ties. His success has encouraged
many who have hitherto been our faithful subjects to flock
to his standard, and the terrors of treason and insurrection
devastate our beloved country.

"What will be thought of Lyone, who was lately our beloved
and adored goddess, who has treasonably allowed herself to
be proclaimed Queen of Atvatabar, and who is the prime cause
of all this deluge of crime, treason and apostasy by
encouraging a heretical affection for a desperate criminal,
and who dares to abuse her holy office by seeking matrimony
with a murderer? It would be impossible for this cowardly
and desperate assassin to visit our country with such
destruction were it not that she who was our goddess
sympathizes with his inhuman and infernal work. She has only
to speak the word that she has no sympathy with such a
monster, and his power will be paralyzed in a moment, and
peace restored to our unhappy country. Will it be believed
that she absolutely refuses to disown such a viper, and even
boasts of his work, and that he will shortly set her free?

"Our prisoner, she has disregarded our clemency in holding
back the sword of justice that hangs over her head. Her life
is already forfeited by her own actions. The monster of
insurrection and apostasy must be struck in its most vital
part. Orders have been given for a full conclave of the
Borodemy, to put our fallen goddess on trial forthwith, and
if found guilty to be immediately executed.

"The commander-in-chief of the army, Coltonobory, has orders
to attack, pursue and put to death without mercy all rebels
in arms, and arrest all sympathizers with the rebel cause.

"Given in our palace at Calnogor in the twenty-sixth year of
our reign.

"ALDEMEGRY BHOOLMAKAR, _King of Atvatabar_."

This proclamation revealed the desperate crisis matters had reached.
The bloodthirsty king had Lyone in his power, and unless a miracle
happened nothing could save her. The fact that the flag of the queen
floated above Kioram must have added enormously to the wrath of the
king, and the supreme question with us then was how to save our queen
from a cruel fate.

While discussing this important subject with Governor Ladalmir and my
own retinue, we were agreeably surprised to learn of the arrival of
the high priest and priestes