"Pahl I know that old dogma"
"If you discredit my poor honesty
at the outset like this, fear we shall
not get far with our unraveling."
"My lord must be indeed simple"
said this strange woman, scornfully,
"if he is ignorant of what all Atlantis
knows"
Then simple you must write me
down. Over yonder in Yucatan we
were too well wrapped up in our own
parochial needs and policies to have
leisure to ponder much over the slim
news which drifted out to us from
Atlantis-and, in truth. little enough
came. By example, Phorenice Whose
office be adored) is great person.
age here at home; but over there in
the colony we barely knew SO much
as her name. Here, since l have been
ashore, have seen many new Won
ders; ! have been carried by rid
Ing mammoth; I have sat ut ban
quet; but in what new policies there
are afoot, have yet to be schooled."
"Then, If truly you do not know it.,
let me repeat to you the common
tale. Phorenice has tired of her un-
mated life"
Stay there. l will hear no word
against the empress"
''Pah! my lord. your, scruples are
most decorous. But l did no more
than repeat what the empress had
made public by proclamation. She Is
minded to take to herself husband.
and nothing short of the best is good
enough for Phorenice. One after an
other has been put up in turn as
favorite-and been found wanting
Oh, tell Npu, we here in Atlantis
have wateSN her courtship with
jumping hearts. First it was this
one here, then 1t was that one there;
now 1T was this general just returned
from victory, and day later be
had been packed back to his camp,
to give place to some dashing gov
ernor who had squeezed increased
revenues from his province. But
every ship that came from the west
said that there was stronger man
than any of these in Yucatan, and at
last the empress changed the word
ing of her VOW. I'll have Deucalion
for my husband said she, and then
we will see who can stand against my
wishes"
1.-THE empress (whose name be
adored) can do as she pleases in such
matters" l said, guardedly; "but
that is beside the argument. I am
here to know how it would be better
for Atlantis that / should die?"
you know you are the strongest
man in the kingdom"
at pleases you to say So"
"And Phorenice is the strongest
woman?"
"rhat is beyond doubt"
why. then, if the empress takes
you in marriage, we shall be under