Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 102: what you’re looking at

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

WK cad a Pes ° ; Mw J * = w ee only one stairway leading to unc with satisfaction, and it — an excellent place for defense. : s broad and flat, flanked at the pa towers which rose considerably _ a frightened little group who ne about me—the queen and her son, 9f the king’s councilors, and perhaps dozen young girls whom I took to neque’ attendants. Others came up I sat hie queen down on a little white ae bench in the center of the garden, Ben owed before her respectfully. Then tec d upon them all. I think they were ed and trusted me, and I found my an an were obeyed without question. = queen was a woman of perhaps irty-five—tall and slender, with black as and eyes. She was dressed in a single rent of heavy white silk, a dress that thered at the waist from above her under the arms to her ankles. It 1S, 1 jude her sleeping robe. Her hair ng in two long braids over her shoulders; r f fee were incased in sandals. 1¢ was unquestionably a_ beautiful man. I remember my vague surprise, Ss ‘her, with her son by her side, and long g sleek wings unmutilated. And then at her wings were fastened together i two places by little metal chains. She, n a ke other married women, was not rmit t ed to fly, although the beauty of her 1 va ky ; unspoiled ‘two of the old men to stand by head of the stairs. Micla had given me kni cife, and I handed it now to one of : em, t x to make him understand that is to See the passage of any one who d d not be allowed up. He shuddered, he ES ook the knife and stood where I - cr crowd i in the garden below had seen - the roof now, and the tumult of ts was eapubled. I went to the parapet ‘de on was full of a struggling, con- aof people. Those nearest the ee peons. I noticed men 6 mi en armed with various im- { ungé oe ___ ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Ss > as = * 4 rude weapon they could obtain, They were standing about in little groups or rushing excitedly to and fro in aimless, uncommand- ed activity. Many of them held stones in their hands, which occasionally they cast at the building. It was one of those mobs that gather ready for trouble, is swayed in almost any di- rection by any chance leadership, and most frequently accomplishes nothing. I felt a sudden sense of relief. The gar- den was rapidly filling up with men and women of the more intelligent classes, who mingled with the others, learned what had occurred—for I did not doubt but that the knowledge of the king’s death had spread about—and then stood waiting to see what would happen. The air was full of excited girls flying over the castle. A few alighted for a mo- ment on the roof, but I did not fear them. Where was Baar? I could not hope to dis- tinguish him among the crowd, but still I saw no sign of his leadership. Had he seen the failure of his plan and, fearing the re- sults of his regicide, fled the vicinity? I hoped so fervently. As I showed myself at the parapet a great shout arose. Some of the men—I knew at once it was those who had heard I possessed the light-ray—scattered in terror at my ap- pearance, I determined then, if no issue were raised that would demand my using this supposed weapon, I could continue to command the situation. I stood there a moment looking down. At the edge of the crowd I saw a few figures whom I took to be members of the city’s police. They were standing idle, tak- ing no part in what was going on. There seemed nothing I could do until Miela re- turned. If only I could speak to the crowd! I wondered if I dared descend among them and disperse the mob of peons. I went to the head of the stairway. Three or four of the king’s councilors were stand- ing there. There was no one on the stairs; evident- ly every one living in the castle was now on its roof—some thirty of them altogether. The crowd outside quite evidently had no present intention of ar the ogra