Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-16
Author Of "Morie," "ht
CHAPTER NvI-(CohtinueD


ssrTHUS said the Child; Lift no hand
l. against the three who remain, and what
they shall ask, that give, for thus alone
shall some Of you be saved from Jana
and those who serve him, even though the
Guardian and the Child be taken away ana
the Child itself return to Its own place
These are the words Of the oracle uttered
at the Feast of the Frst-fruits the words
that cannot be changed and mayhap its
last"
Harut ceased and there was silence while
this portentous message sank into the
minds OF his audience At length they
seemed to understand its omlnous nature
and from them all there arose universal
simultaneous groan. As 1t died away the
two attendants dressed as goddesses as
sisted the personifcation of the Lady Isis
to rise from her seat and, opening the
robes upon her breast. pointed to something
beneath her throat, doubtless that birth
mark shaped like the new moon which
made her 40 sacred in their eyes, since
she who bore 1t and she alone could fill her
holy office.
All the audience and with them the
priests and priestesses bowed before her'
She lifted the symbol Of the Child hold
ing II high above her head, whereon once
more they bowed with the deepest venera-
ton Then, still holding the etfigy aloft.
she turned and with her two attendants
passed into the sanctuary and doubtless
thence by a covered way into the house
beyond. At any rate we saw her no more
As soon as she was gone the congrega-
ton, if | may call 1t so, leaving their
seats. swarmed down into the outer court
OF the temple through its eastern gate,
which was now opened. Here the priests
proceeded TO distribute among them the
offerings taken from the altar. giving a
grain OF corn to each Of the men to eat
and flower TO each OF the women, which
flower she kissed and hid In the bosom
of her robe Evidently 1t was kind of
sacrament.
RagnalI lifted himself a little upon his
hands and knees, and / saw that his eyes
glowed and his face was very pale.
What are you going TO DOR | asked.
Demand that those people give me back
my wife, whom they have stolen. Don't
try to stop me, Quatermain, l mean what
| say"
But, but" stammered 'they never
will and we are but three unarmed men"
Hans lifted up his little yellow face be-
tween us. }
"Baas." he hissed, "I have a thought
The Lord Baas wishes to get the lady
dressed like a bird as to her head and like
one for burial as to her body, who is he
says. his wife. But for us to take her
from among many is impossible. Now
what did that old witch doctor Harut de-
clare Just now? He declared speaking for
his fetish, that by our help alone the
White Kendah can resist the hosts of the
Black Kendah and that no harm must be
done TO us II the White Kendah would
continue to live. So 1t seems, Baas. that
we have something to sell which the White
Kendah must buy, namely our help against
the Black Kendall. for II we will not fight
for them. they believe that they cannot
conquer their enemies and kill the devil
Law mn hat he
says that our price is the white woman
dressed like a bird. TO be delivered over
to us when we have defeated the Black
Kendall and killed Jana-after which they
will have no more use for her. And sup
posing that the Baas says that IL they
refuse to pay that price we will burn all
our powder and cartridges so that the rifles
we have are Of no usey Is there not a path
to walk on hereT"
Perhaps" I answered Something Of
the sort was working In my mind but had
no time to think 1t out"
Turning, explained the idea to Ragnail,
adding:
II pray you not to be rash. II YOU are
not only may we be killed, which does not
so much matter, but 1t is very probable that
even II they spare us they will put an end
to your wife rather than suffer one whom
they look upon as holy and who Is neces-
sary to their faith in its last struggle to be
separated from her charge of the Child"
This was a fortunate argument or mine
and one which went home.
ITO lose her now would be more than I
could bear" he muttered
Then will you promise to let me try
to manage this AFFAIR and not to interfere
with me and show violence?"
He hesitated a moment and answered:
Yes, promise, for you two are cleverer
than i am and-I cannot trust my judg-
ment."
Good" I said, assuming an air Of con.
fdence which did not feel. Now we will
go down to call upon Harut and his friends.
want to have closer look at that
temple"
so behind our screen of bushes we
wriggled back a little distance till we Knew
that the slope OF the ground would hide
us when we stood up, Then as quickly as
we could we made our way eastward for
something over quarter OF a mile ana
after this turned to the north. AS / ex
pected, beyond the ring of the crater we
found ourselves on the rising tree-clad
bosom of the mountain and, threading our
path through the 'cedars, came presently 10
that track or roadway which led to the
eastern gate of the amphitheatre. This
read we followed unseen until presently the
gateway appeared before u.s. We wa,,xe1
through It without attracting any atten
ton, perhaps because all the people were
either talking together or praying. or per-
haps because like themselves we vera
wrapped In white robes At the mouth OF
the tunnel We stopped and called out in a
loud voice:
Tho white lords and their servant havs
come TO visit Harut. as he invited them 10
do. Bring us, We pray you. into the pres
ence of Harpt"
Every oneS wheeled round and stared M
us standing there in tho shadow, OF tha
xateway tunnel. for the sun behind n. ,v.s
still low, MY wcrd, how they did stare
A voice Dried: N -
KIN them KIN thsss strangers Who
X ''lHs<s" ! saswsssd, ''Wsdld you A,n