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rLATTSMOVTH TfEEKLr HERALD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3 1887.
Mai Qi
mnnmn
B HD I
II. RIDER IIAGGARD.
tVtuvn ov "kixo boomon's mikes," "ana,
jtaavM Vna witch" kao," rrc.
.dnd stood there boldly facing the people.
"Now hand thou over this foreign wolf, and
thoso who come to prey hero with him, to the
doom of fire, for have they not committed the
deadly sin against tho 81111? or, Nyleptha, I
give thee war red war! Ay, I say to thee
that tho path of tli3' passion shall 1k marked
out by the blazing of thy towns, and watered
with the blood of thoso who cleave to thee.
On thy head rest tho burden of the deed, and
in thy ears ring the groans of the dying and
tho cries of tho widows and thoso who are left
fatherless forever and forever.
"I tell thee I will tear thee, Nyleptha, tho
White Queen, from thy throno, and thou shalt
be hurled ay, hurled, even from the topmost
stair of the great way to tho foot thereof, in
that thou hast coverered the name of the
house of him who built it with black shame.
And I tell ye, strangers, all save thou, Boug
wan, whom because thou uidst 1110 a service I
will save alive if thou wilt leavo theso men
and follow me" (hero poor (Jood shook his
head vigorously, and ejaculated, "Can't be
done," in English), "that I will wrap you in
sheets of gold and hang you jet alive in
chains from the four golden trumpets of the
four angels that fly east and west, and north
and south from the giddiest pinnacles of the
temple, so that ye may be a token and a warn
ing to tho land. And as for thee, Incubu,
thou shalt die in yet another fashion that I
will not tell theo now."
She ceased, panting for breath, for her pas
sion shook her like a storm, and a murmur,
partly of hoiror and partly of admiration)
ran through the hall. Then Nyleptha an
swered calmly and with dignity.
"Ill would it become my place and dignity,
O sister, so to speak as thou hast sioken, and
so to threat as thou hast threatened. Yet if
thou wilt mako war, then will I strive to bear
up against thee; for if my hand seem soft,
yet shalt thou find it of iron when its grins
thine armies by the throat. Sorais, I fear
thee not. I weep for that which thou wilt
bring upon our people and thyself, but for
myself I say I fear thee not. Yet thou,
who but yesterday didst strive to win my
lover and my lord from me, whom today
thou dost call a 'foreign wolf,' to be thy
lover and thy lord" (here there was an i im
mense sensation in the hall), "Lhou who but
last night, as I have learned but since thou
didst enter here, didst creep like a snake into
my sleeping place ay, even by a secret way,
and wouldst have foully murdered me, thy
s-ister, as 1 lay asleep"
"It is false! it is false!" rang out Agon's
and a score of other voices.
"It is not false," said I, producing the
broken point of the dagger and holding it up.
"Where is tho haft from which this flew,
Sorais?" '
"It is not false," cried Good, determined at
last to act like a loyal man. "I took her l3"
the queen's bed, and on my breast the da"-"-er
Jbroke."
"Who is on my side?" cried Sorais, shading
her silver spear, for she saw that public
sympathy was turning against her. "What,
Bougwan, thou consent not?" she said, ad
dressing Good, who was standing close to her,
in a- low, concentrated voice. "Thou pale
souledfool! for a reward thou shalt eat out
thy heart with love of me and not be satis
fied, and thou mightest have been my hus
band and king! At least I hold thee in chains
that cannot bo broken.
"War! war! war!" she cried. "Here with
my hand upon the sacred stone that shall en
dure, so runs the prophec3 till the Zu-Vendi
set their necks beneath the alien yoke, I de
clare war to the end. Who follows Sorais of
tho .ignt to victory and honor?"
Instantly the whole concourse began to
break up in indescribable confusion, Many
present hastened to throw in their lot with
"The Lady cf the Night," but some camo
from her following to us. Among the for
mer was an under officer of Nyleptha's own
guard, who suddenly turned and made a run
for tho doorway through which Sorais' people;
were already .passing. Unislopogaas, who
was present and had taken tho whole scene
in, seeing with admirable presence of mind
that if tho soldier got away others would
follow ins example, seized tho man, who drew
his sword and struck at him. Thereupon tho
Zulu sprang back with a shout, and avoiding
the sword cuts began to peck at his foe with
his terriblo ax, tiil in a few seconds tho man's
fate overtook him, and ho fell with a clash
heavily fd quite dead upon the marble floor.
