Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-01-09
CHAPTER VII.
THE BITERS OF THE WALLS CUR
THEIR ACCOUNT.

THE BITERS OF THE WALLS CUR
THEIR ACCOUNT.
"You will set me free" she said,
regarding Inc from under her brows,
without any further exactions or
treaty."
81 will set you free exactly on those
terms / answered. unless indeed
we here decide that it is better for
Atlantis that / should die, in which
case the freedom will be of your own
taking"
"My lord plays bold game"
'Tut. tut" | said.
"But | shall not hesitate to take
the full OF my bond, unless nay the
cries are most clearly disnroNed to
me"
Tut" I said. "You women, how
YOU play ont the time needlessly.
Show me sufficient cause, and you
shall Kill me where and how you
please. Come, begin the accusation"
''You are a tyrant.'
AT least l have not paraded my
4yrannics in Atlantis these 20 years
Why, Nais, | did but land yester.
day"
You will not deny You came bach
from Yucatan for a purpose
II came back because | was sent
for. The empress gives no reasons
for her recalls. She states her will;
and we who serve her obey without
question:
"Pah! ] know thnt old dogma
wan JicrraJi+ INV pOnr bonC = [
at the outset like this, ! fear we shall
not get far with our unraveling."
"My lord must be indeed simple,
said this strange woman. Scornfully
"f he is ignorant OF what all Atlanti.
knows"
"Then simple yOu must write me-
down. Over yonder in Nucatan W.
were too we'll wrapped mp in our owl
parochial needs and policies to have
leisure TO ponder much over the slim
news which drfted out to US from
Atlantis and, in truth. little enoug,
came. BY example. Phorcnice (whoS'
office be adored) is a great person
age here at home; but over there il
the colony we barely knew so mucl
as her name. Here, since ] have beer
ashore, | have seen many new won
ders; | have been carried by rid
ing mammoth; | have sat at ban
quet; but in what new policies thcr,
are afoot, | have yet to be Schooled. :
"Then, if truly YOU do not know it
let me repeat to you the common
tale. Phorenice has tired of her IN
mated life ~
''Stay there. 7 will hear no wore
against the empress"
"Pah! my lord. your scruples ar
most decorous. but | did no NOR
than repeat what the empress ha
made public by proclamation. She i
minded to take to herself hush nc
and nothing short Of the best is goo
enough for Phorenice. One after a.
other has been put up in turn a
favorite--and been found wanting
Oh, tell you, we here in Atlanti
have watched her courtship wit
jumping hearts. First il was thi
one here, then it was that one there
now it was this general Just rcturnc
from victory and a day later i
had been packed back 70 his CAM
ernor who had squeezed increase
revenues from his province. Bu
every ship that came from the Yves
said that there was stronger ma
than any of these in Yucatan, and a
last the empress changed the wore
ing Of her vow. IN have Deucalio
for my husband,' said she, and the
we will see who can stand against III
Wishes"
"Ihe empress (whose name b
hdored) can do as she pleases in sue
matters" | said, guardedly; "bu
that is beside the argument. 7 al
here 10 know how it would be bette
for Atlantis that ! should die"
"Yon know you are the stronges
man in the kingdom"
SIT pleases you to say so"
sand Phorenice is the stronges
woman"
"That is beyond doubt