The L'Anse sentinel., 1918-02-16


minutes. gazing at the Sleeper md 'ris
queen. And from the new angc ip,n
which King saw him the Sleeper's ike
ness to himself was actually stnrtling.
Startling-weird-like an incnntation
were Yasmini's words when at last She
| spoke.
sMuhammad liedl He He'd In his
teeth! His sons have multiplied his
lie Siddhattha, whom men have called
Gotama, the Buddha, was before Mu-
hammad and he knew more! He tol0
of the wheel Of things. and there Is .
wheeli Yet. what knew the Buddha OF
the wheel? He who spoke Of Dharms
| (the customs of the law) not knowing
Dharma! This is true-of old there
was a wish Of the gods-of the old
gods. And so these two were. There
is q wish again now Of the old gods.
| So, are we two not as they two weret
1t is the same wish. and loi We are
ready, this man and l. We will obey
We gods--ye old gods!"
She raised her arms and, going closer
to the bed, stood there In an attitude
| VI luysllC ItNClthNNt 6ANhAb oAa ~"
ceiving blessings.
.Dear gods !" she prayed. "Dear old
gods-older than these 'Hills'-show
me in vision what their fault wss--
why these two were ended before The
end!
81 know all the other things ye heva
shown me. I know the worlds silly
creeds have made Il mad, and II must
rend itself, and this man and ! shall
reap where the nations sowed--H only
we obey! Wherein. ye old dear gods
who love me. did these two disobey2 I
pray you. tell me in visloni"
She shook her head and sighed. Sad
ness seemed to have crept over hen
like q cold mist from the night. It
was as If she could dimly see her
plans foredoolned. and yet hoped on In
spite of 1t. The fatallsm that she
scorned as Muhammads lie held her
in its grip, and her natural courags
fought with II. Womanlike, she turned
to King in that minute and confided to
him her very inmost thoughts. And he.
without an inkling as to how she must
fail. yet knew that she must, and pitied
her.
"Have you seen that breast under
the armorT she asked suddenly.
"Come nearer! Come and look! Did
she kill him? Was that dagger-stah
In his breast? / found perfume il
these cayes-great Jars of II. and uss
it always. I think that scent Is the
preservative. Athelstan-listen!
think he would have failed heri
think she stabbed him rather than seS
him fail. and then swallowed poisonl
Afterward their servants laid them
there. She smiles In death because shs
knew the wheel will turn and that
death dies too! He looks grim be-
cause he knew less than she. It Is al.
ways woman who understands and
man who fails I think she stabbed
him. She should have loved him bet
ter, and then there would have been
no need. I will love you better than
she loved him."
She turned and devoured him with
her eyes. so that II needed all his man
hood to hold him back from being he4
slave that minute. For In that mini
ute she left no charm unexercised1
sex = mesmerism = beauty - fiatter1
cher eyes could flatter as dumb dog'4
flatter huntsman)-grace unutterabl@
-mystery-she used every art on hind
she knew. Yet he stood the test
"Even If you fail me, well-beloyed1
will love you! The gods who gave
you me will know how to make you
love; and lessons are to learn. II you
fall me will forgive, knowing that In
the end the gods will never let you fam
mel You are mine. and earth is ourA
for the old gods intendtit sol"
She seemed to expect him to take her
in his arms again; but he stood res
spectfully and made no answer. nor
any move. Grim and strong his Jowa
was. like the Sleeper's, and the DARK
hair three days old on II softened moth
ing Of Its lines. His Roman nose and
steady. dark, full eyes suggested no
compromise. Yet he was good to look
at She had not lied when she SAID
she loved him, and he understood her
and was sorry. But he did not loob
sorry. nor did he offer any argument I'd
quench her love. He was servant OF
the raj; his life anc his love had been
lndia's since the day he first buckie0
on his spurs, and Yasmini would not
have understood that.
Nor did she understand that. even
supposing he had loved her with all hts
heart, not on any conditions would he
have admitted 1t until absolutely freq
any more than that II she crucified him
he would love her the same, supposina
that he loved her mt all. Nor did she
trust the "old gods" too we'll. or let
them work unaided.
"Come with me, Athelstan !" she saids
She took his arm-found little jeweled
slippers In a closet hewn In the wall
put them on and led him to the cur.
tains he had entered by. She led down
the steps, and at the foot told him %
put on his slippers. as II he we're :
child. Then. hurrying as II those opas
eye Of hers were Indifferent to dark
or daylight, she picked her way amone
powders that he could feel but NOT