The King's Talisman — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

THE KINGS TALISMAN. | 49 high walls that shut in my native city, I was rudely bidden by the eunuch who had chief guard of my person to look not forth again.” ‘‘ And is that the manner in which the intended wife of a king is treated by slaves?” uttered the attendant. ‘“‘ Wife!” quickly repeated Selina, while a fearful shud- der ran through herframe. But she caught the wondering expression of her companion, and quickly added: ‘“Kven a king’s wife may not be at full liberty among slaves.” Miriam gazed long and earnestly into the face of her mistress, and a new idea tried to struggle through her mind; but if was so repulsive she could not entertain it. She knew that Selina went not willingly as the wife of the Khai- barite king—but she could not, she dared not, believe that her fate was worse than that; yet she could not comprehend the fair maiden’s manner without some such grounds, and laying her hand affectionately upon her lady’s arm, and raising her eyes in a supplicating manner, she said: ‘Selina, you have some grief that you have told me not of. Oh, why will you not trust me with all?” ‘‘T dare not,” murmured the unhappy girl, as she bowed her head forward, and rested it on the shoulder of her sym- pathizing attendant. She saw that she had given her secret wings, and as she raised her head and met the almost terrified look of her faithful servant, she determined to unload her heart, and with a bursting, thrilling soul, she poured ont the tale of her grief. Miriam listened with blank expression, for the sensations she experienced during Selina’s recital were so deep, so weighty upon her heart, that her feelings arose not to her features. But when her mistress closed—when the ‘lips that had uttered that horrible tale were still, she threw her arms around the neck of the doomed being and burst into a passionate flood of tears. This was the first outpour- Eomichooks (ee)