The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1902-03-13

crowd and passed between two Of The
great stones. and went across 20
where she stood beside the altar. did
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.
~ still adhere TO the old godsl"
~ was not referring TO that" said
she, and looked at me with sidelong
| smile.
But here Ylga came up TO us with n
face that was white and q hand that
shook and made supplication for my
life. "If he will not leave the old gods
yet" she pleaded, "surely you will
pardon him? He Is a strong man, and
does not become convert easily. You
may change him later. But think,
Phorenice, he In a Dcucalion; andify you
slay him here for this one thing, there
Is no other man within all the marche 5
of Atlantis who could so worthily
serve"
The empress took the words from
her. "You SLUT" she cried ont. 81
have you near me to appoint my ward
robe and carry my fan, and you dare
to put a meddling finger in my poll
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 Iaemon
served my captain, Tarca. Shall
point n 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
~ am like a young bird in the nest
that has suddenly found its wings
Wings have so many uses that 4 ain
curious to try them all"
"May each new fight they take be
for the good Of Atlantis"
"Oh," she said, with an eye-flash, 81
know what you have most at heart
But we will go back to the pyramid
and talk this out at more leisure.
pray you now, my lord, conduct me
back to my riding beast"
1t appeared then that I was to bs
condoned for not offering her wor
ship, and so putting public question or
her deification. 1t appeared also thai
Ylga's interference was looked upor
as untimely, and, though / could not
understand the exact reasons fol
either OF these things, I accepted then
as they were, seeing that they for
warded the scheme that Zacmon ha,
bidden me to carry out.
So when the empress lent me hei
fingers--warm, delicate fingers they
were, though so skillfui to grasp tn,
weapons of war-I took them grave
", and led her out Of the great cir
icle. which she had polluted with hel
trickeries. had expected to see oul
Lord the Sun take vengeance on tn,
proclamation while IL was stih In act
but none had come. and knew tina
he would choose his own good tim,
for rctribution' and appoint what In
strument he thought best, withou
my raising n puny arm to guard hi
mighty honor.
So I led this lovely. sinful woman
back to the huge red mammoth whicl
stood there tamely In waiting. and tn,
smell of the sacrifice came after III
as we walked. She mounted the stat
to the golden castle on the shagg.
beasts back, and bade me mount ais,
and take seat beside her. But tn
place of the fan-girl behind her wa
empty, and what we said as we rod
back through the streets there wa
none to oyerhear.
She was eager to know what hn,
befal!en me after the attack on tn,
gate, and / told the tale, laying stress
on the worthiness OF Nais, and utter
ing an opinion that with care the gir
might he won hack to allegiance again
Only the commands that Zaemon lai,
upon me, when he and I spoke to
gether la the sacred tongue, did
withhold, as II Is not lawful to repea
these matters save only In the higl
council of the priests itself as the,
sit before the Ark of Mysteries.
"fou seem to have an unusual kind
liness for this rebel Nais." salt
Phorenice.
"Shc showed herself to me MS NOR,
clever and thoughtful. than the com
mon herd"
"Aye," she answered. with u sigl
that ! think was real enough In IL
way, "aii empress loses much tha
meaner woman gets as her common
due"
"ln what particular"
"She misses the honest wooing of he
equals"
"If you set up for n goddess
l said.
"Pah! wish to be no goddess /,
you, Deucalion. That was for tn,
common people; II gives me more pow
er with them; II helps my schemes
All you seven higher priests know
that trick OF calling down the fire. ant
II pleases me to fitch II. Can you no
be generous, and admit that n woman
may be as clever In finding out thes,
natural laws as your musty eldel
priests?"
"Remains that you are empress"
"Nor empress either. just thinl
that there Is a woman seated besid,
you on this cushion, Deucalion, ant
look upon her, and say what word,