The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1902-03-07

ite throne, crouching on the upper
most step but one below the capstone,
and could scarcely keep my place
against the violence of the earth
tremors.
But still the huge capstone that
was carved with the snake and the
outstretched hand held my love fast
locked in her living tomb, and l
could have bit the cold granite at the
impotence which barred me from her.
The people who kept thronging into
the square were mad with terror,
but their very numbers made my
case more desperate every moment.
"PhOrenice, goddess, aid us now!"
some cried, and when the prayer did
not bring them instant relief, they
fell to yammering out the old con-
fessiOns of the faith which they had
learned in childhood, turning in this
hour of their dreadful need to those
old gods which, through so many dis
honorable years, they had spurned
and deserted. 1t was a curious criti-
cism on the balance of their real re-
ligiOn, if one had cared to make it.
Still heavier grew the surging of
the earth, and the pavement of the
great square gaped and upheaved,
and the people who thrOnged it
screamed still more shrilly as their
feet were crushed by the grinding
blocks. And now too the great
pyramid itself was commencing to
split and cape and topple. The roofs
of it's splendid chambers gave way,
and the ponderous masonry above
shattered down and filled them. In
part, too, one could see the destruc-
ton now, and not guess at it merely
from the fearful hearings of the
darkness. Thunders had begun to
roar through the black night above
and add their bellowings to this
devils orchestration of uproar, and
vivid lightning splashes lit the flying
dust-clouds.
1t was perhaps natural that she
should be there, but it came as
shock when a flare of the lightning
showed me Phorenice safe out in the
square, and indeed standing not far
from myself.
She had taken her place in the mid
die of a great fagstone, and stood
there swaying her supple body to the
shocks. Her face was calm, and its
loneliness was untouched by the
years. From time to time she
brushed away the dust as it settled
on the short red hair which curled
n bOu+ bar nail 1TI,oro xrvoe - +,.ooo
of fear written upon her face. There
was some WEAKNESS, some contempt,
and I think a tinge of amusement.
Yes, it took more than the crumbling
of her royal pyramid to impress
Phorenice with the infinite powers of
those she warred against
Godsl how the sight of her cool in
difference maddened me then. l had
it in me to have strangled her with
my hands if she had come within my
reach. But as it was she stood in
her place, swaying easily to the
earth-waves as a sailor sways on
ships deck, and beside her, crouched
on the same great fagstone and over
come with nausea, was Ylga, that
again was raised to be her fan-girl.
1t came to my mind that Ylga was
twin sister to Nais, and that owed
her for an ancient kindness, but [
had leisure to do nothing for her
then, and indeed it was little enough
I could have done. With each shock
the great capstOne of the throne to
which chung Jared farther and
farther from its bed-place, and my
love was coming nearer to me. 1t
was she who claimed all my service
then.
Farther and farther the great
stone that made the top of the
throne slid out from it's bed, but its
slOwness of movement maddened me.
A life's education left me in that mo-
ment, and I had no trace of stately
patience left. In my puny fury I
thrust at the great block with my
shoulder and head, and clawed at it
with my hands till the muscles rose
on me in great ropes and knots, and
the high gods must have laughed at
my helplessness as they looked. Ali
was being ordered by the Three,
VINO were their trusted servants in
their good time. The work of the
gods may be done slowly, but it is
done exceeding sure.
But at last when all the people of
the city were numb with terror and
incapable of further emotion (save
only for Phorenice, who still had
nerve enough to show no cOncern),
what had been threatened came to
pass. The capstone of the throne slid
out till it reached the balance, and
the next shock threw it with a roar
and clatter to the ground. And then
a strange tremor seized me.
After all the scheming and effort,
what I had so ardently prayed for
had come about; but yet my inwards
sank at the thought of mounting on
the stone where l had mounted before,
and taking my dear from the hollow
where my hands had laid her. 1 knew
Phorenice's vengefulness, and had
high value for her cleverness. Had
she left Nais to lie in peace, or had
she stolen her aWaV to suffer indi0-