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Updated: June 4, 2025
"I can prophesy," she answered; "but it will not change to-night, nor, I think, to-morrow. However, I will try." Then came a silence: nobody seemed to have anything to say. It was broken by the entrance of Olfan, whose face showed the disturbance of his mind. "What passes, Olfan?" asked Juanna. "Queen," he answered sadly, "there is great trouble at hand.
Snarling like a wolf, the woman slipped past them to the door, and opening it a little way, she whistled through the crack. "Hide yourself, Lady," said Olfan. Juanna retreated into the shadow behind the candle, and at that moment a voice spoke through the open door, saying, "I am here, father." "Now, speak," said Olfan, advancing the spear an inch nearer Nam's heart.
"All of us did not pass the gate; two of your black servants were mixed up with the crowd and left, and now they offer them to Jal, and others with them." Leonard ran to the yard and counted the Settlement men, who were huddled together in their fear, staring towards the temple through the bars of the gate. Two were missing. As he returned he met Olfan coming out.
Now we must trust him and take our chance; if we make a mistake, it does not greatly matter we have made so many already." Juanna bowed her head and thought awhile, then she lifted it and spoke. "Olfan," she said, "are we alone? That which I have to say must be overheard by none." "We are alone, Queen," he answered, glancing round, "but these walls have ears." "Olfan, draw near."
Let some of the captains whom you trust, Olfan, be brought here to see us wed, otherwise the time may come when I shall be held to be no true wife, and there are none to establish my honour by their words." "There is little fear of such a thing, Queen," answered Olfan with a faint smile, "yet your demands are just.
I swear it by your holy heads," answered Olfan. "It is well. Now under us once more we give you command of the armies of this people, our children. Summon your captains and your soldiers. Bid those that brought us hither lead us back whence we came, and there set guards about us, so that none trouble us. For you, our people, for this time fare you well.
Then Leonard, stepping forward, covered the priest's great breast with his rifle as surely as the uncertain light would allow. Unconscious of his danger, the executioner muttered an invocation. Now the knife was about to fall upon the throat of Olfan, when fire and smoke sprang out far above him, the rifle rang, and, shot through the heart, the priest leaped high into the air and fell dead.
"It is dangerous, but it can be crossed," replied Otter; "at the least, it is better to try it than to stay here to be murdered by the medicine-men." "I think that we will go, Leonard," said Juanna; "if I am to die I wish to do so in the open air. Only what is to become of Nam? And perhaps Olfan and the captains would prefer to stop here?"
Olfan was about to answer when Soa, fearing lest Juanna's pleading should prevail against his passion, broke in saying, "Be not fooled, King, by a woman's pretty speeches, or by her idle threats that she will kill herself.
At last it was done, and once more Olfan was bowing before her and kissing her hand. "Greeting, Shepherdess. Hail! Queen of the People of the Mist," he said, and the captains repeated his words. Juanna awoke from her stupor. What was to be done now? she wondered. What could be done? Everything seemed lost. Then of a sudden an inspiration took her. "It is true that I am a queen, is it not, Olfan?"
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