The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1902-01-30

service, their own advancement and
the filling Of their own treasures
ever como first with them. 90 I
have sent for you, Deucnlion, the one
strong man In all the world. You at
least will not sigh TO be my lover?"
I saw her watching for my answer
from the corners of her eyes. "The
empress" I said, sis my mistress,
and / will be an honest minister to
her. With Phorcnice, the woman, IL
Is likely that ! shall have little
enough to do. Besides, am not the
sort that sport with this toy they
call love-"
sand yet you. are pcrsonable
man enough" she said, rather
thoughtfully. "But that still further
proves your strength, Dcucalion. You
ut least will not lose your head
through weak infatuation for my
poor looks and graces." She turned
to the girl who stood behind us.
"Ylga, fan not SO violently"
Our talk broke Off then for the
moment, and I had time to look
about me. We were passing through
the chief street in the fnircst, the
most wonderful city this world has
ever seen. ! had left IL q score Of
years before, and was curious to note
It's increase.
In public buildings the city had
certainly made growth; there were
new temples, new pyramids. new pal
aces, and statuary everywhere. It's
greatness and magniflccrce inn
pressed me more strongly even than
usual, returning to IL as I did from
such distance Of time and space,
for, though the many cities Of Yu-
cntan might each of them be prince
ly, this great capital was a place not
to he compared with any Of them.
II was imperial and gorgeous beyond
descriptive words.
Yet most of all was / struck by
the poverty and squalor which stood
in such close touch with all thi; mag
uiiicencc. In the throngs thai lined
,he streets there were gaunt bodies
and hungry faces everywhere. Here
and there stood one. man or q
woman, as naked as u savage IN Eu-
rope. and yet duh to shame. Even
the trader, with trumpcry ga,lds on
his coat, aping the prevailing fashion
for display, had scared, uneasy
look on his face, ns though he had
forgotten the mere name of ,afety,
and hid his frantic heart with his
tawdry outward yauntings of pros
pcrity.
Phorenice read the direction of my
looks.
"Thc season." she said. "has been
unhealthy of recent months. These
lower people will not build fine
houses to adorn my city, and because
they choose to live on In their
squalid. unsightly kennels, there have
been calentures and other sickncsscs
among them, which make them disin.
clined for work. And then, too, for
the moment. earning is not easy. In
deed, you may say trade is nearly
stopped this last hnlf-ycar since the
rebels have been hammering so lust.
lily at my city gates"
fairly startled out of my de.
corum.
"Rcbcls!" I cried, "who are ham
mcring at the gates of Atlantisr Is
the city In n state of sicgc?"
OF their condescension," said Phor-
enice, lightly, they are giving MS
holiday to-day, and so, happily, my
welcome to you comes undisturbcd.
II they were fighting, your ears
would have told you of II. To give
them their due, they are noisy
enough In all their efforts. My spies
say they are making ready new en-
gines for use against the walls, which
you may sally out tomorrow and
break Il IL gives you amusement. But
for to-day. Deucalion, have you,
and you have me, and there Is peace
round us, and some prettiness St
display. II you ask for more | will
give IL YOU"
81 did not know of this rebellion"
! said, "but as your majesty has
made me your minister, IL IN well
that I should know all about its scope
at once. This Is matter we should
he serious upon"
"And do you think ! cannot take II
seriously also?" she rctortcd. "Ylga,"
she said to the girl that stood be.
hind, ''set loose my dress at the
shoulder"
And when the attendant had un-
linked the jcwelcd clasp (as II
seemed to me with very i'll grace),
she herself stripped down the fab
ric, barring the pure skin beneath,
and showing me just below the curve
of her LETT breast bandage of blood
stained linen.
There Is a guarantee of my Sc
robustness yesterday, at any rate
she said, looking at Inc sidelong,
"The arrow struck on rib. and that
saved me. II IL had struck below,
Dcucalion would have been standing
beside my funcralpyre to-day, instead
of riding on this pretty steed of mine
which he admircs so much. Your eye
seems to feast itself most on the
mammoth, Deucalion. All, poor me,
] am not one of your shaggy crea-
lures, and so II seems I shall never
he able TO catch your regard. Ylga,"
she said to the girl behind, "you may
link my dress up again with its clasp
Nv Ioru Deucnlion hug aeau ,vnuudu