The King's Talisman — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

118 THE KING'S TALISMAN. ‘ CHAPTER XV. A SUDDEN AND FEARFUL SUSPICION. Monarchs are never more happy than are their subjects, and fortunate indeed is the kingly ruler who is not more miserable; but it would be difficult to imagine the fearful agitation that went burning and searing through the soul of Modad, when his messengers returned and informed, him of the escape of Al-Bassa. At first he raved at his own mis- fortune—then he raved at his three discomfited servants, and for a moment he threatened them with the death which the counselor had escaped; but a little more reason showed him that they were not to blame for the mishap, and, more- over, that his safest course was to keep as many of his trusty servants as possible. ‘‘Ossifrage, you say this woman’s name is?” uttered the king, as he at length gained sufficient calmness to speak. AY PS? eSITO. «¢ And do you know where she resides?” Very nearly, sire. It is somewhere in the old river pass.” ‘A fitting abode, truly. She shall be seen to anon,” ut-. tered the king. ‘‘If that be her hole, we will hunt her out. Do you know, Ahab, where Al-Bassa had been?” “Yes, sire. We followed him to the temple of the cen- sors, where he staid a full hour.” ‘‘“Are you sure he had been with the censors?” asked Modad, turning pale and stopping short in the uneasy, nervous walk he had been keeping ve ‘« Yes, your majesty.” | ‘* Perhaps,” the king uttered, while a gleam of momentary relief shot athwart his troubled features, ‘‘ he went merely EComicbooks com