Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-04-18

Liz "hite intruder, for his
eiihi was nodding with the drum
AGAIN the hidden bird spilled melody
IKE scattering crystal. The robes of
y. ne IVe who knelt were varicolored
me palanquin was canopied with mr.
PIE ana silver and pearls.
Wlthin 1t, squeezing the cushions. was
thlck, soft bundle of a man The
pird and the gentle drum had lulled
hiIn. His cheeks were the nallid vol.
low or lemons over-ripe, but his closed
eyes were overcast and gray He was
lat ana royal. The line of his mus
.aches was thin black. and long down.
IKE dropping floss. His queue was a
olacK rope. A hand, wide and pale.
rested limp upon the silken arch of the
'touomen. Something of ancestral
quality was hid in the fat of his face
an essence. of dominion and bitter
statecraft; a narrow regal brow, a
sharp nose, a besotted jowl-all the
spiendor of his inheritance now
dlmmed under a perfumed monotony.
lie mad paid the full tribute to drug
ana food and senile pursuits.
Lexington was free to gaze. The at
tentlon of all present had vanished.
Inc drumming possessed their senses ::
also they were totally unaccustomed to
strangers. Perhaps they mistook him
1or another slave, not regarding him
directly. There was a soothing cool
ness IN the blOsSOmed air, an overmas-
tering scent of honey and cinnamon.
One of the robed figures rose slow
~ and moved to the head of the
droWSy monarch. From a yellow bowl
he extended his fingers to the mon
ZouPs eyes, and caressed the lids with
reverent, poisoned tips. The other four
IN the party rubbed their own eyelids,
IN catlike delectatiOn, then bowed
again at his feet The bird hesitated
in his song, but the sober pulsing of the
drum went on and on, until it seemed
part of the planetary life. Con leaned
near the outer guard, who had not
turned. Sunshine trickled through the
matted vines. Cons foot began to press
the stones in rhythm with the drum.
From a screen of flowers appeared a
girl to dance. She was 1.-THE and dark
her glistening hair bound up with
gems. Sun-amber notified her Shout
ders and body as she swayed before
the monarch, and the treble of the bird
again colOred the air; or at least Con
saw it that way. AS the maiden
danced, she touched the yellow bowl
with her finger-tips. Her arms were
shining serpentS of grace as she anoint-
ed her own eyes with sleep. A slow
sigh of pleasure f1Oated up from the
cushions of the palanquin. There fat
hand trembled, started, then failed
dreamily. The monzoul was thorough
~ under.
AS the girl knelt and drew her pur-
pie veil about her, losing herself with
in a poison that was scented like Gin
namOn and musty wine, an aged slave
arose from the bower and came before
the monzoul, although the monarch
probably could not see him for cloud
of lilac butterflies. The slave bore
silver jar in his hands, and over his
gaunt shoulder was a square of white
satin. He spread the satin upon the
stones before the palanquin, and then
deftly set spinning upon appraised fin
ger the jar of dull silver. Faster it
spun, until its very stiffness blent with
the monotony of the drug. Lexington
knew that he should go away from the
gate if he wished to keep from dream
ing, but he was too curious to leave.
The odor from the yellow bowl touched
a sheaf of memories in him and this
pain was more real than the grace of
the brown-limbed maid.
But the silver jar stood motionless
on the poised gray finger. The juggler
withdrew his arm, and the jar re-
NAMED suspended near the monzoul.
Silence was heavy, and the spicy per-
fume overspread the white man at the
gate. Con tried to retain the solid
world, to remember that this drug had
been sold in Dory street, that it had
killed his own father, and he breathed
hard. with the old anger sharpened in
his heart. He swOre- to settle this mat
ter, elmer pTINdl6ly VI 1OI ulo SoNCAA-
ment. But the moment he let go that
thought he could not avoid seeing the
iuggler as he plucked the magic jar
down to his bosom, and began to pour
purple wine upon the square of satin.
But the white cloth remained spotless
and dry. At this conclusion, the gaunt
oorforuoor ainnod INTO tho ho-~vl "->1
pressed the soul-dark upon his own
sunken eyes.
Swift. strong hands had found Lev
lngton. They came out of the world
he had been unable to hold. The rude
ness Of the hands was satisfying to
him. It aided greatly in throwing off
the effects of koreSn.
They placed him upon his roof again
and left a guard at the head of the
stairs. Con cursed himself for having
wasted his only chance to seek a way
TO liberty.
He trod about the high Enclosure,
unmindful of the sun, picking his way
mentally between doubt and evidence.
Hl.NI b