Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

874 by; the few who stopped to stare at us, or who attempted to follow, were briskly ordered away. Occasionally a few girls would hover overhead, but when the guards shouted up at them they flew away obediently. The king’s castle was constructed of metal and stone—a long, low, rambling structure, flanked by two spires or minarets, giving it somewhat an Oriental appearance. Each of these minarets was girdled, halfway up, by a narrow balcony. The first room into which we passed was small, seemingly an antechamber. From it, announced by two other guards who stood at the entrance, we entered directly into the main hall of the building. At one end of it there was a raised platform. On this, seat- ed about a large table, were some ten or twelve dignitaries-the king’s advisers. They were, I saw, all aged men, with beard- less, seamed faces, long snowy-white hair to their shoulders, and dressed in flowing silk robes. . The king was a man of seventy-odd, kindly faced, gentle in demeanor. He bore himself with the dignity of a born ruler, and yet his very kindliness of aspect and the doddering gravity of his aged council- ors, seemed to explain at once most of the trouble that now confronted him. We stood beside this table—they cour- teously made way for Lua to sit among them—and all its occupants immediately turned to face us. Our audience lasted perhaps an hour and a half altogether. I need not go into de- tails. I was right in assuming that the king desired to help us prevent Tao from his at- tempted conquest of the earth. This was so, but only in so far as his actions would not jeopardize the peace of his own nation. He sadly admitted his error in allowing Tao’s emissaries into the Light Country. But now they were there, he did not see how to get them out. His people were daily listening to them more eagerly; and, what was worse, the po- lice guards themselves seemed rather more in sympathy with them than otherwise. A slight disturbance had occurred in the streets the day before, and the guards had stood apathetically by, taking no part. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Above all else, the king stoutly protested, he would have no bloodshed in his country if he could prevent it. In the neighboring towns of the Light Country—the nearest of which was some ~ forty miles away from the Great City—the situation was almost the same. Reports brought by young women flying between the cities said that to many Tao also had sent emissaries who were fast winning con- verts to his cause. *“ Do all these people who believe in Tao expect to go to our earth when it is con- quered?” I asked Miela. ‘‘ How can they —so many of them—hope to benefit in that way? Aren’t they satisfied here?” Miela smiled sadly. “No people can ever be satisfied—all of them. That you must know, my hus- band. They have many grievances against our ruler. Many things they want which he cannot give. Tao may promise these things —and if they believe his promise it is very bad.” “He might come over here and try: to make himself king,’? Mercer said suddenly. “Tf it’s like that maybe he could do it, too, with this grand earth-conquest getting ready. Tell the king that—see what he says.”’ | “He says that he realizes and fears it,” — Miela answered. ‘“‘ But he thinks that first Tao will go to your earth, and he may never come back. So much may happen—”’ ** So he’s just going to wait,” I explained. “Well, we’re not just going to wait. Ask the king what our status is.” ““ Ask him about me,” Mercer put in. * Are those Tao men going to grab me the minute I show my face on the street, or will he protect me?”’ Miela translated this to the king, adding something of her own to which he evidently agreed. | “It is as I thought,” she said. “ He believes he can present you to the people as men of earth who are our guests, and- that they will accept you in friendly spirit, most of them.” . The king spoke to one of his advisers, who abruptly left the room. “He will call the people now,” Miela went on, “ and will spozk socdtheys fram tte)