Part 23 (1/2)

'It is the Lord Macu

_Open! open!_ I bring tidings'

The great gates ran back on their rollers, and the drawbridge fell with a rattling crash, and we dashed on through the one and over the other

'What news, uard

'Incubu rolls Sorais back, as the wind a cloud,' I answered, and was gone

One allant ht, and hold thy life in thee for fifteen short , and ye shall both live for ever in the annals of the land

On, clattering through the sleeping streets We are passing the Flower Temple now--one mile more, only one little mile--hold on, keep your life in thee, see the houses run past of theood horse, up, there--but fifty yards now Ah! you see your stables and stagger on gallantly

'Thank God, the palace at last!' and see, the first arrows of the dawn are striking on the Teet in here, or is the deed done and the way barred?

Once ive the password and shout '_Open! open!_'

No answer, and ain I call, and this tinize it as belonging to Kara, a fellow-officer of Nyleptha's guards, a ht--indeed, the same whom Nyleptha had sent to arrest Sorais on the day she fled to the temple

'Is it thou, Kara?' I cry; 'I ae and throide the gate Quick, quick!'

Then followed a space that seee fell and one half of the gate opened and we got into the courtyard, where at last poor Daylight fell down beneath ht, dead Except Kara, there was nobody to be seen, and his look ild, and his garate and let down the bridge alone, and was now getting theement of cranks and levers, one enerally did do)

'Where are the guard?' I gasped, fearing his answer as I never feared anything before

'I know not,' he answered; 'two hours ago, as I slept, was I seized and bound by the watch under me, and but now, this very reatly fear, that we are betrayed'

His words gave ered, followed by Uh the courtyards, up the great hall, which was silent as the grave, towards the Queen's sleeping-place

We reached the first ante-roouards

Oh, surely the thing was done! ere too late after all, too late! The silence and solitude of those great chahed ht into Nyleptha's cha the very worst;there was a light in it, ay, and a figure bearing the light Oh, thank God, it is the White Queen herself, the Queen unharear, roused, by the clatter of our co, from her bed, the heaviness of sleep yet in her eyes, and a red blush of fear and sha her lovely breast and cheek

'Who is it?' she cries 'What means this? Oh, Macumazahn, is it thou?

Why lookest thou so wildly? Thou cos--and my lord--oh, tellher white hands

'I left Incubu wounded, but leading the advance against Sorais last night at sundown; therefore let thy heart have rest Sorais is beaten back all along her lines, and thy arms prevail'