The King's Talisman — page 49: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

40 THE KING'S TALISMAN. fatal import, and quickly drawing their sharp yataghans, they started forward. ' Abdah Nazor saw that sign, but he quailed not before the advancing mutes; and they, even, who had never before hesitated to obey the nod of their cruel master, stopped short as théy met the glance of that old man. But again they caught the sign of command from the king, and with a sort of hissing noise they sprang forward. ‘he old der- vise raised one hand high above his head, while with the other he drew from his bosom a bright-skinned serpent, which he cast upon the pavement before him. The veno- mous reptile reared aloft its broad, flattened head, and lke two sparks of intense flame gleamed its eyes upon those who advanced. A quick cry, like the screaming of some frightened bird, escaped from the lips of the mutes, and shaking like storm- _ riven reeds at every joint, they shrank back by the side of their king. In vain was it that the enraged monarch ges- ticulated and commanded, but he could not persuade the terrified menials to stir from their retreat. In the gleaming coils of that folded serpent their untutored souls recognized the fell spirit of evil, and they would ’have bared their breasts to the deadly steel ere they would have advanced one step upon the precincts of the old man’s guardian. Modad had depended upon the mute slaves, and dreamed not that they could fail him, but in his own heart he had not the courage to face that weak old man, and, he too, cowered away from the strange scene before him. Abdah Nazor stretched forth his hand. The serpent laid his neck over his wrist, and with a sudden bound he wound himself around the old man’s arm. ‘“‘King,” said the dervise, as he turned to depart, ‘‘ for the present your secret is safe with me, but beware how you trifle sales with the trust that your subjects have er in you.’ "Gomicboo SS (ef)