Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-24


may not enter here to hurt you. but you
shall starve. you shall starve until YOU
creep out and beg my mercy
Then, making signs to the dwarfs who
sat about above, he vanished between the
stones.
You should have killed him. Zoola.''
said Mole. for now he will live to kill
us.
II think not. sister," answered Rachel.
"Nya said that ! should follow my heart.
and my heart bid me to let him GO Our
| hands are clean of his blood. but If he
had died. who can tell? Blood is bad
seed to sow
Then. forgetting Eddo. she turned to
i, Richard and began to ply him with ques-
tons.
But he seemed to be dazed and could
answer little. 1t was as though some
| unnatural. supporting strength had been
withdrawn. and now all the fatigues of
his fearful journey were taking effect
upon him. He could scarcely stand. but
reeled to and fro like man in drink, so
| that the two women were obliged to sup
port him across the burial ground toward
| the cave. Advancing thus. they entered
into the shadow of the holy tree, and
cession descending from the mound.
Eight mutes bore litter of boughs and
on it lay Nya, dead. her long white hair
hanging down on either side of the litter.
With bowed heads they stood aside to
let her pass to the grave made ready for
her to a place of honor near the wall
where for a thousand years only the
mothers of the trees had been laid to
rest.
Then they went on and entered the cave
where the lamps burned before the great
stalactite and the heaps of offerings that
| were piled about It, Here sat the two
women priests gazing into their bowls
as they had left them. The death OF
this white man did not seem to move
them. Perhaps they expected him; at
any rate food was made ready and ped
of rugs prepared on which he could ile
Richard ate some of the food. staring
at Rachel all the while with vacant eyes
as though she were still but a vision,
the Pigment of a dream. Then he NUT
tered something about being very tired,
and. sinking back upon the rugs. tell
into deep sleep.
In that sleep he remained scarcely sur
ring for full four and twenty hours. while
Rachel watched by his side. till at length
her WEAKNESS overcame her and she slept
also. When she opened her eyes again
they saw no other light than that which
crept in from the mouth of the cave. The
lamps which always burned there were
out. Mole, who was seated nearby, heard
her stir and spoke.
eff thou art rested. Zoola.'' she said.
Il think we had better carry the white
lord from this place, for the two witch
women have gone and 1 can find no more
oil to fill the lamps
So they felt their way to Richard pur-
posing to lift him between them, but
at Rachels touch he awoke and win
their help walked out of the cave. In the
open space beyond they saw strange
sight for across it were streaming all the
dwaff mutes carrying their aged and SICK
| and infants, and bearing on their backs
or piled up in filters their mats and COOK
ing utensils. Evidently they were desert
ing the sanctuary.
why are they going:" fsked Rachel.
Il do not know" answered Mole, but l
think it is because no food has been
brought to them as usual, and they are
we should starve. Only fear Of death By
hunger would make them leave place
where they and their forefathers nave
lived for generations
Presently they were all gone. Not 2
living creature was left within the wall
except these three. nor were any more
dwarfs brought in to die beneath the holy
tree. Now, at length Richard seemed -
began to ask questions Of her in a low
stammering voice. since words did not
seem to come readily to him who had not
| spoken his own language for SO long.
Before you begin to talk, sister,, broke
in Mole. let us go and see if We can close
the cleft in the wall. for otherwise how
shall we sleep in peace? Eddo and the
Gwarfs might creep in by night and muir
der u.s..
Il do not think they dare shed blood in
their holy place. answered Rachel. Still,
let us see what we can do; 1t may De
best"
So they went to the cleft, and as the
stone door was open and they could not
| shut 1t, at one very narrow spot they
rolled down rocks from the loose sides OF
the ancient wall above in such fashion
that it would be difficult to pass through
or over them from without. This hard
task took them many hours; moreover, IT
was labor wasted since. as Rachel had
thought probable. the dwarfs never tried
to pass the WALL but waited till hunger
forced them to surrender
Toward evening they returned to the
cave and collected what food they could
find. 1t was but little, enough for two
spare meals, no more: nor could they dis
cover any in the town OF the dwarfs be-
hind the tree. Only of water they had
plenty from the stream lnat ran out Of the
cave.
They ate a few mouthfuls. then took
their mats and clOaks and went to camp
by the opening in the wall. so that they
might guard against surprise. Now for
the first time they found leisure to talk.
and Rachel and Richard told each other
little of their wonderful stories. But
they did not tell them all, for their minds
seemed to be bewildered, and there was
much that they were not able to explain.
| 1t was enough for them to know that they
had been brought together again thus
| marvelousy. by what power they knew
not, and that, still living they who for
| long weeks had each deemed the other
dead were able to hold each others hanuS
and gaze into each others eyes Moreover,
now that this had been brought about
| they were tired, so tired that they could
scarcely speak above a whisper. The
. end of it was that they fell asleep, all OF
them. and so slept till morning. when they
| awoke somewhat refreshed, and ate what
remained of the food
The second day was like the first. only
hotter and more sultry. Mole climbed to
the top of the wall to watch, while Rich
ard and Rachel wandered about among
the little antheap-like graves and through
the dwarf village. talking and WONDERING.
happy even in their Wretchedness. But
before the day was gone hunger began to
get a hold of them; also the terrible.
sitting heat oppressed them so that their
words seemed to die between their lips,
and they could only sit against the wall
looking at one another.
Toward evening Mole descended from
the wall and reported that large numbers
of the dwarfs were keeping watch with
out, fitting to and fro between the trunks
of the trees like shadows. The sitting
night went by. and another day dawned.
Having no food they went to the stream
and drank water. Then they sat down
in the shadow and waited through the
long hot hours. Toward evening. when it
grew a little cooler. they gathered up
their strength and tried to find some way
of escape before it was too late. Richard
suggested that as flight was impossible
they should give themselves up to the
dwarfs, hut Rachel answered no, for
then Eddo would certainly kill him and
Mole, and take her to fill the place OF
Mother of the Trees until she became
useless to him, when she would be muir