Part 50 (1/2)

CHAPTER xxxIV

NAM'S LAST ARGUMENT

For a moment Juanna stood stupefied; for the manoeuvre had been so sudden that at first she could scarcely realise its results

”Now, Shepherdess,” began Nam blandly, ”we can talk in private, for I have words to say to you which it is not fitting that other ears should hear”

”You fiend,” she answered fiercely; then co that violence or remonstrance would be useless, she added, ”Speak on, I hear you”

”Listen, Shepherdess, and for your own sake I ie I swear to you that no har Shepherdess, you are found out; I know, and the people know, that you are no Goddess It had been safer to sacrifice you to-day, but partly because of the pleading of hter who loves you, and partly for other reasons, I have caused you to be saved alive Now, Shepherdess, from this country there is no escape; as you have chosen to come hither, here you must remain for life, and in this cell you cannot live and die Therefore, for hter's sake I have cast about for a h in the land, ay, almost at its head,” and he paused

”Perhaps you will co with fear and anger

”It is this, Shepherdess,” Nah you are dethroned as a Goddess, you may still shi+ne as a queen and rule over us as the wife of our king”

”Indeed,” replied Juanna, turning suddenly cold; ”and how shall I, who a? Surely the people would find that strange, Nam?”

”No, Shepherdess, for I have prepared a tale which shall explain the wonder, and already its rumour runs from mouth to mouth It will be said that you were a Goddess and therefore immortal, but that for the sake of love you have put off your Godhead and put on the flesh, that you ht dwell for some years with hiain ”And what if I refuse to consent to this scheme, which, as I think, can have come only froht, Shepherdess,” answered Soa, ”the plan is mine; I made it to save you, and also,” she added coolly, ”to be revenged upon that white thief who loves you, for he shall live to see you the wife of another ht, Soa, that I may have wishes of my own in this matter?”

”Doubtless, yet the fairest women cannot always have what they may chance to wish Know, Shepherdess, that this must be both for your own sake and for the sake of Nam, my father Olfan loves you, and in these troubled tiain his support, which has been bought but now by the proe on this very day For you, Shepherdess, although you ht have wished to wed one of your own race, at the least you will rule a queen, and that is better than to perish miserably”

”I think otherwise, Soa,” Juanna answered cal would help her, ”and of the two I choose to die,” and she put her hand to her hair, then started, for she found the poison gone

”You will choose to die, Shepherdess,” said Soa with a cold smile, ”but this is not always so easy I have taken your medicine from you while you slept, and here there are no other means to compass death”

”I can starve, Soa,” replied Juanna with dignity

”That takes some time, Shepherdess, and to-day you will become the wife of Olfan Still it is needful that you should yourself consent to marry him, for this chief is so foolish that he declares that he will not wed you till you have accepted him with your own mouth and in the presence of witnesses”

”Then I fear that the wedding will not be celebrated,” said Juanna with a bitter laugh, for she could not refrain fro which she felt for this wicked woman, who in her fierce love would save the life of herher to shame

”I think that it will, Shepherdess,” answered Soa, ”for it seems that we have a way by which we can win you to speak those words which Olfan desires to hear”

”There is no way, Soa”

”What, none, Shepherdess? Think now: he whom you name Deliverer is a prisoner beyond that door What if his life hangs upon your choice?

What if he were shown to you about to die a fearful death fro a certain word?”

Now for the first time Juanna fully understood the hideous nature of the plot whereby Soa purposed either to force her to becouilt of causing the death of the :