Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-02-05

crowd and passed between two of the
great stones, and went across to
where she stood beside the altar. Ibid
not PROSTATE myself. At the pre-
scribed distance made the salutation
which she herself. had ordered when
she made me her chief minister, and
then hailed her with formal decorum
as empress.
"Deucalion, man Of ice,'' she re-
torted.
II still adhere to the old gods!"
II was not referring to that" said
! she, and looked at me with sidelope
| smile.
But here Ylga came up to us with
face that was white and a hand that
shook and made supplication for my
life. eff he will not leave the old gods
YET" she pleaded, "surely you will
pardon him? He is strong man, and
does not become convert easily. You
may change him later. But think,
Phorenice, he is a Deucalion; and ifyou
slay him here for this one thing, there
is no other man within all the marches
of Atlantis who could so worthily
serve-'
The empress took the words from
her. ''You slut" she cried out. II
have you near me to appoint my ward-
robe and carry my fan, and you dare
to put a medd1ing finger in my poM-
cies? Back with you, outside this cir
Gle, or I'll have you whipped. Aye, and
I'll do more. I'll serve you as Zaemon
served my captain, ,Tarca. Shall
point finger. at you, and smite your
pretty skin with sudden leprosy"
The girl bowed her shoulders and
went away cowed, and Phorenice
turned to me. "My lord" she said,
II am like a young bird in the nest
that has suddenly found it's wings.
| Wings have SO many uses that l am
curious to try them all.''
MAY each new flight they take be
for the good of Atlantis.''
"Oh," she said, with an eye-f1ash, II
know what you have most at heart.
But we will go back to the pyramid
and ia TX this oQt at more leisure. I
pray you now, my lord, conduct me
back to my riding beast"
1t appeared then that I was to be
condoned for not Offering her wor-
ship, and so putting public question on
her dedication. 1t appeared also that
1lga's interference was looked upon
as untimely, and, though could not
understand the exact reasons for
either of these things, accepted them
as they were, seeing that they for
war6ed the scheme that Zaemon had
hidden me to carry out.
So when the empress lent me her
fngers-warm, delicate fingers they
were, though SO skillful to grasp the
weapons of war-I took them grave
ly, and led her out of the great cir
Gle, which she had polluted with her
trickeries. I had expected to see our
Lord the Sun take vengeance on 2he
proclamation while it was still in act;
but none had come, and 1 knew tn. !
he would choose his own good TIM.
for retribution and appoint what IL
strument he thought best, witho,.
my raising puny arm to guard hi:
mighty honor.
So I led this lovely, sinful woman
back to the huge red mammoth which
stood there tamely in waiting, and the
smell of the sacrifice came after us
as we walked. She mounted the stair
to the golden castle on the shaggy
beasts back, and babe me mount also
and take seat beside her. But the
place of the fan-girl behind her was
empty. and what we said as we rode
back through the streets there was
none to overhear.
She was eager to know what had
befallen ME after the attack on the
gate, and I told the tale, laying stres.
on the worthiness of Nais, and utter
ing an opinion that with care the girl
might be won back to allegiance again.
Only the commands that Zaemon laid
upon me, when he and I spoke to-
gether in the sacred tongue, did I
withhold, as it is not lawful to repe It
these matters save only in the high
council of the priests itself as they
sit before the Ark of Mysteries.
"You seem to have an unusual kind
Phorenice.
"She showed herself to me as more
clever and thoughtful than the COM
mon herd"
Aye" she answered, with sigh
that l think was real enough in it's
way, IAN empress loses much that
meaner woman gets as her common
DUE"
I'm what particular?''
"She misses the honest wooing of her
equals"
IF you set up for a goddess
I said.
'Pah! I wish to be no goddess to
you, Deucalion. That was for the
common people; it gives me more pow.
er with them; it helps my schemes.
All you seven higher priests know
that trick of calling down the fire, and
it plcascs me to fitch it. Can you no,
be generous, and admit that woman
may be as clever in finding out these
natural laws as your musty elder
priests?''
Remains that you are empress"
Nor empress either. Just think
that there is woman seated beside
you on this cushion, Deucalion. and
look upon her, and say what words
come first to your lips. Have done
with ceremonies, and have done with
statecsaft. Do you wish to wait on
as you are till all your manhood with.
ers? 1t is we'll not to hurry unduly
in these matters; am with you there,
Yet who but fool watches a fruit
grow ripe, and then leaves it till it is
past it's prime?''