Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-09-04

sllken canopy as tilmy and as delicately
blue as the sky on summers night.
The floor was strewn with richly en-
broidered pillows, cOuches, rugs and OF.
omans, and here and there were palm
hees and beds of flowers and grottoeI.
A solitary light, representing the moon,
showed through the silken canopy, in
whose folds little lights sparkled like
faroff stars.
Thorndyke looked at the princess in
1uiringly. She was bewildered.
II have 10 idea where we are" she
murmured. II am sure 1 have never
been here before, but there is another
apartment beyond. Listenl 1 hear
cries
Some one in Distress" he answered,
and he drew her across the room and
through door into another room more
beautiful than the one they had just
left. Here, huddled together at a Will
dow overlooking the court, We're six or
eight beautiful young women. They
were staring out into the darkness and
moaning and muttering low cries of de-
spair.
ut is my fathers ladies'" calculated
the princess, aghast. "He would be an
cry if he knew we had come here. No
one but himself enters these apart
mentS.
Just then one of the women turned a
lovely and despairing face toward them
and came forward and knelt at the feet
of Bernardino.
"Oh, save Us, princess' she cried.
''Be calm," said tho princess, touch
ing the white brow Of the woman.
"The danger may soon pass. This por-
ton of the palace is too strongly built
for them to injure it," Then she turn
ed to Thorndyko: 1--WE must hasten on
and find our way down. 1t would never
do for US to be seen here" Then she
turned to the kneeling woman and said
gently: Il hope you will say nothing
to the king of this. We lost our way i'll
trying to get down from the roof"
Il will not" gladly promised the
woman, and seeing that Bernardino
knew not which way to turn she guided
them to a door opening into dimly
lighted corridor. 1T will take you out
to the balconies and down to the audi
ence chamber" she said.
The princess thanked her, and she
and the Englishman descended several
flights Of stairs. Reaching one of the
balconies, they met the denser darkness
of the outside and the deafening clang
and clamor of the multitude. There was
no light Of any kind, and Thorndyke
and his charge had to press close against
the balustrade Of the balcony to keep
from being crushed by the mad torrent
of humanity.
Now and then strident voice would
rise above the din:
Down with the palacei Death to the
kingP'
The trumpet in the tower sounded
again and again.
1T is my father trying to attract
their attention. explained the princess.
Something very serious has happened
for once In speaking Of the time the
sun went out before, he told me that he
had made an invention which in such o
crisis would instantly restore confidence
to the people. cannot understand why
be does not use it. Oh, am afraid they
will kill himv'
Thorndyke tried to console her, for
he saw that che was weeping, but just
then there was strange lull in the
general tumult. What could have hap
pened?
1.-THE dawn-the ideal dawnp cried
Bernardino, pointing to the eastern sky.
Thorndyke looked in wonder. A purple
light had spread along the horizon, and
as it gradually softened into gray and
slowly turned to pink the noise Of the
populace died down. No sound could
now be heard save the low groans Of
wounded men and women. What
sight met the view as the rose light
shimmered over the ethyl The dead and
dying lay under the feet Of the crowd.
Almost every creature bore some mark
Of violence. Eyes were bloodshot, cloth
ing torn, limbs were bleeding, and min
gled fury and sudden hope struggled in
each ashen face. The young trees and
shrubbery had been trampled underfoot.
and walls arcades and triumphal arches
had been thrown down. The fragments
Of statues lay here and there, and the
bodies Of human beings filed the basins
Of broken fountains.
ut is not the sun" explained Ber-
nardino, "but the invention my father
spoke Of. He is doing it to calm Them"
Thorndyke made no answer. He stood
as if transfixed, gazing at the horizon.
The rose light had spread over a third
Of the sky when gradually there ap-
peared in its center bright circle Of
yellow light. The yellow light faded,
leaving perfect picture of the throne
Of the king, and as the now silent masses
looked at the picture curtain behind
the throne parted, and the king himself
appeared. He advanced and sat on the
throne and turned q calm face toward
his subjects.
Wonderful" calculated Bernardino,
and her face was full Of hope. "See
what he will dov'
where is the picture?" asked Thorn
dyke. "Can it be seen by all of-of the
peOple!'
''Yes, by all Alpha, for it is on the
sky"
Thorndyke said nothing further, for
the king had stood up, and with hands
outstretched was bowling. Above the
circle Of light, as if cut out Of the solid
blackness, in flaming letters stood the
word:
.ss......sss..s.-..
SILENCEi
And there was silence. Even the lips
Of the wounded men closed as the king
began to speak. The sound of his voice
seemed as far away as the stars and to
permeate all space:
"All danger is over. Tidings from
the west state that the sun is setting.
No harm has come to it. 1t will rise in
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