This was the first blood spilled in the war.
"Shut the gates!" I shouted, thinking that
we might perhaps catch Sorais so. But tho
order came too late, her guards were already
passing through them, and in another minute
the streets echoed with the furious galloping
of horses and tho rolling of chariots.
So, drawing half tho people after her, So
rais was soon passing like a whirlwind through
the Frowning City on her road to her bead
quarters at M'Arstuna, a fortress situated ICO
miles to the north of Milosis.
And after that tho city was alive with tho
endless tramp of regiments and tho prepara
tions for war, and old Unislopogaas once
more began to sit in tho sunshine and go
through a show of sharpening Inkosi kanV
razor edge.
CHAPTER XIX.
A STRANGE WEDDING.
One person, however, did not succeed in
getting out in time before the gates were
shut, and that was the high priest Agon, who,
as we bad every reason to believe, was Sorais'
great ally and the heart and soul of her party.
This cunning ami ferocious old man had not
forgiven us for those hippopotami, or rather
that was what he taid. What he meant was
that ho never would brook the introduction of
our wider ways of thought and foreign learn
ing and influence while tbero was a possibility
Of stamping us out. Also ho knew that wa
possessed ft different system of religion, and
no doubt was in daily terror of our attempt- 1
tag to Introduce it into Za-Vcndla. Ono day
be asked me if wo had any religion in our
country, nnd I told him that so far as I could
remember wo had ninety-five different ones.
You might liavo knocked him down with a
feuther; and really it is difficult not to pity a
high priest of a well established cult who is
haunted by the possiblo approach of ono or
all of ninety-flvo new religions.
When wc knew that Agon was caught,
Nyleptha, Sir Henry and I dscussod what
was to 1x3 done with him. I was for closely
incarcerating him, but Nyleptha shook her
head, saying that it would produce a disas
trous effect throughout tho country. "Ah!"
she added with c. stamp of her foot, "if I win,
and am once really queen, I wiil break the
power of thoso priests, with their rights and
revels and dark secret ways." I only wished
that old Agon could have heard her, it would
have frightened him.
"Weil," said Henry, "if we are not to im
prison him I suppose that we may as well let
him go. He's 110 use hero."
Nyleptha looked at him in a curious way,
and said, in a dry little voice, "Thinkest thou
so, my lord?"
"Eh?" said Curtis. "No, I don't seo what
ia the use of keeping him."
She said nothing, but kept looking at him
in a way that was as shy as it was sweet.
Then at last ho understood.
"Forgivo me, Nyleptha," he said, rather
tremulously, "dost thou mean that thou wilt
marry mo, even now?"
"Nay, I know not; let my lord sav." was
her rapid answer; "but if my lord wills, the
priest is there and the altar is thero point
ing to tho entrance to a private chaptl "and
airi I not ready to do tho will of my lord?
Listen, oh my lord ; in eight days or less thou
must leave me and go down to war, for .hou
shalt lead my armies and in war, men some
times fall, and if so, I would for a little space
have had theo all my own, if only for mem
ory's sake;" and tho tears overflowed her
lovely eyes and rolled down her face like
heavy drops of dew down the red heart of a
rose.
"Mayhap, too," she went on, "I shall lose
my crown, and with my crown my lifo ami
thine also. Sorais is verv strong and verv
bitter, and if she prevails she will not spare.
Who can read tho future! Happiness is tho
world's white bird, that alights seldom, and
flies fast and far till one day he is lost in the
clouds. Therefore should we hold him fast if
by any chance he rests for a little space upon
our hand. It ia not wiso to neglect tho
present for the future, for who knows what
tho future will be, Incubu? Let us pluck our
flowers while the dew is oil them, for when
t he sun is up they wither, and on the morrow
will others bloom that we shall never see."
And she lifted her sweet faco to him and
smiled into his eyes, and once more I felt a
horrible pang of jealousy, and turned and
went away. They never took much notice of
.vml-luli j. vci mi'iB or not, tuiiimng, 1 sup
pose, that 1 was an old fool, and that it did
not matter one way or the other, and really I
believe they were right.
So I went back to our quarters, and rumi
nated over things in general, and watched old
Unislopogaas whetting his ax outside the
window, as a vulture whets his beak beside a
dying ox.
