THE CRISIS PASSED.
The noise of the zebra galloping madly over the avenue, had so surprised
the men that for the moment all else had been forgotten, and those
holding the strangers had let go their hold, and stood with necks craned
to catch the first glimpse of the mad rider. Mrs. Graham and Nelly had
stood where their guard had stopped when the first sound of the zebra’s
hoofs had reached them. They had been so surprised by the entrance of
the men into the sick chamber, and by their command to follow them, that
they could not at first realize what the men meant. But when one of them
attempted to raise Enola from the couch, Mrs. Graham rushed forward, and
would have tried to stop him, but for the retaining hand of the other
man.
“What does this mean?” indignantly asked Mrs. Graham.
But the man did not understand English, and simply stared at Mrs.
Graham.
But now that Enola had been secured, Mrs. Graham and Nellie were made to
understand that they were to go with the man. They then began to realize
that something was wrong, and that this was being done with the
knowledge of those outside. They walked to the terrace, and when they
saw the men holding their male companions also, they knew that they were
being made captives for some reason or other. They turned pale, and
thoughts of dungeon cells and murder came into their minds, which were
probably not far from the truth, if they but knew it. But the men
stopped as Sedai rode furiously up, flourishing a piece of parchment in
his hand. Onrai stepped forward hurriedly, and taking the parchment into
his hand, read the hieroglyphics inscribed on it. His face at first wore
a puzzled look, then became brighter, and finally broke into a smile, as
he handed the parchment to the leader, saying:
“There, man, read that to your followers. It is from the high priest,
one whose authority you cannot question. Read also how fickle are the
people whom you represent, for they now order you to return without
fulfilling your mission,” and saying this, he walked over to where the
man stood who was holding Enola, and taking her in his arms, carried her
into the apartment, and laying her on the couch, kissed the fair cheek,
saying:
“Mine, all mine, and they were trying to take you from me. Oh, God, I
thank thee.”
Outside the leader had taken the parchment, and, first reading it to
himself, turned to the men who were watching him closely and
expectantly, and said:
“This message, as you have heard the King say, is from the high priest,
and it relieves us from the painful duty of disobeying our King’s
orders, listen:
“‘I, the high priest of On, who has access to the most sacred laws,
have, knowing that a matter of great moment depended on the proper
reading of these laws, perused them carefully, studying each character
as it is written, and have made this discovery: in those laws which
govern the King and his conduct, I find the law which says he shall not
marry; this has always been read that the King shall not marry. But it
does not end here. In believing that our race is the only one on earth,
and that we could never be visited by other people, we have read but the
first part of this law which says, the King shall not love or marry. But
the whole reading of the law is this: ‘The King shall not take unto
himself a wife chosen from among his own people.’ The great law-giver of
our land undoubtedly foresaw that at some future day, people of another
race would visit us, and although he has virtually given no consent to
the King’s marrying one of his people, he has, by writing the law in
this way, namely: ‘The King shall not marry one of his own people,’ made
it possible for him to marry one of his own race, if he so choses,
providing, of course, if such a woman comes to the land of On. Therefore
I, the high priest of the Land of On, do hereby declare that Onrai, the
King of On, has full and proper rights to marry the woman, Enola, who is
of another race, and that the men who have been sent to kill the
strangers, because of Onrai loving one of their women, are on an
unlawful mission, and must be recalled.’”
As the man finished his reading, he turned to face those whom he and his
men had been sent to take and kill, and said:
“I came to you with orders from the people to make you prisoners, and to
take you to a certain place and kill you. We had learned to respect you,
and it was hard for us to believe that you were guilty of that of which
you were accused. But all signs seemed to be against you, and we were
compelled at last to believe that you were guilty. But we have just
learned from the words of the high priest, that the King’s love was
sinless, and if there be no sin in his loving, Enola must be sinless. If
we have shaken your confidence in us, we know not how to regain it. All
we can do is to assure you that if we have doubted you and have proven
ourselves traitors to the confidence you have placed in us, we will now
strive all the harder to make your stay among us a happy sojourn. We
crave you to pardon us, and believe it was the respect to our laws, as
we knew them, which made us act as we did.”
The man waited for a moment after he had finished speaking, as if
expecting a reply from one of the strangers, but none of them understood
the language well enough to make themselves understood as they would
wish. Onrai came forward, however, after telling him that they wished
him to express to his people that they freely forgave their mistaken
understanding of their mission to their country, and further intention
of killing them. Onrai turned and interpreted this to the men, who then
mounted their zebras and departed.
The party again entered the sick chamber and looked at Enola. She had
awakened from the stupor or sleep into which she had fallen after taking
the powder, and as they entered she was looking wistfully at the great
open arch, which had framed the bandaged head of Gip the night before.
She looked up as the party came in and tried to smile, but the effort
was lost, the bandages covering her face so completely, that they hid
all expression.
“Was I so badly wounded then?” she asked, as she half raised her head
and looked at them.
“Yes, dear,” said Mrs. Graham, who had hardly yet got over the scare
which the recent event had given her. “But you are going to get well now
and we will be so happy.”
“Yes, Enola,” said Onrai, as he stepped up and took the poor bruised
hand, “happiness has been unknown to us since you were wounded, but we
know now that you will get well, and our happiness has returned,” and he
raised her hand to his lips.