The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1902-04-03
q D The D D
Lost Continent
By CUTCLIFFE HYNE.
CHAPTER X.--CoSr,Surp.
pab " I.prA Br. sspyrisA. 1901, " cusIiil. ly,,

tome now. we are willing to overlook
much Of your faults II you will give us
a reasonable chance. Point me out
your man. and II he Is proper fellow
7 will see that he weds you honestly.
Yes, I will do more for you. Nais, since
this day brings me to husband. See
ing that all your estate Is confiscate
as penalty Cor your late rebellion.
will charge myself with your dowry
and give 10 back to you. So come,
name me the man."
The girl looked at her with . s;ilsa
brow. 81 spoke lie." she said; ".hsre
Is no man."
tried myself to give her advocacy.
to her lips. When n woman Is in the
grip OF rude soldiery. any excuse
which can save her for the moment
must serve. For myself, I should
think Il like enough that she would
confess to having come back to her
old allegiance. " she were asked"
"Sir." said the empress, keep your
peace. Any interest you may show in
this matter will go far to offend me.
rative before: and although your
tongue was shrcwd and you did not
say much, I am woman and ! could
read between the lines. Now regard.
my rebel. I have no wish TO he unduly
hard upon yor. though once you were
my fan-girl. and so your running away
10 these ill-kempt malcontcnts, who
heat their heads against my city walls.
is all the more naughty. But you
must meet me halfway. You must
give an excuse for leniency. Point
me out the man you would wed. and
he shall he your husband tomorrow"
"There Is. no man."
"Then name me one at random.
Why. my pretty Nais, not ten months
ago there were n score who would
have leaped at the chance OF having
you for wife. Drop your coyncss.
girl. and name me one of those.
bassadress and will put the matter
20 him with such delicacy that he will
not make you blush by refusal"
The prisoner moistened her lips. 81
am n maiden. and ] have a maiden's
modesty. will die as you choose, hut
I will not do this indecency."
"Well, am maiden. too, and
though because ! am empress also,
questions Of state have to stand be-
fore questions Of my private modesty,
and can have u sympathy for yours
although In truth ] did not obirude
unduly when you were my fan-pirl
Nais. No. come to think of II, you
liked tender glance and pretty
phrase as well as any when you were
fan-girl. You have grown wild and
shy among these savage rebels, but
will not punish you for that.
"Let me call your fayorites to mem
ory now. There was Tarca, of course
but Tarca had n difference with that
addressed father of yours. and wear,
leprosy on half his face instead oi
that beard he used To trim so finely
And then there Is Tatho; but Tathc
is away over seas. Eron. too. you liked
once; but he lost an arm in fighting
t'other day. and I would not MARI,
YOU Ia less than n whole man. All
by my face! I have II, the dainty ex
How well remember the way he used
90 dress In a change of garb each day
TO catch your proud fancy. girl. Well
YOU shall have Rota. lie shall lead 20,
90 wife before this hour tomorrow"
Again the prisoner Toistencd heI
lips. ~ will not have Rota, and spar,
me the others. know why you noel
rue. Phorenice."
"Then there are three OF us her,
who share one knowledge" She turnc,
her eyes upon me. Gods! who eve,
saw the like Of Phorenlce's eyes, an,
who ever saw them lii with such 1
fire as burned within them then? M,
lord. you are marrying me for policy
am marrying you for policy, and fol
another reason which has grow
stronger of late, and which you ma,
guess at. Do you wish still to carr,
out the match?"
! looked once at Nais, and then
looked steadily back Mt Phorenice
The command given by the mouth o
Zaemon from the high council of tn,
Sacred Mountain had to outweigh al
else. and answered that such was m.
desire.
"Then," said she, glowering at m
with her eyes. you shall build me vi
The pretty body of Nais beneath
throne OF granite ms wedding gift
And you shall do IL too with your owl
proper hands. my Deucalion, while
watch your DEVOTION.
And to Nais she turned with crue
smile. "You lied to me, my girl, an,
you spoke truth to the soldiers In tn
1arbor forts. There Is man her
In the city you came after, and he I
che one man you may not have. BE
cause you know me well. and my meth
DDS very thoroughly, your love for hir
must be very deep or you would no
cave come. And so, being here, yo
shall be put beyond mlschlefs reach
am not one of those who see luxur
In fostering rivals.
"You came for attention at tn
hands OF Deucalion. by my face! yo
hall have It. I will watch mysel
while he Eiilds you up living"
So this mighty empress chose to b
Jealous OF n mere woman prisoner!
Now my mind has been trained I
work with soldierly qulckness !
these moments of stress, aud ! d,
cided upon my proper course ON ih
instant the words had left her lip
4.