Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 283: what you’re looking at

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

274 doubtedly thirsted for our lives, but I did not think Isisora shared the desire to kill. “It is well, Jadispiato,” she said, in- clining her lovely head toward the priest. ‘““You have nobly served the in- terests of our country. The prisoners shall receive the punishment they de- serve. Leave me for a time alone with them that I may prepare them for the ordeal to come.” Jadispiato turned to go, but there was a murmur from the fierce looking young priest. “It used not to be so,” he said. “Why does the priestess wish to be alone with strangers?” “I have commanded, Forresto, and I will be obeyed.” A look of suspicion was now clearly visible on the face of the priest called Forresto. He glanced toward me with venom in his writhing lips. -“What does that fool think of me, anyhow?’ I asked myself. ‘We have sworn to obey Isisora,” said Jadispiato. “Come, let us retire. We can trust our priestess to observe the rites and protect our sacred flower.” They filed out of the temple, For- resto giving me another searching glance as he passed. No sooner had the entrance doors closed behind the priests than Isisora became quite a different person. Her pale face was turned toward us with every sign of misery upon it. She wrung her hands in despair. “ Oh, why did you come?” she cried and in Engiish. ‘“ Why did you intrude upon the seclusion of these people? Was not the whole world wide enough for you without striving for this one little corner of the earth. See what has come of your rashness. For the sake of a flower you have lost your lives. IT shall not command your death, but I alone cannot save you. I am priest- ess here only because these fanatical people called me beautiful and fed their imaginations upon my appearance in this temple. THE ARGOSY. ‘Never, since I have been priestess, now only a year, have they brought prisoners before me. I hoped it would not happen, but here is a crowd of them. What shall I do? What can I do? Ah!” she flung her arms around Miss Wisdom as she spoke. ‘You are as beautiful as I, and I am expected to have you torn by the cats. Oh, why did you come? Why did you come?” ‘But we did not know that such a people existed,” answered Lottie, with asob. “I wouldn't have let my uncle come to such a horrid place if I had known.” “No, of course; but was the flower worth so much to you that you must come so far to get it?” “My dear young lady,” interposed the professor, speaking now in Eng- lish, as she had done, “do you not know that thousands of pounds are spent every year in the search for flow- ers less beautiful than this? ” I observed two things about the pro- fessor. He was not at all impressed with the dignity of Isisora’s position as priestess, and he seemed not to fear the death that was so near. “TI really believe,” said another of the party, Dr. Twinkle, speaking with earnestness and solemnity, “that this is quite the strangest adventure that ever befell a party of flower hunters. It is amazing. I am not sure that I am not enjoying the thing. Of course this is all a farce about killing and all that.” “No! No!” cried Isisora. “I wish it was a farce. Do you think I'd stand here weeping if it was not terribly real? I tell you these people are fanatics. They are mad as mad can be.” “An entire race of madmen? Who ever heard of such a thing? ” exclaimed Professor Turnbell. “Mad! There never was a race so mad. It all comes, I think, from eating the root of the Moon Flower. It has a strange effect upon the mind.” “Queer, very queer,” said Professor Wisdom, taking out a note book and writing this statement down. ECOMRRIC Oe CO