Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-19

CHAPTER XX1-Continued
After this they were all silent for a
space. until Nya looked up at Rachel and
asked suddenly:
art thou brave?'
1.-The ZuIus and others thought so
mother; but what can courage avail me
now?"
Courage Of the body. nothing. maiden
courage of the spirit, much. perhaps. II
thou sawest this lover of thine, and knew
for certain that he lives on beneath the
world awaiting thee, would it bring thee
comfort?"
Rachers breast heaved and her eyes
sparkled with joy, as she answered.:
Comfort. What is there that could
bring so much? But how can it be. moth
er. seeing that the last gulf divides US, a
gulf which mortals may not pass and
liye?"
Thou sayest it: still / have great pow
err, and thy spirit is white and clean.
Perhaps 1 could dispatch 1t across that
gulf and call 1t back to earth again. Yet
there are dangers. dangers to me of which
reck little and dangers to thee. Whittier
/ sent thee there thou highest bide."
II care not If / bide there mother II
journey to his side, and living or dead
I will bless thee"
Now Nya thought while and answer
ed:
For thy sake I will try what I would
try for none other who has breathed or
breathe. for thou didst save me from the
red death at the hands of Edo. Yes, l
will try. but not yet--first thou must eat
and rest. Obey or I do nothing
So Rachel ate. and afterward. feeling
a sQrDo q
cause she was still weary with her jour
neying and her new-found mind needed re-
pose. or perhaps because some drug had
been mingled with her drink. When she
awoke Nya led her to the mouth of the
cave. There they stood awhile studying
the stars. No breath of air stirred and
the silence was intense, only from time to
time the sound Of trees falling in the
forest reached their ears Sometimes it
was quite soft as though a fleece of wool
when the tree that died had grown miles
and miles away from them; and some
times the crash was as that of sudden
thunder: that was when the tree which
died had grown near to them.
A sense of the mystery and wonder OF
the place and hour sank into Rachel's
heart The stars above, the mighty en-
tombing forest. In which the trees fell
increasingly after their long centuries OF
life. the encircling wall, built perhaps
by hands that had ceased from their la
bors hundreds of thousands of years be-
fore those trees began to grow; the huge
mosS-clad cedar upon the mound beneath
the shadow of whose branches day by
day its wOrShipers gave up their breath
that immemorial cedar, whereof. as they
believed. the life was the life of the ma
ton the wiZened little witch woman al
her side with the seal of doom already
set upon her brow and the stare of fare
we'll in her eyes; the sad, spiritual face
of Mole. who held her hand, the loving
faithful Mole, who in that light seemed
half thing of air; the gray little dwarf
mutes who squatted on their mats staring
at the ground now and again passed
down the hill from the Fence of Death
above bearing between them a body to its
burial: all were mysterious, all were
| wonderful.
AS she looked and listened a new
strength stirred in Rachel's heart. Al
first she had felt afraid. but now courage
flowed into her. and it seemed to come
from the old, old woman at her side. the
mistress of mysteries, the mother OF
| magic. in whom was gathered the wisdom
of hundred generations of this hall
human race.
Look at the stars and the night she
was saying In her soft voice. 'for soor
thou shalt be beyond them all. and per
chance thou shalt never see them more
will not try this journey in search of one
whom We may not find"
No" answered Rachel; "but, mother
whittier go we?'
I'VE go to the Land of Death. Come
then. the moment is at hand. 1t is hare
on midnight. See. yonder star stands
above the holy tree" and she pointed tC
a bright orb that hung almost over the
topmost bough of the cedar, ut mark:
thy road. and if thou wouldst pass it now
is the hour
Mother" asked Noie, may I come
with her? | also have my dead, anC
where my sister goes / follow.
AYE, if thou wilt, daughter of Seyapi
the path is wide enough for three. and II
/ stay on high perchance thou that art
of my blood mayest find strength to guide
her earthward through the wandering
worlds
Then Nya walked up the cave and sat
herself down within the circle of the
lamps with her back to the Stalactite
that shaped like tree. bidding Ra-
chel and Mole be seated in front of her
Two of the dwarf muteS appeared WON
en- both of them. and squatted to right
and left. each gazing into a bowl of linn
pid dew. Nya made a sign and, still gaZ
ing into their bowls. these dwarfs began
to beat upon little drums that gave out q
curious rolling noise. while Nya sang tc
With her thin little hands she graspeo
the right hand of Rachel and of Mole
and gaZed into their eyes.
Things changed to Rachel The dwarfs
10 right ana lett vanished away. but the
low murmurfnS of their drums grew to d
mighty music. and the stars danced to it
The song of Nya swelled and sweled til
1t filled all the space between earth and
heaven; 1t was the rush of the gale among
the forests. 1t was the beating of the sea
upon an illimtable coast, it was the shou
of all the armies of the world, 1t was the
weeping of all the women of the world
1t lessened again. she seemed to be pass
ing away from it. she heard it far be-
meath her. 1t grew tiny in its volume
tiny as If it were an infinite speck OF
point of sound which she could still dis
Germ for millions and millions of miles
till at length distance and vastness over
came 1t, and it ceased. It ceased, this
song OF the earth but a new song began
the song of the rushing worlds. Far away
she could hear it, that ineffable music
far in the utter depths Of space. Nearer
1t would come and nearer, a ringing
glorious sound. a sound and yet a voice
one mighty voice that sang and was
answered by other voices as sun crossed