The King's Talisman — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

36 THE KINGS TALISMAN. sacrifice has been Set ee have delivered up my beloved child—and you—you have paid out from the city’s treasury money and jewels enough to have reared an imperial throne in the midst of the desert. But we are notyet safe. If the people should know that their monarch had feared to meet his enemy “Feared!” interrupted Modad, while the frown upon his brow grew darker. ‘*I know that your majesty had cause for that fear,”’ timidly explained Al-Bassa, as he quailed before the look of Modad; *‘but surely you would not dare to explain that cause to the people?” . ‘‘What need will there be of that? I surely would not have my subjects know that the King’s Talisman is lost to the city, nor do I intend that they shall. You and myself are the only two who know of the fact.” A quick shadow flitted across the face of Al-Bassa as the king spoke, but the emotion that had called it forth was quickly quelled, and in a slightly tremulous tone he said: | ‘There may be tattlers among those whom you have sent to Khaibar.” ‘« None that I am ignorant of,” rather drily returned the | king. ‘‘ And this youth to whom you have given the business— how know youthat he may not tell of the nature of his em- bassy ?” “He cannot.” — © Cannot?” c¢ No.” “I do not comprehend,” said Al-Bassa, who had not ek conceived the full purpose of the monarch. ‘* Do you suppose I have done all this without understand- ing the nature of the ground upon which I stand?” returned *-comicbooks (Efe)