Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-16
THE IVORY CHILD
BY II. RIDER HAGGARD
marie" "Km0 Soiomon's Mines" ''Sh,

| those to whom your high priest has given
safe-conduct; those moreover bv whose helm
| alone, as your Oracle has Just declared YOU
| can hope to slay Jana and destroy hfs
| hosts?"
How do they know that" shouted an
| o'her voice. They are magcians. They
are magicians"
| Yes. ! remarked. "all magic does not
| dwell in the hearts of the White Kendah
| II You doubt II, go to look at the Watcher
| In the Cave whom your Oracle told you is
dead You will find that II did not lie"
As | spoke a man rushed through the
| gates, ms white robe streaming on the
! wind. shouted as he emerged from the
| tunnel:
20 Priests and Priestesses of the Child.
| the ancient serpent is dead. | whose office
it is to feed the serpent on the day Of the
new moon have found him dead in his
| house,
you hear" nterpolated calmly. The
| Father Of Snakes s dead. II you want to
| know how will tell you We looked on II
| and 1t died.
They might have answered that poor Saw
age also looked on II with the result that he
| died, but luckily II did not occur to them
| to do so. On the contrary. they just stood
| still and stared at us like flock OF startled
| sheep.
Presently the sheep parted and the shep-
| herd in the shape Of Harut appeared, look
| ing. ! reflected, the very picture OF Abra-
| ham softened by touch of the melancholia
| of job, that IL. as | have always imagined
| those patrarchs, He bowed to us with his
usual oriental courtesy, and we bowed back
to him. Hans's bow | may explain was
| of the most peculiar nature, more like q
| skulpat. las the Beers call a land tortoise
| drawing its wrinkled head into its shell and
putting It ont again than anything else
! Then Harut remarked in his peculiar Eng
| lish, which ] suppose the White Kendah
! clans:
80 you get here. eh? why you get here,
how the devil you get here. eh?"
We got here because you asked us to do
so IL we could" answered, and we thought
IT rude not to accept your invitation. For
the rest, we came through a cave where
you kept tame snake en- ugly looking rep
tile but very harmless to those who know
how to deal with snakes and are not afraid
of them poor Bena was. II you can spare
the skin ! should like to have it to make
myself robe"
Harut looked at me with evident respect,
muttering:
"oh, Macumazana. you what you Eng
lsh call COOL quite cool Ia that all?"
NO" l answered. Although you did
not happen to notice us, we have been pres
ent at your church service and heard and
seen everything. For instance. we saw the
wife of the lord here whom you stole away
in Egypt her that, being a liar, Harut, you
swore you never stole. Also we heard her
words after you had made her drunk with
your tobacco smoke"
Now for once in his life Harut was In
sporting parlauce. knocked out. He looked
at us. then. turning quite pale. lifted his
eyes to heaven and rocked upon his feet as
though he were about to fall.
How you do It? How You do II, eh?'
he querled in a weak voice.
Never you mind how did It, my
friend" II answered loftily. What we
want to know is when you are going TO hand
over that lady TO her husband?"
mot possible" he answered, recovering
some of his tone, First we kill you, first
we kill her. she Nurse Of the Child While
Child there, she stop there till she die"
~, here" broke in Ragnall. 'Either
you yive me my wife or some one else will
die. You will die, Harut. am a stronger
man than YOU are, and unless you promise
TO give me my wife will kill you now with
this stick and my hands. Do not move or
call out II you want to live"
Lord" answered the old man with some
dignity II know you can kill me, and IL
you kill me. think say thank you who
no wish to live in so much trouble. But
what good that, since in one minute then
you die. too all OF you, and lady she stop
here till Black Kendah king take her to wife
or she too die of herself?"
LET us talk" broke in treadlng warn
ingly upon Ragnalls foot. I'VE have heard
your oracle and we know that you believe
Its words 1t said that we alone can help
you to conquer the Black Kendall. IL you
will not promise what we ask, we will not
help you We will burn our powder and
melt our lead, so that the guns we have
cannot speak with Jana and with Simba
and after that we will do other things that
| need not tell you But IL you promise
what we ask, then we will fight for you
against Jana and Simba and teach your men
to use the fifty rifles which we have here
with us, and by our help you shall conquer.
Do you understand
He nodded and stroking his long beard,
asked
what you want us promise. eh7'
We want you to promise that after Jana
Is dead and the Black Kendah are driven
away, you will give up to us unharmed that
lady whom you have stolen Also that you
will bring her and us safely out OF your
country by the roads you know and mean
while that you will let this lord see his
wife"
mot last. no." replied Harut. that not
possible. That bring us all to grave, Also
no good. cause her mind empty. For rest.
you come TO other place. SIT down and eat
while talk to priests. Be afraid nothing
you quite safe
why should we be afraid? II Is You
who should be afraid you who stole the
lady and brought Bena TO his deathf DO
you not remember the words of your own
Oracle. Harut7'
Eyes, i know words. but how you know
them that not know" he replied.
Then he issued come orders, as a result Of
which a guard formed itself about us and
conducted us through the crowd and along
the passage TO the second court of the
temple. which was now empty. Hers the
guard left US but remained at the mouth
Of the passage. keeping watch Presently
..,.,,,<r, hrourht tlH food and drink of xvht.l,
Ha ns and partook heartily. though Rar-