CHAPTER XXI.IN PERIL.
The rumbling noise came nearer and nearer, and Onrai and Mr. Graham stood without saying a word. In some respects the noise resembled that of the night before, but it came from the opposite direction. Involuntarily the two watchers looked at the heavens, but seeing the stars shining brightly, all fears of another storm were allayed.
“What can it be?” asked Mr. Graham.
“I cannot tell,” said Onrai. “It sounds like the tramp of many zebra, but I cannot understand why there should be any riders out to-night, unless it be a body of men who are on their way to to-morrow’s work. But even they would have started so as to have reached their destination long before this. It puzzles me greatly.”
“Could it be a body of men coming to you on a mission of some kind?” asked Mr. Graham.
“No, none would come to me at this time of night,” said Onrai. “And then there is no reason whatever for any of my people coming to me. The people know my wishes regarding the repairs to be made where the storm has brought ruin, and this is the only thing which they could wish to consult me upon. But they come nearer, and now we can distinguish the different sounds; yes, it is a body of riders, but where they are bound I cannot say,” and as Onrai finishedspeaking, a hundred flickering lights could be seen far down the avenue toward the town.
“Yes, it is a large body of men,” said Mr. Graham, as the riders came in sight, “and they are riding fast, as if their mission, whatever it may be, was important.”
“Yes, they seem in earnest,” said Onrai, “and they are turning toward the villa. They are coming here. I cannot understand,” and Onrai looked puzzled.
There seemed to be thousands of them as they rode toward the villa, winding in and out between the trees, for they disdained the single roadway. The leaders at last reached the terrace and seeing the King standing with Mr. Graham, they dismounted and stood beside their steeds. One of the leaders came forward and doffing his helmet and bowing low before the King, said,
“We have come from the city, oh King, to consult you on a matter which has come up to-day before the people.”
“I am always glad to heed the matters of my people. But why do you come to me at this hour of the night; would not the morrow do as well? It is late and within the villa lies one of our guests very near unto death, a victim of yesternight’s storm. Will the matter not rest then until daylight when a more suitable place can be chosen for its discussion, and where there will be no fear of disturbing the fair sufferer? I ask this not for myself but for one whose comfort you should all consider.”
“It is of her and her companions that we wish to speak,” answered the man.
“And what manner of business can the people possiblyhave with the strangers? Have they not been given into my charge and am I not responsible for their welfare and comfort? I cannot understand your reasons, man, for coming here on such an errand or the object the people had in sending you. Have you lost confidence in the ability of the King, to take care of and make enjoyable the life of our guests?”
“No, it is not that, oh King,” said the man. “We do not fear for the well-being of the strangers nor do we doubt your power to make all things pleasing for them. Our mission is of a different character; we wish to complain of them.”
“To complain of them,” said Onrai. “What do you mean, man? Have my people then so far forgotten their respect to the King’s wishes as to complain to him of his guests or the guests of the Land of On? For have not these strangers come to us from afar and have they not thrown themselves on to our hospitality, and is it not our sacred duty to care for them as long as they are with us? It is your duty as well as mine, then why do you forget this so far as to make complaints of them?”
“We have not made these complaints as yet, oh King,” said the man, “and we wished to place our suspicions before you and let you decide if they be well-grounded before we would call them complaints. But complaints to us seems to be the only fitting word to use in this connection.”
“I cannot understand you, my people,” said Onrai, “I was among you only to-day and you said naught to me about this matter. You allowed me to depart and come here without so much as a hint of your protest. Now, you follow me but a short time after, at the deadof night, and here where a fair life hangs by a thread; you come a thousand strong and voice your miserable suspicions. Our life has been so quietly peaceful that this trait has never before shown itself. A word which has almost passed from our vocabulary alone can fit the act, and that is cowardice,” and as Onrai ceased speaking he drew himself up grandly and faced them with such a haughty bearing and scornful look that the leader drew back involuntarily.
“No, no, King, not that,” said the man, “not that, for we had only your and our own best wishes at heart when we came here at this hour of night.”
“And had you no thought for those who are now under our protection? Had you a right, even with complaints to make, to sneak here like a band of jackals, in the dead of night? Why do you not come in the bright open light of the day and then in numbers only equaling those against whom you are going to make complaints, and not with a horde as if to intimidate them.”
“Listen, oh King,” answered the man. “You must know that this is an event which has never before occurred in our land, and the people did not know how to act. They then got together and decided that we were to come to-night, and in a large body; this is to impress the strangers within our land that, although war and strife, such as our sacred writings speak of, are unknown to us, still we can come before them in a formidable body and fight for our fair Land of On.”
“Are you mad, man?” asked Onrai. “What is this I hear? Are you talking of waging war against a handful of strangers, whom you ought to protect? Do you speak of war, that which has never been heard ofin this land? Have the people of On gone mad with the advent of the storm?” and Onrai turned and strode up and down the terrace.
Mr. Bruce and Harry had come on to the terrace and now stood back with Mr. Graham but saying nothing, so alarmed were they over the new turn things had taken. The leader of the party said nothing for a few moments after the King had finished speaking the last time. He seemed convinced of the justice of the King’s remarks, but still he had a mission to perform and he was expected to carry it out to the letter. Again stepping forward, he said:
“We do not come to fight the few of another sphere, who are now here but to fight those of this race who might come to help them. These people came in the dead of night to our land; we know not how they came or whence they came and how should we know but that they could call to their assistance thousands of others. It is this possibility that we have prepared ourselves for.”
Onrai turned on the man almost savagely and said:
“Enough, now. I will listen to no more to-night. Begone, and find you quarters until morning, when I will meet you near here on the shore of the lake and hear these miserable complaints which you have to make. Discuss the matter well among yourselves to-night, but remember this, that I come to you to-morrow morning prepared to refute any statements which you may make against our guests. Your fears, whatever they are, are based on superstition and are simple. Now go and move away quietly, so as not to disturb the woman whom you come to war against.”
The men remounted after this and rode away, butnot far, for when the shores of the lake were reached they halted, and made preparations to spend the night. Even at the villa the low hum of their voices could be heard as they discussed the subject which had brought them here.
After their departure Mr. Bruce stepped up to Onrai, who was standing, lost in thought over the unexpected turn which events had taken, and said, “What is it, Onrai?”
“I cannot tell,” said the King, “but the people seem to have taken a sudden fear of your party. Never before have I seen this quality in my people and it worries me, for now that it is aroused it is hard to tell where it will end.”
“But why should this sudden dislike and fear of us have taken possession of them,” asked Mr. Bruce. “Heretofore they have done all in their power to make our stay in their country pleasant. Something strange must have happened to make them change so suddenly.”
“Have no fear, my friends,” said Onrai. “Whatever it is, I will learn to-morrow and then I will know how to meet their arguments. They will abide by my decision and will again extend to you their friendship.”
They were now called into the sick-room for Enola had again awakened. She was still raving about Gip, nothing else seeming to break through the dark pall which had fallen over her mind. Loudly she called “Gip, Gip, Gip,” half raising from her couch.
As if in answer to her call a noise is heard outside and through one of the open arches Gip pushes his great bandaged head. Enola seems to hear the soundand, turning, sees the mighty head and before they can restrain her, she springs forward and clasping the trunk in her arms cries, “My noble, true friend, Gip, you have saved me.”