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Their yells reverberating to the vaulted roof, the s of crazed fanatics were now upon their feet, crowding toward the platfor in incessant de arlimpse of Naladi's red robe scarcely ten feet away, and behind her the countenance of De Noyan, still conte rabble God! htened on the club Yet I laywell the tie of the rock platfor intently down, a silent,to her feet, and below her the cri torches in the hands of her barbaric followers cast their light full upon her I stared at the strange creature, co of the power of passion such as she could exercise over De Noyan, causing hiet all honor in her presence Saint Andrew! she was a witch, a hell-cat, whose s then, a s down upon the howling slaves who should do her pleasure She knew them well, every superstition, every wild iery Not fear, but coerdemain, by lie and trick, and she stood, the supre hell It see then of Eloise aaze on that doure

The cries of the ible words Naladi listened, extending one hand Then her thin lips spoke a single sentence in the sharp tone of command Instantly burst forth a fierce roar of disapproval; war-clubs pounded the floor, spears rattled as they were brandished overhead, while above the din I caught, again and again, the shriek, "Français! Français!" The Queen shook her head, her fair face darkening, and glanced aside into the questioning eyes of De Noyan Below the upward, every voice yelping that one ter the dreadFrench victims for the torture of sacrifice; they clamored for white blood hich to sprinkle the altar I could diainst the farther wall, the whites of their eyes showing in terror, and--oh, God!--there, to the right of the on the rock floor, with face hidden in her hands, was Eloise I half rose to ony What was to be the ending? What was that mad woman's purpose? Could she control the fierce blood-lust of those savage fanatics? If she cared to do so, would she dare test her power in so desperate a game? If one must be sacrificed which would she spare, De Noyan or his hapless wife? Looking at her, cold, cynical, lustful, her eyes still turned on his face, I felt no doubt Let the foul fiend choose! by all the gods, Cairnes should brain her where she stood, and, Heaven helping me to do the deed, the one I loved should never die by torture!