And in about an hour's time Sir Henry
camo tearing over, looking very radiant and
wildly excited, and found Good and myself,
and even Unislopogaas, and asked us if we
should like to assist at a real wedding. Of
course we said yas, and off we went to the
chapel, where wo found Agon looking as
sulky as any high priest possibly could; and
no wonder. It appeared that he and Nylep
tha had had a slight difference of opinion
about tho coming ceremony. He had flatly
refused to celebrate it, or to allow any of his
priests to do so, whereupon Nyleptha became
very angry, and told him that she, as queen,
was head of tho church, and meant to be
obeyed. Indeed, sho played the part of a
Zu-Vendi Henry VIII to perfection, and in
sisted that if she wanted to be married she
would bo married, and he should marry her.
He still refused to go through the cere
mony, so sho clinched her argument thus:
"Well, I cannot execute a high priest, be
cause there is an absurd prejudice against it,
and I cannot imprison him, because all his
subordinates would raise a crying that would
bring the stars down on Zu-Vendis and crush
it, but 1 can leave him to contemplate the
altar of tho Sim without anything to eat, be
cause that is his natural vocation; and if
thou wilt not marry me, O Agon! thou shalt
bo placed before tho aitar yonder, with
naught but a litto water till such time as
thou hast reconsidered the matter."
Now, as it happened, Agon had been hur
ried awaj' that morning without his break
fast, and was already exceedingly hungry, so
he presently modified his views and consented
to marry them, saying at the same time that
he washed his hands of all responsibility in
tho matter.
So it 'happened that presently, attended
only by two of her favorite maidens, came
the Queen Nyleptha, with happy blushing
face and downcast eyes, dressed in pure
white, without embroidery of any sort, as
seems to be the fashion on these occasions in
most countries of the world. She did not
wear a single ornament, even her gold circlets
were removed, and I thought that if possible
she looked more lovely than ever without
them, as really superbly beautiful women do.
Sho came, courtesied low to Sir Henry, and
then took his hand and led him up before the
altar, and after a little pause, in a slow, clear
voice uttered the following words, which are
customary in Zu-Vendis if tho bride desires
and the man consents:
"Thou dost swear by the Sun that thou wilt
tako no other woman to wife unless I lay my
hand upon her and bid her come?"
"I swear it," added Sir Henry, adding in
English, "Ono is quite enough for me."
Then Agon, who had been sulking in a corner
near the altar, came forward and gabbled off
something into his beard at such a rate that I
could not follow it, but it appeared to bo an
invocation to the Sun to bless the union and
mako it fruitful. I observed that Nyleptha
listened very closely to every word, and after
ward discovered that Zho was afraid lest
Agon should play her a trick, and by going
through tho invocations backward divorce
instead of marry them. At the end of the
invocations they were asked, as in our serv
ice, if they took each other for husband and
wife, and on their assenting, they kissed each
other before the altar and the service was
over, so far as their rites were concerned.
But it seemed to me that there was yet some
thing wanting, and so I produced a prayer
book, which has, together with the "Iugolds
by Legends," that I often read when I lie
awake at night, accompanied me in all my
later wanderings. I gave it to my poor boy
Harry years ago, and after his death I found
it among his things and took it back acrain.
and read the service from "Dearly beloved"
to "amazement," as well as I could ; and when
I came to "I, Henry, take thee, Nyluptha," I
translated, and olso "I, Nyleptha, take thee,
Henry," which she repeated after me very
well. Then Sir Henry took a plain gold ring
from Lis little finger and placed it on hers,
nnd bo on to tho end. Tho ring had been
Curtis' mother's wedding Hug, and I could
not help thinking how astonished tho dear
old Yorkshire lady would have been if she
could have foreseen that her wedding ring
was to serve a similar purpose for Nyleptha,
a queen of tho Zu-Vendi.
As for Agon, he was with difficulty kept
calm while this second ceremony was going
on, for he at once understood that it was re
ligious in its nature, and doubtless bethought
mm of the ninety-five new faiths whi h
loomed up so ominously in his eyes. Indeed, ho
at once set 1110 down as a rival high priest,
and hated mo accordingly. However, in the
end off he went, positively bristling with in
dignation, and I knew that we might look out
for danger from his direction.
And off went Good and I, and old Unislopo
gaas also.leaving the happy pair to themselves,
and very low we all felt. Marrwges are sup
posed to be cheerful things, but my exjieri
enee is that they are very much the reverse
to everybody except, perhaps, tho two people
chiefly interested. They mean tho breaking
up of so many old ties as well as tho under
taking of so many new ones, and there is
always something sad about the passing away
of the old order.
