Part 41 (1/2)
”Then this is the co you thither, and it is a coh priest slowly
”Beware, Nas happen here that call for vengeance Our servants pass away like shadows, and in their place we find such weapons as you carry,” and she pointed to the priests' knives
”We will coain I say to you, beware, for now our mercy is but as a frayed rope, and it ell for you all that the cord should not break”
”Ye know best whither your servants have wandered, O Aca,” said the priest, stretching out his hands in deprecation, and speaking in a tone of which the humility did not veil the insolence, ”for true Gods such as ye are can guard their servants We thank you for your words, O ye Gods, and we pray you to be merciful to us, for the threats of true Gods are very terrible And now one little word I ask justice of you, O ye Gods
She as given to be bride of the Snake, a, has been cruelly beaten by some evil-doer here in the palace, as I know, for but now II ask of you then that ye search out this evil-doer and punish hih Gods”
Leonard looked at the priest as he bowed humbly before the thrones, and a desire to take Otter's advice and kill hi them to their trial and perhaps to doom
He still had his revolver, and it would have been easy to shoot hiet that few could miss And yet, what could it help them to shed his blood? There were many to fill his place if he died, and violence would certainly be answered with violence No, he would let him be, and they must bide their fate
CHAPTER XXVIII
JUANNA PREVARICATES
The one before it, this day had been uished from its predecessors by the fall of some sharp showers of sleet Now, as the afternoon waned, the sky began to clear in its accusto down the ave no promise of any break in the weather At sunset Leonard went to the palace gates and looked towards the temple, about the walls of which a nuh in anticipation of soht of hiates of the palace as they dared, howling curses and shaking their fists
”This is a foretaste of e ht, I suppose,” said Leonard to Francisco, who had followed him, as they retreated across the courtyard ”We are in trouble now, friend I do not so much care for my own sake, but it breaks my heart to think of Juanna What will be the end of it, I wonder?”
”For me, Outra expected it, and I am ready to die What your fate will be I cannot say; but as to the Senora, comfort yourself; for many weeks I have had a presentiment that she will escape safely”
”In that case I ao,” answered Leonard ”Life is as dear to me as to other ladly to-night as the price of her deliverance”
”I know it, Outram; we are both of one mind there, and perhaps before many hours are over we shall be called upon to practise e preach”
By now they had reached the throne-room, where Otter, who for the last twenty hours had been quite sober, was squatted on the floor at the foot of his throne, a picture of repentantroom, lost in reflection
”Any news, Leonard?” she said as they caoing on yonder,” and he nodded towards the teroaned Otter, addressing Juanna, ”cannot you, who are named Shepherdess of the Heavens, prophesy to these people that the weather will break, and so save us from the Snake?”
”I can prophesy,” she answered; ”but it will not change to-night, nor, I think, to-morroever, I will try”
Then ca to say It was broken by the entrance of Olfan, whose face showed the disturbance of his mind
”What passes, Olfan?” asked Juanna
”Queen,” he answered sadly, ”there is great trouble at hand The people rave for the blood of you, their Gods Naht to confer with the people Alas! I ht ye will be put upon your trial before the Council of the Elders”
”That we guessed, Olfan, and if the verdict goes against us, what then?”
”Alas that I must say it! Then, Queen, you will be hurled, all of you, into the pool of the Snake, to be food for the Snake”