the Izreelites, overwhelm them, and divide
their country equally among the victors. This counsel, there was every
reason to believe, had been accepted; for reports were almost daily
coming to hand of preparations which pointed to nothing less than an
impending attack upon Izreel by the confederated kingdoms.

This was precisely what the Izreelites had always feared more than any
other earthly thing; and when authentic intelligence began to arrive,
pointing to the conclusion that the long-feared attack was about to be
made, the Izreelites grew almost crazy with panic, some of them
contending that their gods were angry at the admission of two aliens
into the country, and that the only way by which their anger could be
appeased was by offering the strangers as a sacrifice upon the great
altar of the temple which formed the top story of the Legislative
building. This theory took a very strong hold upon certain of the most
influential of the nobles, who quickly developed extreme jealousy of the
two strangers, whom they vaguely suspected of being in some unexplained
way inimical to them and their interests; and for a time Dick and
Grosvenor undoubtedly went in danger of their lives.

At length, however, this peril became so imminent that the pair agreed
to take the bull by the horns and deal with it forthwith. They
accordingly convened a meeting of the Seven Elders and all the nobility,
at which Dick delivered an address, graphically describing the danger in
which the nation stood, and boldly asserting that only he and Grosvenor
could possibly avert it.

This, of course, was rather a staggering statement, and one which the
Izreelites were not at all disposed to accept unquestioningly, or
without proof. But Dick was equal to the occasion. He and Grosvenor
had discussed the matter together, had decided upon their plan of
campaign, and the Opposition were silenced by his first question.

"What do you suppose would happen to your Queen," he demanded, "if you
were unwise enough to put us to death? I will tell you. She is now on
the highroad to recovery; but, deprived of our ministrations, she would
suffer an immediate relapse, and die! Do you need to be reminded of
what would follow upon that? If there is any truth in your ancient
prophecy the very thing that you most dread would immediately happen.
In other words, our destruction would immediately be followed by that of
the entire nation.

"But, apart from that, our