Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-01-09
CHAPTER WIT.
THE PREACHER FROM THE NOUN
TAI\S

CHAPTER VIII
THE PREACHER FROM THE NOUN
TAINS
1t was long enough since I had
found leisure for a parcel of sleep.
and so during the larger part of that
day | am free to confess that ] slum-
bercd soundly, Nais watching me.
Night fell, and still we remained
within the privacy of the temple. 1t
was our plan that | should stay there
ill the camp slept, and so | should
have more chance of reaching the
seabench without disturbance.
The night came down wet, with a
drizzle of rain. and through the Sits
in the temple walls we could see the
many fires in the camp well cared for.
and men and women in skins and
rags toasting before them, with
steam rising as the heat fought with
their wetness Folk seated in dis
comfort like this are proverbiallN
alert and cruel in the temper, and
Nais frowned as she looked on the in
clemencv Of the weather.
But as the hours drew on the night
began to grow less quiet. From the
distance someone began to blow on
horn or a shell. sending forth a harsh
raucous note necessarily. The sound
came nearer. as we could tell from its
growing loudness, and the voices OF
those by the fires made themselves
heard, railing a t the blower for his dis
turbance. And presently it became
stationary. and standing up we could
see through the Sits in the walls the
people of the camp rousing up from
their uneasy rest. and clustering to-
gether round one who stood and talked
to them from the pedestal of a war n
gine.
What he was decl3 ming upon we
could not hear, nd our curiosity on the
matter was not keen. Given that all
who did not sleep went to weary them
selves with This fellow, as Nas whis-
pered, it would be simple for me to
make an exit in the opposite direc-
ton.
But here we were reckoning without
the inevitable bus body. \ dozen pairs
of feet spiashi through the wet
came mp to the side of the little tenn
Pile, and cried loudly that Nais should
Join the audience. She had eloqucnce
of tongue, il appeared, and they
feared lest this speaker who hac
taken his stand on the war engine
should make schisms among THEN
ranks unless some skilled person
stood up also TO refute his argu
mentS.
Here, then, il seemed TO me that
must be clbowcd into my skrmish by
the most unexpected Of chances, but
Nas was firmly minded that there
should be no fight, if courage on her
part could turn it. "Come out with
me-" she whispered. land keep distan;
from the light of the fires
"But how explain my being here?"
There is no reason to explain any
thing" she said. bitterly. "They VII
take you for my lover. There is moth
ing remarka bic in that; it is the mode
here. But, oh! why did not the god,
make you wear a beard, and curl il
even as other men? Then you coulc
have been gone and safe these tive
hours"
"A smooth chin pleases me better
$50 il does me-" heard her murmul
as she leaned her weight on the stone
which hung in the doorway, anC
pushed it ajar; "your chin
The ragged men outside-therew were
Nomeu with them also-did not wal
20 wa tch me very closely \ coarse ics
or two flew (Which could have founC
good heart TO have repaid with sworC
thrush and they stepped of into III,
darkness, just turning from time t'
time to make sure we followed, On al
sides others were pressing in the sam,
direction--black shadows against th,
night; the rain spat noisily on tn
camp fires as we passed them; ant
from behind MS came up others. Their
We're no sleepers in the camp now; al
were pressing on to hear his preache
who stood on the pedestal of the wa
engine: and if we had tried to SWerv
from the straight course, we SHOULD
have been marked at once,
So we held on through he darkness
and pre- sently came within earshot.
Still it was little enough of tn
preachers words we could make out a
first "Who are your chiefs?" cam
the question at The end of a fervid ha
rangue. and Immediately all furthe
rational talk was drowned in uproaI
1--WE have no chiefs" the people shout
ed; 1--WE are done with chiefs; we as
all equal here. Take away you. sill
magic. You may kill us with magi
IL Nnn nhnnsn hu1 rnlr LIS An1 shnI