Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-09-13
CHAPTER II.
BACK TO ATLANTIS

ing urduSAt ZOE 1ue Indt nlgut. i
began to think that had made
somewhat q mistake in wrapping my
self up SO entirely in my govern
ment of Yucatan, and not contriving
to keep more in touch with events
that were passing at home in At
lantis. For many years past it had
been easy to see that the mariner
folk who did traffic across the seas
spoke with restraint, and that only
what news the empress pleased was
allowed to ooze out beyond her Dor
ders. But, as I say, was fully oc-
cupied with my work In the colony,
and had no curiosity to pull away
veil Intentionally placed. Besides, 1t
has always been against my prin-
ciples to put to the torture men
who had received orders for silence
from their superiors, merely that
they shall break these orders for my
private convenience.
However, the iron discipline of our
Priestly clan left me no choice of pro-
cedure. As was customary, I had
been deprived of my Office at mo-
ment's notice. From that time on,
all papers and authority belonged to
my successor, and, although by cour-
tesy I might be permitted to remain
as guest in the pyramid that had
so recently been mine, to see an
other sunrise, 1t was clearly en-
Joined that must leave the terri
tory then at the topmost of my
speed and hasten to report in At
lantis.
Tatho, to give him credit, was anx-
ious to further my interests to the
utmost in his power. He was by my
side again before the dawn, putting
all his resources at my disposal.
had little enough to ask him.
"a ship to take me home," said.
land shall be your debtor"
The request seemed to surprise
him. "That you may certainly have
if you wish it. But my ships are foul
with the long passage, and are in
need of careen. If you take them,
you will make slow passage of it
to Atlantis. Why do you not take
your own navy? The ships are in
harbor now, for l saw them there
when we came in. Brave ships they
are, too"
"But not mine. That navy belongs
to Yucatan."
"Well, Ducalion, you are Yucatan;
or, rather, you We're yesterday, and
have been these 20 years"
| I saw what he meant, and the
idea did not please me. I answered
stiffiy enough that the ships were
owned by private merchants, or be-
longed to the states, and could not
claim so much as ten-slave galley.
Tatho shrugged his shoulders. II
suppose you know your own policies
BEST" he said, though to me 1t seems
but risky for man who has at
tanned to position like yours and
mine not to have provided himself
with stout navy of his own. One
never knows when recall may be
sent, and through lack of these pre-.
cautions life's earnings may very
we'll be lost in dozen hours"
IT have no fear for mine," ! said
coldly.
"Of course not, because you know
me to be your friend. But had an
other man been appointed to this
viceroyalty, you might have been sad
ly shorn, Dencalion. 1t is not many
fellows who can resist snug hoard
ready and waiting in the very Golfers
they have come to line"
my Lord Tatho,' / said, "it Is
clear to me that you and I have
grown to be of different tastes. AL
of the hoard that / have made fol
myself in this colony, few men would
covet. have the poor clothes you
see me in this moment, and box Of
drugs such as have found useful te
the stomach. l possess also three
slaves, two of them scribes and the
third sturdy savage from Europe
who cooks my victual and fills for me
the bath. For my maintenance dur
ing my years of service here / have
bled the state of soldiers ration
and nothing beyond; and If in m,
name any man has mulcted crea
ture in Yucatan of so much US or
ounce of bronze, l request you as {
last service to have that man hanged
for me as q liar and q thief"
Tatho looked at me curiously. y.
do not know whether I admire yo,
more or whether ! pity. l do mo-
know whether to be astonished OF tt
despise. We had heard OF much O.
your uprightness over yonder in AT
lantis, of your sternness and YOU
Justice, but swear by the old god!
that no soul guessed you carried You
fancy so far as this. Why, man
money is power. With money and tn.
resources money can buy, nothing
could stop fellow like you; Will,
without it you may be tripped NJ
and trodden down irrevocably at tn,
first puny reverse"
"The gods will choose my fate"
4 POSSIBLY; but for mine. prefer t.
nourish it myself. l tell you will
frankness that l have not come her,
to follow in the pattern you hav,
made for yiceroyalty. I shall gov
ern Yucatan wisely and well to tn,
best of my ability; but shall govern
it also for the good of Tatho, tn,
viceroy. l have brought with M,
here my navy of eight ships and q
personal hodyguard, There is my
wife, also, and her women and hel
slaves. All these must be provided
for And why indeed should it be
otherwise? If a people is to be gov
erned, it should be their privilege tx