Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-01-02
have been saved even then.
CHAPTER vi.

and some 6rst glimpse at her new
policies. ! freely confess to my own
inaction and limpness; but it was all
deliberate. The old ties OF duty
seemed lost or at least merged in one
another. Beforetime, to serve the
king was to serve the olan of the
priests, from which he had been
chosen, and whose head he oonstitut-
cd. But Phorenice was self-made, and
appeared to be q rule unto herself; if
Zaemon was to be trusted, he was the
mouthpiece of the priests, and their
clan had set her at defiance; and how
was mere honest man to choose on
che instant between the twoP
But cold argument told me tina gov
ernments were set up for the coed OF
the country at large, and said to my
self that there would be my choice;
must find out which rule promised
best for Atlantis, and do my poor best
to prop IL into full power. And here
at once there opened up another path
in the maze; | had heard some consid-
cradle talk of rebels; of another fac
ton of Atlanteans who, whatever
strong enough to belesguer the ca pi-
tai; and before coming to any fnal de-
cision, it would be as well to take their
claims in balance with the rest. So, on
the night of that very same DAY On!
which had just replanted my + n
che old country's shores, sej to
CLEAN for myself tidiugs on thu r..
No one inside the royal id
gainsaid me. The banquet had rnGed
abruptly with the terrible scene that
have set down above on these tablets.
for with Tarca writing on the floor.
and thrustipg out the gruesomc scars
of his leprosy, even the most plut-
tonous had little enough appetite for
further gorging.
A score of sturdy fellows were de-
tailed off for my escort, and, with them
in double file on either hand,
marched out from the close perfumed
air of the pyramid into the cool moon
light of the city. 1t was my purpose
20 make tour of the walls and 10 find
out somewhat of the disposition of
these rebels.
And so in time the windings of the
street brought us to the walls, and,
coursing beside These and giving At
ting answer to the sentries who beat
their drums as we passed, we came in
time to that great gate which was a
charge TO the captain of the garrison.
Here it was plain there was some
special commoti6n. A noise of laugh
Ter went up into the still night air, and
with it now and again the snsrl and
roar of a great beast, and now and
ugain the shrek of a hurt man.
My escort made outcry with the
horn which hung from the wall invit-
ing such summons, and a warder
came to an arrow-slit, and did inspec-
ton of our persons and business. His
survey was according to the ancient
form of words, which is long, and this
was made still more tedious by the
noise from within. which ever and
again drowned all speech between US
entirely.
But at last the formalities had been
duly complied with, and he shot back
the massive bars and bolts of stone.
and threw ajar one monstrous stone
valve of the door. Into the chamber
within--a chamber made from the
thickness of the wall between the two
doors-I and my fellows crowded, and
then the warder with his machines
pulled to the valve which had been
opened, and came to me again through
the press of my escort, bowling low TO
the ground.
II have no vail TO give YOU" | said.
obruptly Get on with your duty,
Open me that other door"
with respect, my lord it would be
better that should frst announce my
lords presence. There is batting go
ing forward in the circus, and the
tigers are as yet mere sayages. and
no respecters of persons"
THE WHAT"
The tigers, if my lore will permit
The name. They are batting batch
of prisoners with the two greI
beasts which the empress (whose
hame be adored) has sent here to aid
lbs keep the gate. But if my Lord will,
there are the ward rooms leading off
tuiS passage, anu the gdlleTltS Wnlcn
run out from them commanding the
circus and from there my lord can see
the sport undisturb bed"
Now, the mere lust for killing ex-
cites only disgust in me- but suspect
ed the orders of the empress in this
manner, and had a curiosity t o see her
scheme. SO stepped into the warder's
lodge, and on into the galleries which
commanded the circus with their ar
rowslits. The old builders of the place
had intended these for second line of
defense; for, supposng the outer
doors all forced, an enemy could he
speedily shot down in the circus. with
out being able to give a blow in return,
and so would only march into death
trap. But as gazing place on spec
tacle they were no less useful.
The circus was bright lit by the
moonshine, and the air which came in
TO me from it was acid with the reek
of blood. There was no sport in what
was going forward; as ] said, it were
mere killing, and the sight disgusted
Give prisoner his weapons, put him in
pit with beasts of reasonable
strength, and let him fight 10 a fini sh
If you choose, and ! can look
on there and applaud the strokes.
The war prisoner, being a pris-