Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1902-04-12

CHc udu tdhen neT pace IN the mid
die of great fiagstone, and stood
there swaying her supple body to the
shocks. Her face was calm, and it's
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
about her neck. There was no trace
of fear written upon her face. There
was some WEAKNESS, some contempt,
and L 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.
Gods! how the sight of her cool in
difference maddened me then. I 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
l could have done. With each shock
the great capstone of the throne to
which I 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 it's
slowness of movement maddened me.
A life's education left me in that mo-
ment, and l had no trace of stately
patience left. in my puny fury I
thrust at the great block with my
shoulder and head, and ciawed at it
with my hands till the muscles rose
the high gods must have laughed at
my helplessness as they looked. All
was being ordered by the Three,
who 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
strange tremor seized me.
After all the scheming and effort,
what ] 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. l knew
Phorenice's vengefulness, and had
high value for her cleverness. Had
she left Nais to lie in peace, or had
she stolen her away to suffer iHdig-
mites elsewhere? Or had she ended
her sleep with death, and Gas grisly
JEST left the corpse for my finding?
1 could not tell; I dared not guess.
Never during a whole hard-fghting
life have my emotions been so
wrenched as they were at that mo-
ment. And, for excuse, it must be
owned that love for Nais had Slapped
my hardihood over u matter in which
she was so privately concerned.
1t began TO come to my mind, how
ever, that the internal uproar of the
earth-tremor was beginning to slacken
somewhat, as though Zaemon knew he
had done the work that he had prom
Used, and was minded to give the
wretched city a breathing space. So
1 took my fortitude in hand and clam
bered up on to the fat of the stone.
The lightning flashes had ceased, and
all was darkness again and sitting
dust, but at any moment the sky
might be lit once more, and if I were
seen in that place, shaggy and changed
though 1 might be. Phorenice, if she
were standing near, would not be
slow to guess my name and errand.
So changed was / for the moment
that l will finely confess that the idea
of fight was loathsome to me then.
/ wanted to have my business done and
get gone from the place.
With hands that shook I fumbled
over the face of the stone and found
the clamps and bars of metal still in
position where / had clenched them,
and then reveI emily l let my fingers
pass between these, and felt the
curves of my loves body in it's rest
beneath. An exultation began to
whirl within me. l did not know if
she had been touched since I last left
her; l did not know if the drug would
have its due effect, and let her be
Weakened to warmth and sight again:
but, dead or alive, / had her there,
and she was mine, mine, mine, and
I could have yelled aloud in my joy
at her possession.
Still the earth shook beneath us, and
masonry roared and crashed into ruin.
| had to cling to my place with one
hand while I unhasped the clamps of
metal that made the top of her prison
with the other. But at last I swung
the upper half of them clear, and
those which pinned down her feet
let remain. I stopped and drew her
soft body up on to the fiat of the
stone beside me, and pressed my lips
a hundred times to the face I could
not see.
IT,