So Good and I went and ate in silence, and
then indulged in an extra fine flagon of old
Zu-Vendian to keep our spirits up, and pres
ently one of our attendants came and told a
story that gave us something to think about.
It may, perhaps, be remembered that after
his quarrel with Umslojiogaas. Alphonse had
gone off in an exceedingly ill temper to sulk
over his scratches. Well, it npjjears that he
walked right post the temple to the Sun, down
the wide road on the farther side of tho slopo
it crowns and thence on into tho beautiful
park or pleasure gardens, which are laid out
just beyond the outer wall. After wanderinc
about there for a little he started to return.
but was met near the outer gate by Sorais'
train of chariots, which were galloping
furiously along the great northern road.
When she caught sight of Alphonse, Sorais
halted her train and called to him. On ap
proaching he was instantly seized and dragged
into one of the chariots and carried off, "cry
ing out loudly," as our informant said, and
as, from my general knowledge of him, I can
well believe.
At first I was much puzzled to know what ob
ject Sorais could have in carrying offtho poor
little Frenchman. She could hardly stoop so
low as to try to wreak her fury on one whom
she knew was only a servant. It would not
be in keeping with her character to do so. At
last, however, an idea occurred to me. Wo
three were, as I think I have said, much
revered by tho people of Zu-Vendis at large,
both because we were the first strangers they
had ever seen, and because we were supposed
10 do tue possessors or almost supernatural
wisdom. Indeed, though Sorais' cry against
the "foreign wolves," or, to translate it more
accurately, "foreign hyenas," was sure to tro
down very well with the nobles and the
priests, it was not, as we learned, likely to be
particularly effective among the balk of the
population. The Zu-Vendi people, like the
Athenians of old, are ever seeking for some
new thing, and just because we were so new
our presence was, on the whole, acceptable to
them. Again, Sir Henry's magnificent per
sonal appearance made a deep impression
upon a race who possess a greater love of
beauty than any other I have ever bien ac
quainted with. Beauty may be prized in
other countries, but in Zu-Vendis it is almost
worshiped, as, indeed, the national love of
statuary shows. The people said openly in
the market places that there was not a man
in the country to touch Curtis in personal
appearance, as, with tho exception of Sorais,
there was no woman who could compete with
Nyleptha, and that therefore it was meet that
they should marry; and that ho had been
sent by the Sun as a husband for their queen.
Now, from all this it will be seen that the
outcry against us was to a considerable ex
tent nctitious, and nobody knew it betier
than Sorais herself. Consequently it struck
me that it might have occurred to her that
down in the country and among tho country
people it would be better to place tho reason
of her conflict with her sister upon other and
more general grounds than Nyleptha's mar
riage with the stranger. It would be easy in
a land where there had been so many civil
wars to rake out some old cry that would
stir up the recollection of buried feuds, and,
indeed, she soon found an effectual one. -This
being so, it was of great importance to her
to have ono of the strangers with her whom
sho could show to the common people as a
great outlandeT, -who had been so struck by
the justice of her cause that ho had elected
to leave his companions and follow her
standard.
This, no doubt, was the cause of her anxietv
to get a hold of Good, whom she would Lave
used till he ceased to bo of service and then
cast off. But Good having drawn back, she
graspea at me opportunity of securing Al
phonse, who was not unlike him in iersonal
appearance, though smaller, no doubt with
the object of showing him off in tho cities and
country as tho great Bougwan himself. I
told Good that I thought that that wa3 her
plan, and his face was a sight to see, ho was
so horrified at the idea.
"What!" he said, "dre.s up that little
wretch to represent me? Why, I shall have
to get out of tho country! My reputation wiil
be ruined forever."
I consoled him as well as I could, but it is
not pleasant to be personated all over a
strange country by an arrant little coward,
and I can quite sympathize with his vexa
tion. Well, that night Good and I messed, as I
havo said, in solitary grandeur, feeling very
much as though wo Lad -just returned from
burying a friend instead of marrying one,
and next morning tho work began in good
earnest. Tho messages and orders which had
been dispatched by Nyleptha two days before
now began to take effect, and multitudes of
armed men camo pouring into the city. We
saw, as may be imagined, but very little of
Nyleptha and not too much of Curtis during
those next few days, but Good and I sat daily
with the council of generals and loyal lords,
drawing up plans of action, arranging com
missariat matters, the distribution of com
mands, and a hundred and one other things.
