Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-02-06

y
order it,"
/ "You cannot scare us back now by
words" said Tatho, doggedly. "And
rs for magic. it will be met by magic.
Phorenice has found by her own clev-
erness as many powers as wers ever
stored up in the Ark of the Mys-
terics."
Yet she looked on help1essly
enough last night. when her royal
heap. Zaemon had prophesicd that
This should he so, and for witness.
why, I myself stood closer to her
than We two stand now. and saw
her"
81 will own you took her by sur
prise somewhat there. | do not nm
derstand these matters myself; ] was
never more than one of the seven in
the old days: and now. quite rightly,
Phorenicc keeps the knowledge of
her magic TO herself: but il seems
time is needed when one magic is to
be met by another
WELL" / said. II know little about
the business either. I leave these
matters now TO those who are high
err above me in the priesthood. In
deed, having liking for Nais. it
seems I am debarred fisom ever be-
ing given understanding about the
, highest of the high mysteries. So !
content myself with being a soldier,
and when the appointed day comes.
! shall fall and kiss my mother the
earth for the last time. You, so I
am told. have ambition for longer
/ life"
He nodded. "Phorenice has found
the Great Secret, and l am TO be the
first that will share it with her.
We shall he as gods upon the earth,
seeing that death will he powercss
to touch us. And the twin sons she
has borne me will be made immortal
also"
"Phorenice is headstrong. No. my
lord. there is no need to shake your
head and try TO deny it, have had
some acqua intance with her But
the order has been made. and her
immortality will he snatched from
from her very rudely. Now mark
solcmnly my words. !, Deucalion,
have been appointed king of Atlantis
10y the high council of the priests
who are the mouthpjece of the most
high gods. and il | do not have my
reign. then there will be no Atlantis
left to carry either king or empress.
You know me, Tatho, for man that
never lies"
| He nodded.
"rhen save yourself before it is TOO
late. You shall have again your
viceroyatv in Iucatan."
But, man. there is no Iucatan
4 great horde of little hairy crea-
lures. that were something less than
human and something more than
beasts. swept down upon our cities
| and ate them out. Oh. y0u may sneer
if you choose. Others sneered when
came home. till the empress stopped
them But YOU know what "A train Of
driyer-ants is that you meet with in
the forests? You may light fires
across their path. and they will
march into hem in their blind bray
y
bodies, and those that are left will
march on in an uubrokcn column.
and devour all that stands in their
path. ] tell you. my lord. those little
hairy creatures were like ants-aye,
for numbers and wooden bravery, as
well as for appetite. As a result, to-
day there is no Gucatan."
'sNau <ho1I bn,a Ic,,,
He burst at me holly. Il would
not take seven Ecypts and ten Yucca
tans. My lord. You think more poor
~ of me than is kind when you ask
me TO become a traitor. In your
place would you throw your Nais
away if the doing it would save YOU
from DANGER"
"rhat is different"
"ln no degree. 1'ou have kind
ness for her. hay" all that and
more for Phorenicc, VINO is, besides.
my wife and the mother of NV chill
drcn. If have qualmS and freely
confess ! know you are desperate
men mp there, and have dreadful
powers al your command--Iny shiv-
erings are for them and not for my
self. But | think, my lord. this par
ley is leading 10 nothing. and though
these common soldiers here will I'M
derstand little enough Of our talk,
they may ne picking up n word here
and there, and | do not wish them
TO go on to their death (as you will
see them do shortly and carry evil
a n I.t