The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1902-02-28

that 1 recognized an old acquaintance.
Godsl how my love burned within me
for thjN woman! My whole being
seemed gone out to meet her, and to
leave room for nothing beside. For
long enough a voice seemed dimly to
be calling me, but gave it no regard.
Ihad come out to that hoary mountain
top for communion with Nais alone,
and I wanted none others to interrupt.
But at length the voice calling my
name grew too loud to be neglected,
and I pulled myself out of my sweet
musing with a start to think that
here, for the first time since part
ing with lob and his company, I should
see another human fellOw-being.
gripped my weapon and asked who
called. The reply came clearly from
up the slopes of the mountain, and
saw man coming towards me over the
snow. He was old and feeble. His
body was bent, and his hair and beard
were white as the ground on which he
trod, and presently recognized Zae-
mon. He was coming towards me with
incredible speed for man of his years
and feebleness, but he carried in his
hand the glowing symbol of our Lord
the Sun, and holy strength from this
would add largely to his powers.
He came close to me and made the
sign of the seven, which returned to
him, with its completion, with due
form and ceremony. And then he sa-
luted me in the manner prescribed as
messenger appointed by the high coun-
Gil of the priests seated before the
Ark of the Mysteries, and 1 made hum
BILE obeisance before him.
''In all things 1 viii obey the orders
that you put before me-" said.
"Such is your duty, my brother. The
command is that you return imme-
diately to the Sacred Mountain, so
that if human means may still prevail,
you, as the most skilled general At
lantis owns within her borders, may
still save the country from final wreck
and punishment. The woman Pho
renice persists in her infamies. The
poor land groans under her heel And
now she has laid siege to our Sacred
Mountain itself, and swears that not
one soul shall be left alive in all At
lantis who does not bend humbly to
her will"
ut is a command, and 1 obey it. But
let me ask of another matter that is
intimate to both of US. What of
Nais?"
''Nais rests where you left her, I'M
touched. Phorenice knows by her arts
she has stolen nearly all the ancient
knowledge now-that still you live, and
she keeps Nais unframed beneath the
granite throne in the hopes that some
time she may use her as a weapon
against you. Little she knows the
sternness of our priests creed, my
brother. Why, even 1, that am the
girls father, would sacrifice her blithe-
ly if her death or ruin might do little
of good to Atlantis"
"You go beyond me with your devo-
ton
The old man leaned forward at me,
with glowering brow. what"
"Or my old blind adherence to the
ancient dogma has been Slapped and
weakened by events. You must buy
my full obedience, Zaemon, you want
it. Promise me Nais-and your arts,
know, can snatch her-and I will be
true servant to the high council of the
priests, and win die in the last ditch
if need be for the carrying out of their
order. But let me see Nais given over
to the fury of that wanton woman,
and l shall have no inwards left, eX-
cept to take my vengeance and to see
Atlantis piled up in ruins as her fu-
neral-stone."
Zaemon looked at me bitterly. "And
you are the man the high council
thought to trust as they would trust
one of themselves? Truly we are in an
age of weak men and faihtless now.
But, my lord-nay, 1 must call you
brother still; we cannot be too nice in
our choosing to-day-yOu are the best
there is, and we must have you. We
little thought you would ask price
for your generalship, having once
taken oath on the walls of the Ark of
the Mysteries itself, that always, come
what might, you would be a servant of
the high council of the clan without
fee and without hope of Advancement.
But this is the age of broken vows,
and you are doing no more than trim
with the fashion. Indeed, brother, per
haps l should thank you for being no
more greedy in your demands"
'You may spare me your taunts.
You, by self-denial and profound
search into the highest of the highest
mysteries, have made yourself some.
thing wiser than human; have pre-
served my humanity, and with it its
powers and frailties; and it seems
that each of us has his proper uses,
or you would not. now come to me.
Rather you would have done the gen
eraling yourself"
"YOu make a warm defense, my
brother. But I have no leisure now to
stand before you with argument. Come
to the Sacred Mountain, fight me this
wanton upstart empress, and, by my
beard! you shall have your Nais as you
left her as a reward"
at is a command of the high council