Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1902-02-22


that, if they hurt SO much as hair
of my mammoth, I'll kill them all by
torture. He'll exhaust himself di-
rectly, and when his furry's done
We'll leave him where he is, to con-
slider his evil ways for a day or so,
and then haul him out with wind
lasses, and tame him afresh. Pho! 1
could not feel myself to be Phorenice
if I had no fine, red, shaggy man.
moth to take me out for my rides
The boat was a ten-slave galley,
which was churning up from the
farther side of the harbor as hard as
well-plied whips could make oars
drive her; but at the sound of my
shouts the soldiers on her foredeck
stopped their arrow-shots, and the
steersman swerved her off on new
course to pick us up. Till then we
had been swimming leisurely across
an angle of the harDor, so as to avoid
landing where the sewers outpoured;
but we stopped now, treading the
water, and were helped over the side
by most respectful hands.
The galley belonged to the captain
of the port, a mincing figure of a
mariner, whose highest appetite in
life was to lick the feet of the great;
and he began to fawn and PROSTATE
himself at once, and to wish that his
eyes had been blinded before he saw
the empress in such deadly peril.
But it seemed she could be cloyed
with fattery. eff you are tired OF
your eyes," said she, "let me tell you
that you have gone the way to
have them plucked out from their
sockets. Kill my mammoth, would
you, because he has shown himself
trife frolicsome? You and your sort
want more education, my man. shall
have to teach you that port-captains
and such small creatures are very
easy to come by, and very small
value when got, but that my mann
moth is mine-mine, do you under
stand ?-the property of Goddess
Phorenice, and as such is sacred"
The port captain abased himself be-
fore her. 81 am an ignorant fellow"
said he, "and heaven was robbed OF
it's brightest ornament when Phoren-
ice came down to Atlantis. But If
reparation is permitted me, L have
two prisoners in the cabin of the boat
here who shall be sacrificed to the
mammoth forthwith. Doubtless 1T
would please him to make sport with
them, and spill out the last lees of his
rage upon their bodies"
prisoners you've got, have you?
How taken?"
Under cover of last night they
were trying to pass in between the
two forts which guard the harbor
mouth. But their boat fouled the
chain, and by the light of the torches
the sentries spied them. They were
caught with ropes and put in a dun
geon There is an order not to abuse
prisoners before they have been
brought before a judgment"
cit was my order. Did these pris-
oners offer to buy their lives with
news?"
"The man has not spoken. Indeed,
I think he got his death wound in be-
ing taken. The woman fought like a
cat also, so they said in the fort, but
she was caught without hurt. She
says she has got nothing that would
be of use to tell. She says she has
tired of living like a savage outside
the city, and moreover that, inside,
there is man for whose nearness she
Graves most nightly"
''Tut!" said Phorenice. els this a
romance we have swum to? You see
what affectionate creatures we wom-
en- are, Deucalion." The galley was
brought up against the royal quay and
made fast to its golden rings. I hand
ed the empress ashore, but she turned
again and faced the boat, her gar
ments still yielding up a slender drip
of water. produce your woman pris-
oner, master captain, and let us see
whether she is a runaway wife, or a
lovesick girl mad after her sweet
heart. Then I will deliver judgment
on her, and as like as not will surprise
you all with my clemency. I am in a
mood for tender romance to-day"
The port captain went into the little
hutch of cabin with white face. 1t
was pain lIdl L pledSduI-
ries scared him. "The man appears
to be dead, your majesty. I see that
his wounds
Bring out the woman, you fool. /
asked for her. Keep your carrion
where it, is"
I saw the fellow stoop for his knife
to cut lashing, and presently who
should he bring out to the daylight
but the girl I had saved from the cave
tigers in the circus, and who had so
strangely drawn me to her during the
hours that we had spent afterwards in
companionship. It was clear, too,
that the empress recognized her also.
Indeed, she made no secret about the
matter, addressing her by name and
moekingly making inquiries about the
menage of the rebels, and the success
Of the prisoners amours.
ITO Be Continued