Part 29 (1/2)

While the adventurers watched and wondered, the king or chief issued an order to his attendants, who ran to the corners of the square and called it aloud Then he raised his great spear, and every captain blew upon his horn,sound

Now the ene towards the stones, and the three medicine-men drew near to the chief in the centre of the square and talked with hi what should be done

”This is our chance,” said Juanna excitedly ”If once they attack us it will be all over; a single volley of arroould kill every one of us

Come, Otter”

”No, no!” said Leonard ”I aes The danger is too great”

”Danger! Can the danger be more than it is here? In a o! I knohat to do and have made up my mind to it Do not fear for me Remember that, if the worst comes to the worst, I have the means to protect myself You are not afraid to come, are you, Otter?”

”No, Shepherdess,” said the dwarf ”Here all roads are alike”

Leonard thought awhile Bitterly did he reproach hi his ward into such a position But now there was no help for it--she o And after all it could make no difference if she were killed or captured five minutes hence or half an hour later But Francisco, who could not take such a philosophical view of the situation, i those horrible savages

”Go if you like, Juanna,” said Leonard, not heeding the priest's ie you before I follow Go, but forgiveat hireater danger for o, Shepherdess,” said Soa, who till now had been staring with all her eyes at the three aged men in the centre of the square; ”there is little to fear, if this fool of a dill but keep his tongue silent

I know , and say the words which I have taught you, you and the black one here shall be proclaimed Gods of the land But be swift, for the soldiers are about to shoot”

As Soa spoke, Leonard saw that the conference in the square had co commands to the captains, which the captains repeated to the soldiers, and then followed a ht shone upon many hundreds of arrow-heads, every one of which was pointed towards the forward on to a rock, stood there for a lare of the sun Instantly a reat voice called a command; the barbs of steel flickered like innumerable stars, and sank doards

Now Otter, naked except for his _ on to the rock by Juanna's side, and the rew into a hoarse roar of astonishh why this irl and a black das not apparent

For a ether on the rock; then Juanna leapt to the plain, Otter following her For twenty yards or so she walked in silence, holding the dwarf by the hand; then suddenly she burst into singing wild and sweet This was the refrain of the sacred song which she sang in the ancient language of the People of the Mist, the tongue that Soa had taught her as a child:

”I do but sleep

Have ye wept for me awhile?

Hush!+ I did but sleep

I shall awake, my people!

I am not dead, nor can I ever die

See, I have but slept!

See, I coain, made beautiful!

Have ye not seen me in the faces of the children?

Have ye not heard me in the voices of the children?

Look on me now, the sleeper arisen; Look on !

Why have ye , ever h the still air like the song of a bird in winter Hushed were the coliding steps--hushed with fear and wonder, as though her presence awoke a memory or fulfilled a promise

Now she was in front of their fore there, was silent for a reet otten the promise of the dead?