Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-12

her on up the terrace,
Too exhausted even to note it or to care.
she staggered back to Cliff Villa, flung
herself on the bed, and slept.
How long? She could not tell when she
awoke again only she knew that dim
light as of evening, was glimmering in at
the doorway. and that her child was in the
bed beside her.
"Gesafam :" she called, for she heard
some one moving in the cave. Bring me
water"
There came no answer. Beta repeated
the command A curious. sneerng mockery
startled her. Still clad in her loose brown
cloak beted at the waist-for she had
thrown herself upon the bed fully clad-she
sat up. peering by the light of the fireplace
into the half dark of the room.
A third timet she called the old woman
1T is useless :" cried a voice, she will
not come to help you. See, / have bound
her-and now she lies in that further
chamber of the cave, helpless. For 1t is
not with her | would speak but with you.
And you shall hear me-"
"Hyemba =" cried Beatrice startled, sud
denly recognizing the squat and brutal
figure that now, a threat in every gesture,
apnroached the bed. out out of here,
say! How dare you enter my house? You
shall pay heavily for this great insult when
the master comes out and away"
The ugly fellow only laughed menacingly
"No, | shall not go, and there will be no
payment" he retorted in his own speech.
And YOU must hear me, for now !, and
not he. shall be master here
Beta sprang from the bed and faced him.
"Go or | shoot you down like dog -
she threatened.
He Sneered,
"There win he no shooting" he answered
coolly. But there will be speech for you
IN hear. Now listen, This Is what ye
brought us here to? The man and you?
This? To death and woe? To accidents
and perishings?
"Ye brought us to hardship and TO battle,
not to peace with lies receptions and
| false promises ye enticed us. We were
| safe and happy in our homes in the Abyss
beside the sunless sea, till We fell thither
| in your air-boat from these cursed regions.
We"
! For this speech We shall surely die when
| the master comes." cried she. This is
| treason. and the penalty Of it is DEATH
lie continued, paying no heed:
| I'VE had no need of you, your ways, or
| your place. But the man Allan would rule
or he would ruin. He overthrew and
| killed our chief the great Kamrou him
self--Kampou the Terrible. TO us he
| brought dissensions. From us he bore the
| patriarch away and slew him. and then
| made us "A great falsehood in that matter
80 he enticed us all. And ye behold
! the great disaster and the death, The
| man Allan has deserted us all to perish
| here. Coward in his heart, he has aban-
doned you as well Gone once more to
safety and ease, below in the Abyss, there
to rule the rest of the Folk there to take
wives according to our law, while we die
| here"
| Menacingly he advanced toward the
dumb-stricken woman, his face ablaze with
| evil passion.
| "Gremnya :" (coward) he shouted
"Weakling at heart, Great boaster, doeI
| of little deeds Even you, who would he
our mistress, he has abandoned--even his
own son he has, forsaken. A rotten breed
truly! And we die!
| But listen now. This shall not be l
| Hyemba the smith, the strongest OF all
| will not permit ii. I will be ruler here
if any live to be ruled And you shall bt
my serving maid-your son my slave.
Aghast, struck dumb by this wild tempes
of rebellion Beatrice recoiled. His fac
showed like a white blur in the gloom.
| Allan" she gasped. My Allan"
The huge smith laughed venomou
laugh that echoed through the cave.
| "Ha Ye call on the coward?" h,
| mocked advancing on her. ION the coward
who cannot hear, apd would not save you I
he could?' Behold now ye shall kneel Il
me and call me master. And my word
from now ye shall obey"
She snatched for her pistol. II was no
there. In the excitement of the pas
hours she had forgotten to buckle il or
She was unarmed.
H'yemba already grasped for her, l.
force her down upon the floor, kneeling Z
hin--to make her call him master.
Already his strong and hairy fingers ha
all but seized her robe.
But she, 1.-the and agile. evaded the griT
To the fire she sprang She caught up
flaming stick that lay upon the hearth
With cry she dashed 1t full into his glar
ing eyes.
SO sudden was the attack that H'yemb
had no time even to ward it on with. hi
hands. Fair in the face the scorchn
fame struck home
Howling blinded, stricken, he staggere
back; beat the air with vain blows an
| retreated toward the door.
As he went he poured upon her a toI
rent of the most hideous imprecation
known to their speech-and they wer
many.
But she. undaunted now, feeling he
| power and her strength again, followe
close. And like blows OF a fall the spui
terng, faring flame beat down upon h
head neck, shoulders
His hair was blazing now a smell
scorched flesh diffused itself through III
cavern.
go! Go. dog" she shouted. maddene
and furious. in consuming rage and hat
Coward slanderer and liar! Go, el
kill you now!"
{ In panic-stricken fright, unable to Sc
taFturinr a'P y eens ~ Y q lngni'