The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-07-28

ready know. Yet would ! hear you
state II yourself"
20 Lady Who Dreams. shall we
not kill these intruders. as has ever
been our custom? The people are
mystifed and in doubt OF my judy
ment. and demand decisioq1 from
you"
And you would kill?"
"Such Is my judgment. seek now
your Judgment that yours and mine
may be done.
She glanced over the faces OF the
four captives. For Torres, her
breeding expression portrayed ONLY
pity. To Leoncia she extended a
frown; to Henry doubt. And upon
Francis she gazed a full minute.
her face growing tender. at least
to Leoncia's angry observation.
Are any Of you unmarried" the
Queen asked suddenly. Nay she
anticipated them at Il given me
to know that you are all unmar-
ried-" She turned quickly 70
Leoneia- as Il we'll" she de-
manded, that q woman should
have two husbands2"
Both Henry and Francis could
not refrain from smiling their
amusement at 50 Irrelevant a ques-
tion- But to Leoncia IL was neither
absurd nor irrelevant. and in her
cheeks arose the flush OF anger
again. This was a woman, she
knew. with whom she had TO deal,
and who was dealing with her Ike
q woman.
1T is not well" Leoncia answer
ed. with clear. ringing words.
at is very strange" the Queen
pondered aloud. at is very strange.
Yet. is II not fair? Since there are
equal numbers of men and women
in the world, It cannot be fair for
one woman to have two husbands.
for, IL 50, il means that another
woman shall have no husband"
Another pinch OF dust she tossed
into the great bowl Of gold. The
sheen Of smoke arose and vanished
as before.
'sThe Mirror OF the World viii tell
me, Priest, what disposition shall
be made OF our captiVes."
Just as she leaned over to gaze
into the bowl a fresh thought de-
wave Of arm she invited them All
up to the bowl
An Asked to LOOk.
ave may all look" she said 4
do not promise we will see the same
visions Of our dreams. Nor shall
know what you will have seen
Each for himself will see and know.
You. too. Priest"
They found the bowl, six feet in
diameter that il was. half fun Of
some unknown metal liquid.
'It might be quicksilver, but il
isn't" Henry whispered to Francis.
ct have never seen the like OF any
similar metal 1t strike me as
hotly molten"
"It is very cold" the Queen cor
rected him in English yet 1t is
FIRE. You. Francis, feel the bowl
outside"
He obeyed. laying his full palm
unhesitatingly to the yellow outer
surface.
Colder than the atmosphere OF
the ROOM" he adjudged-
But look!'' the Queen cried. toss
ing more powder upon the contsnts.
at is fire that remains cold"
at is the powder that smokes
20
ment," Torres blurted out, at the
same time feeling into the bottom
Of his coat pocket He drew forth
a pinch Of crumbs OF tobacco, match
splinters and cloth stun This will
not burn" he challenged, inviting
investigation by extending the
pinch Of rubbish over the bowl as
IL to drop it in.
The Queen nodded consent. and
all saw the rubbish fall upon the
liquid metal surface. The particles
made no indentation on that
surface Only did they transform
into smoke that sheened upward
and was gone. No remnant Of ash
remained.
"Stin it is cold" said Torres. imi-
tating Francis and feeling the out
side of the bowl
Thrust your finger into the con-
tents" the Queen suggested to
Torres.
NO. he said.
You are right" she confirmed.
Had you done so, you would now
be with one finger less than the
number with which you were born"
She tossed in more powder. ':SNow
shall each behold what he alone
will behold"
And it was so.
To Leoncia was it given to see
an ocean separate her and Francis
To Henry was il given to see the
Queen and Francis married by so
strange a ceremony, that scarcely
did he realize, until at the close.
that it was a wedding taking place.
The Queen. from a flying gallery in
4 great house, looked down into a
drawing room that
Francis would have recognized as
builded by his father had her vision
been his. And, beside her, his arm
about her. she saw Francis.
Francis saw but one thing, vast
~ perturbing, the face of Leoncia.
as death. with thrust into
It. squarely between the eyes, a
slender bladed dagger. Torres
ylimpsed the beginning of what he
knew must be his end. crossed him
self. and alone of all Of them shrank
back, refusing to see further. While
the Sun Priest saw the vision of his
secret sin. the face and form Of the
woman for whom he had betrayed
the Worship of the Sun. and the
face and form of the maid OF the
illaSe at the Long House.
AS all drew back by common con-
sent when the visions faded Leon
cha turned like a tigress, with fash
ing eyes, upon the Queen, crying:
Your mirror lies! Your Mirror
Of the World lies,"
Francis and Henry. still undeP
the heavy spell Of what they had
beheld, were startled
and surprised by Leoncia's out
burst. But the Queen, speaking
softly. replied: