Nobles, the two white men felt
that Queen Myrra was firmly enough established upon her throne to be in
no further need of their services; they therefore announced their
intention to make an early departure, and proceeded to make their
preparations for the return journey.

It is not putting the matter any too strongly to say that the
announcement of the impending departure of the two white men from Ulua
was productive of the utmost consternation and dismay. So thoroughly
had the two identified themselves with every movement having for its
object the improvement of previous conditions, and so far-reaching and
wholesome had been their influence generally, that the inhabitants of
the city had insensibly grown to regard them as heaven-sent reformers,
permanently settled among them for their benefit and advantage by the
especial favour of Kuhlacan, and the news that the pair were about to
leave them fell upon the Uluans with something of the effect of a bolt
from the blue.

And upon no one did the intelligence seem to produce so stunning and
grievous an effect as upon the young queen. When, upon a certain
morning, Dick and Earle, having craved audience of her Majesty, made the
momentous announcement and asked her permission to depart, they were
shocked and astounded at the manner in which she received the
intimation. She went as white as death, sank back in the throne-like
chair upon which she was seated, closed her eyes, and for a moment it
looked as though she had fainted.

And then, at the sight of the queen's manifest distress, a most
extraordinary revulsion of feeling swept over Dick Cavendish. Up to
that moment he had regarded the projected return to civilisation as
merely part and parcel of the fulfilment of his contract with Earle, as
something which he had undertaken and must therefore of necessity carry
out; yet now he was fully conscious for the first time that it was
Earle, and not he, who had broached the subject of return, and he was
conscious, moreover, of the fact that he had viewed the prospect of
departure from Ulua with a singular lack of enthusiasm.

This illumination, however, remained with him only long enough to
impress itself upon his mind as a flash of lightning impresses itself
upon the sight, and was instantly succeeded by a rush of most
extraordinary and tumultuous emotion at the young queen's extreme
distress. An overwhelming sense of her utter isolation and
friendlessness, a sudden real