Men came iu freely, and all the day long tho
great roads leading to Milosis were spotted
wilh the banners of lords arriving from their
places to rally round Nyleptha.
After the first two days it became clear
that we should be able to take the field with
about forty thousand infantry and twenty
thousand cavalry a very respectable force.
considering how short was the time we had
to collect it, and that about half of the reg -
ha, who lived in tho great hors breeding
district, had como in with twelve thousand
cavalry, and so on. Indeed, what between
one thing and another, it seemed certain thnt
she would gather a fully armed host r nearly
one hundred thousand men.
Ami then came the news that sho was ir
posing to break up her camp nnd march 011
the Frowning City it.self, desolating tho coun
try as the came. Thereon arose the question
whether it would bo lost to meet her at
Milosis or to go out and givo her battle.
When our opinion was asked upon the sul
joct, Good nnd I unliesitutingly gave it i.i
favor of an advance. If we were to shut our
selves up in the city and wait to be attacked,
it seemed to us ihat our inaction would bj
set down to fear. It is so very imjjortaiit,
especially on an occasion of this sort, when a
very little will sufiieo to turn men's opiniom
one way or the other, to bo up and doing
something. Ardor for a cause will soon
evaporate if the cause does not move, but siU
uuvwi m fumjuer. inereioro we cast our
vote for moving out and giving battle in thj
ojen, instead of wailing till we were drawn
from our walls like a badger from a bold.
Sir Henry's opinion coincided with ours,
and so, needless to say, did that of Nyleptha,
who, like a Hint, was always ready to flash
out lire. A great map of tho country win
brought and spread out before her. Abou
thirty miles this sido of M'Arstuna, where
fcorais was, nnd ninety odd miles from Milosis,
tno road ran over a neck of land somo two
and a half miles in width, and flanked on
either side by forest clad hills which, without
being lorty. would bo quite impracticable for
a great baggage laden army to cross. Sho
looked earnestly at tho map, and then, with a
quickness of perception that in some women
amounts almost to an instinct, sho laid her
finger upon this neck of rising ground, and
turning to her husband, said, with a proud
air of confidence and a toss of tho golden
head,
"Here shjdt thou meet Sorais' armies. I
know the spot; hero shalt thou meet them,
and dviv.o them before thee like tho dust bo
foro tho storm."
But Curtis looked grave and said nothing.
On the evening of the fourth day for tbm
progress of so great n multitudo was necessa
rily slow we camped two miles this sido of
the neck or riilge I havo spoken of, and our
outposts brought us word that Sorais, with
all her power, was rolling down upon us, and
had camped that nitht ten miles the further
side of tho neck.
Accordingly, before dawn wo sent forward
1,500 cavalry to seize the iositioii. Scarcely
had they occupied it, however, before tboy
Old Z'.on
Keokuk Gate City: "OKI Zion," tho
first brick Methodist Episcopal church
built in Iowii, is located in Burlington
and has recently been ti aiisfornu il into a
theatre, and in the r uo of which was
once heard fervent exhortation and pray
er, and sours of devotion and praise, is
now heard the jokes of ncro minstrelsy
and the body's of comic, opera. It bcems
the old church was also used for court
purpose, as a writer in 11 IJurlingUm
paper adds: "In this church I liave seen
the sinner bow down at tin; altar and
plead for mercy. I have, seen the thief
and murderer led in ly the same altar
with hand cuffs on hi: wiisN, with his
attorney pleading for pardon before
Judge Mason of the district court for
another kind of nicrcy. I have heard
sentences pronounced from the same pul
pit, and on Sunday r.t 8 o'clock in the
morning, 'guilty of murder nnd liim;
until dead'. The legi.Iaturc ccmi ened in
and around the same pulpit and ,'dtar;
.and the old Indian Chief 1W e-shiek
unci his braves once had 11 wnr dance
the old church."
Bank Cass County
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THE CITIZENS
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What am I to So?
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CHAPTER XX.
THE BATTLE OF THE PASS.
It was on tho third morning after this inci
dent of the map thnt Sir Henry and I started.
With tho exception of a small cuard. all tho
great host had moved on tho night before,
leaving tho Frowning City very silent and
empty. Indeed, it was found impossible to
leavo any garrison, with the exception of a
personal guard for Nyleptha and about 1,000
men who from sickness or oue cause or an
other wero unable to proceed with the army;
but as the place was practically imoresiiablo.
and as our enemy was in front and not behind
us, this did not so much matter.
