The King's Talisman — page 176: what you’re looking at

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

THE KINGS TALISMAN, 167 Back from the arena came forth a man clad from head to heel in glittering armor of polished steel wronght with - gold and precious stones, and upon his brow he bore a gol- den helmet, above the vizor of which, like the blinding sun © at noonday, flashed and gleamed the Kina’s TALISMAN! Every eye caught the transcendent sparkling of that mas- sive, matchless gem; they saw that well-known. armor, which for long years had been hidden from the city, and they saw the noble form of him who bore those kingly arms, and ina moment more those who sat in front sent forth the shout: «?Tis Merolboth, our good king! Merolboth! Merol- both!” ‘““No, no, citizens of Petra,” cried Abdah Nazor, ere the shout had been taken up by those in the rear—*‘ you mistake. He who bears the king’s talisman, and he who bears upon his loins the king’s armor, has alone the right to bear them; but he is not Merolboth. Lend me your ears for a few moments, and you shall know all that for many long years has been locked up in the breasts of only two human beings.” ‘¢<Down withthe traitor!” cried Modad, as he recovered from the first shock of his terror. ‘‘Nabal, Ahab, Mizar, seize yonder miscreant, and carry him hence!” Hardly had the madman spoke, when he who bore the sacred Talisman upon his brow stepped forward and ad- dressed the centurion: ‘‘ Nabal, take your men and fee yonder frenzied man who holds the place of the king, and if he move again, carry him away.” ‘©*Tig Merolboth!” uttered a dozen voices. ‘‘ His every tone and act of noble command.” ae centurion cacnaneee not an instant in gv he the re ey (E(o) comicbooks