Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1902-05-10
. . The D 3
Lost Continent
By CUTCLIFFE HYNE.
Pub. by Harper Bros. Copyright iso by cutcls lyme
By CUTCLIFFE HYNE.
CHAPTER NVII.-CoNTINUED.
Pub by Harper Bros. Copyright isO by Cutoifs lyme


living crea ture that dwelt in the lower
grounds had been smothered by the
waters, save for a few who huddled in
a pair of ga,leys that were driven oar
less inward, over what had once been
black forest and hunting land for the
beasts. And even as | watched, these
also were swallowed up by the horrid
turmoil of sea, and nothing but the
sea beasts, and those of the greater
lizards which can live in such out
rageous waters, could have survived
even that stage of the destruction.
Indeed, none but those men who had
now found standing ground on the
upper slopes of the Sacred Mountain
survived, and it was plain that their
span was short, for the great mass of
the continent sank bodily deeper and
more deep every minute before our
aching eyes beneath the boiling thrush
of the seas.
But though the great mass of the
soldiery were dazed and maddened at
the prospect of the overwhelming
which threatened them, there were
some with a strength of mind too
valiant to give any outward show of
discomposure. Presently a compact
little body of people came from out the
houses and the temples and headed di-
rectly across the open ground towards
the ark. On the outside marched Pho
renice's personal guards with their
weapons new bloodied. They had been
forced to fight q way through their
own fellow soldiers. The poor dement,
sd creatures had thought it was every
one for himself now, till these guards
(by their mistress order) proved to
them that Phorenice still came first.
And in the middle OF them, borne in
litter of gold and ivory by her gro
tesque European slaves, rode the en-
press, still calm, still lovely, and seem
ingly divided in her sentiments be-
tween contempt and amusement. Her
two children lay in the litter at her
feet. On her right hand, marched
Tatho gorgeously appareled, and with
beard curled and plated into thou
sand ringlets. On the other side, ply
ing her industry with unruffled defer
ence, walked Ylga, once again fan-girl
and so still second lady in this dwin
ding kingdom.
The party of them halted half score
of PAGES from the ark by Phorenice's
order. do not go nearer to those I'M
clean old men. They carry rank
odor with them, and for the moment
we are short of essences % swee ten the
air of their neighborhood." She lifted
her eyebrows and looked up at me-
Truly quiet little gathering of old
acquaintances. Why, there is Deucal-
ion, that once l took the flavor of and
threw aside when he cloyed me-"
81 have Nais here" said, "and pres
emily we two will be all that are left
alive of this nation"
''Nais is quite welcome TO my leav-
ings," she laughed. Il will look down
upon your country cooings when pres
emily go back to the place behind the
stars from which l came. You are
very rustic person, Deucalion. They
tell me, too, that three or four of these
foul-smelling old men up here have
named you king. Did YOU swell with
much dignity? Or did you remember
that there was pretty empress left
that would still be empress so long as
there was an Atlantis to govern?
Come, sir, find your tongue. BY nv
face! you must have hungered for me
very madly these years we have been
parted, II new-grown ruggedness of
feature is an evidence"
Have your gibe. do not gibe back
at woman who presently will die"
Bah! Deucalion, you live behind
the times. Have they not told you
that | know the great secret and am
indeed a goddess now? My arts can
make life run on eternally.''
Then the waters presently will test
them hard" | said, but there the talk
wastaken into other lips. Zaenon
went forward to the front of the litter
with the symbol of our Lord the Sun
glowing in his hand, and burst into a
flow of cursing. 1t was hard for me
to hear his words. The roar of the
waters which poured up over the land.
and beat in vast waves against the
Sacred Mountain itself grew nearer
and more loud. But the old man had
his say.
fhorenlce gave orders to her guards
LOT ms killing; yes, tried even to rise
from the litter and do the work her
sem out Zaemon held the symbol to
nus front, and its power in that SUI
preme moment mastered all the arts
that could be brought against it. The
majesty of the most high gods was vim
dicated, and that splendid empress
knew it and lay back snllenly AMONG
the cushions of her litter a beaten
woman.
Only one person in that rigid knot
ofpeople found power to leave .he rest,