Good nnd Unislopogaas hud gono on with
trie army, but JNyleptlia accompanied Sir
iienry and myself to the city gates, riding a
magmncent wtnto horso called Daylight,
wmeu was supposed to bo the fleetest and
most enduring animal in Zu-Vendis. Her
face bore traces of recent weeping, but thero
were no tears in her eye3 now, indeed she was
bearing up bravely against what must havo
been a bitter trial to her. At the gate sho
reined in her horse and bade us farewell. On
the previous day sho had reviewed aud ad
dressed tho officers of the great army, speak
ing to mem suen mgii, eloquent words and
expressing so complete a confidence in their
valor and in their ultimate victory that she
quite carried their hearts away, and as she
rodo from rank to rank they cheered her till
tho ground shook. And now today the same
mood seemed to be on her.
'Fare thee well, Macumazabnl" she said.
'Remember, I trust to thy wits, which are as
a needle to a spear handle compared to those
or my people, to save us from Sorais. I know
that thou wilt do thy duty."
I bowed aud explained to her ray horror of
ngnting, ana my tear lest I should lose my
head, at which she laughed gently and turned
to Uurus.
"faro theo well, my lord!" she said. "Come
back with victory, and as a king, or on thy
soil uers' spears. "
Mr itenry sa ul nothing, but turned his
horse to go; perhaps he had a bit of a lump
in ms turoat. une gets over it afterwards,
but 1 hese sort of partings are trying when one
nas only been married a week.
"Here," added iNyleptha, "will I greet ye
when yo return in triumph. And now, my
loras, onco more iareweiJ: '
Then wo rode on, but when we had gone
150 yards or so, we turned and perceived her
still sitting on her horse at tho same spot,
ana looking cut atter us beneath her hand
and that was the last wo saw of her. About
a mile farther on, however, wo heard gallop
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Curtis," I said, "I am not a clergyman,
and I do not know if what I am going to pro
lose is allowable I know it is not letral but
if you and the queen have no objection. 1 1 lar arm7 ,)aa elected to follow Sorais.
should like to read the Enclish marriae-e Cut lf our force was large, Sorais'
service over you. It is a solemn step which
you are taking, and I think that you ought,
as far as circumstances will allow, to give it
the sanction of your own religion."
"I have thought of that," he said, "and I
wish you would. I do not feel half married
yet." (
Nyleptha raised no objection, fully under
standing that her husband wished to celebrate
the marriage according to the rites prevail
ing in bis own country, and so I set to work
was,
according to the reports brought in day bv
day by our spies, much larger. Sho had
taken up her headquarters at a very strong
town called M'Arstuna, situated, as I have
said, to the north of Milosis, and all the coun- J
try side was flocking to her standard. Kasta
had poured down from his highlands, and
was on his way to join her with no less than
twenty-five thousand of his mountaineers
tha most terrible soldiers to face in all Zu
Vcndis. Another mighty lord, named Belu-
Thcn tec rode on.
"Tho 'queen sends the white stallion as a
farewell gift to her Lord Incubu, and bids me
tell my lord that he is the fleetest and the
most enduring horse in all the land," said the
soldier, bending to his saddle bow before us.
At first Sir Iienry did not want to take the
horse, sa3ring that he was too good for such
rough work, but I persuaded him to do so,
thinking that .Nyleptha would be hurt if he
did not. Little did I guess at the time what
service that noble horse would render in our
sorest need. It is curious to look back and
realizi upon what trivial and apparently ac
cidental circumstances great events frequently
turn, as easily and as naturally as a door ou
its hinges.
"Well, we took the horse, and a beauty he
was;, it was a perfect pleasure to see him
move; and Curtis having sent back his greet
ings and thanks, we proceeded on our jour
ney. By midday we overtook the rear guard of
the great army, of which Sir Henry formally
took over the command. It was a heavy re
sponsibility, and it oppressed him very much,
but the queen s injunctions on tho point were
such as did not admit of being trifled with.
Ho was beginning to find out that preutness
has its responsibilities as v.eil as its glories.
Then we marched on without nieetir.3 with
any opposition, ulmost indeed without seeing
anybody, for the populations of tho towns
and villi. gos alon: our route had for the most
part fled, fearing le-C they should be caught
between the two rival armies and ground to
powder like grain between the upper and
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the nether stones.