Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-01-16


that was TO be that day. fresh from
sleep. and gorgeous in her splendid
beauty. She was borne out from the
pyramid in an open litter of poiG and
ivory by fantastic savaRes from Flu
rope, her own refinement Of feature
being thrown up into all the higher
relief by contrast with their british
ngliness. One could hear the people
draw deep breath of delight as their
eyes frst fell upon her; and il is easy
to believe there was not n man in that
crowd which thronged tho square who
lid not envy me her choice. nor was
there a soul present (unless YlRa wa 5
there somewhere veiied) who could by
any stretch imagine that | was not
overjoycd in winning so lovely wife
For myself, summoned up all he
iron of my training to guard the ex-
preston of my face. We were here on
ceremonial to-dav-a ghastly enough
affair throughout all its acts, II you
choose. but still ceremouiai; and I
was minded TO show Phorcnice q grand
manner that would leave her nothing
10 cayiI at. After all that had been
gone through and endured. | did not
intend great scheme TO be shattered
by letting my agony and pain show
them selves in either king hand or
twitching cheek. When il came 10
the point, told myself. | would lay
tn" living body of my love in he hol-
low beneath the stone as calmly and
with as little outward emotion as
though l had been mere priest car
rYing ont the burial OF some dead
stranger. And she, on her part. would
not, knew. oetray our secret. With
her, too, it was truly: Before all, At
lautis."
think it spared panQ TO find tn at
there was 10 be no nockery or flip
pancy in what went forward. All
was solemn and inpre ssive: and.
though certain grandeur and somber-
ness which BIT deep into my breaS st was
lost to he vulgar crowd fancy that
the outward shape Of the double sac
ritce they witnessed that day would
not he forgotten by apv of them. al
though the inner mea ming of ii r II was
completely hidden from their minds.
When il suited her fancy, none could be
more strict on the ritual of cere mony
than this many-mooded empress, and
it ar' Jared that on this occasion she
had given command that al things
were TO be carried out with the rigid
eNactneoS and pomp Of the older man
Her.
50 she was borne mp by her Eu-
ropeans on the scarlet awning. and |
handed her TO the ground. She seat
ed herself on the cushions and beck
0ned me to her side. entwiuing her
fingers with mine. a. has always been
the custom with rulers Of Atlantis and
their consorts. And there before Ms
as We sat body OF soldiery marched
up. and. opening out, showed Nais in
their midst. She had a collar Of metal
round her neck, with chains spending
from it firmly held by a brace of
guards. so that She could not run in
upon the spears Of he escort. and thus
get IA quick and easy death, which is
often the custom of those condemned
to the more lingering puni>hmentS
But it was pleasant II see that she
SIM wore her clothing. halment,
"hether OF faorl0 or SKIM has us value,
ana cuN1o mas always gwen the gar
"eh's OF 'he condemned 10 me solo1ers
guarding thenl So, a. Nais was not
stripped. could IL t bus see that some
one had given money to the guards as
recohpenS and in ms l thought l
Sa" the mana or ga ana 1eIt gTau-
'uue 'o"afus her'
Inc soIdlcrs brought her forward to
the edge OF me pavilion shade. and
she was hidden PROSTATE herself be
fore the empress: and this she wisely
dld' ana so aNolUfd rough handing
and force. Her face was pale, but
showed neither tear nor defiance, and
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