The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1902-01-21
CHAPTER V.
zAEMON's CURSE.

A<AA4AAOAN . OOLNGoL4s
II appeared that for the present, at
any late, was to have my residence
in the royal pyramid. The glittering
eayalcade drew up in the great paved
square which lies before the building,
and masFed itself in groups. The
mammoth WIS halted before the door
way, and when a stair had been
brought, the trumpets sounded, and
we three who had ridden in the gold
en- half-castle under the canopy of
snakes, deseended to the ground.
1t was plain that we were going
from beneath the open sky to the
apartments which lay inside the vast
stone mazes of the pyramid, and,
without thinking, the instinct of Gus
tom and reverence that had become
part of my nature caused me to turn
to where the towering rocks of the
Sacred Mountain frowned above the
city, and make the usual obeisance,
and offer up in silence the prescribed
prayer.
She said to me: "Come," and, turn
ing to the doorway, cried for en-
~ oANNs giving Ca1C NOIO dp-
pointed for the day. The ponderous
stone blocks which barred the porch
swung back on their hinges, and with
stately tread she passed out of the
hot sunshine into the cool gloom be-
yond, with the fan-girl following
decorousIy at her heels. I too went
inside this pyramid, and the stone
doors, with a sullen thud, closed be-
hind US.
We did not go far just then. Pho
renice halted in the hall of waiting.
How well 1 remembered the place,
with che pictures of kings on it's red
walls, and the burning fountain of
earth~breath which blazed FRI m a jet
of bronze in the middle of t0e floor
ing and gave it light. The old
king that was gone had com this far
of his. complaisance when he babe me
farewell as 1 set out twenty years De-
fore for ny viceEoyalty in Yucatan.
But the air of the hall was different
to what it had been in those old
days. Then it was pure and sweet.
Now it was heavy with some scent,
and found it languid and oppressive.
Il am told you are a pretty fight
err said she. "Wel, I hold some
small skill in arms myself, and have
d conceit that 1 am something of a
fudge. Tomorrow vie will take
taste of battle together. But to-day
4 must carry through the honorable
reception L have planned for you,
Deucaion. The feast will be ready
soOn, and you will wish to make
ready for The feast. There are cham
bers here selected for your use, and
Atored with what is needful. Ylga
will show you their places"
We waited, the fan-girl and I, till
Phorenice had passed out of the glow
Of the Hght-jet, and had left the hall
of waiting through a doorway among
the shadows of its further angle, and
GEeR (the girl taking a lamp and lead
sngJ we also threaded our way
through the narrow mazes of the pyr-
amid.
Everywhere the air was full of per-
fumes, and everywhere the passages
turned and twisted and doubled
through the solid stone of the pyra-
mid. so that strangers might have
spent hou-s-yes, or days-in seRrch
before they came to the chamber
they desired. There was a fine cum
ningness about those forgotten build
ers who sat up this royal pyramid.
They had no mind that kings should
fall BY the hand of vulgar assassins
who might come in suddenly from
outside. A.Ad it is said also that the
king of the time. to make doubly
rure. kiDSd al that had built the pyr-
amid. or scen even the lay of its inner
BtoneB.
But the fra-girl led the way with
the lamp swinging in her nard, as
sne accustomed to the mazes. Here
abe doubled, there she turned, and