24
The Messenger of Death
The sun rose to see the forces of Ja-don still held at the palace
gate. The old warrior had seized the tall structure that stood
just beyond the palace and at the summit of this he kept a warrior
stationed to look toward the northern wall of the palace where
Ta-den was to make his attack; but as the minutes wore into hours
no sign of the other force appeared, and now in the full light of
the new sun upon the roof of one of the palace buildings appeared
Lu-don, the high priest, Mo-sar, the pretender, and the strange,
naked figure of a man, into whose long hair and beard were woven
fresh ferns and flowers. Behind them were banked a score of lesser
priests who chanted in unison: "This is Jad-ben-Otho. Lay down your
arms and surrender." This they repeated again and again, alternating
it with the cry: "The false Dor-ul-Otho is a prisoner."
In one of those lulls which are common in battles between forces
armed with weapons that require great physical effort in their use,
a voice suddenly arose from among the followers of Ja-don: "Show
us the Dor-ul-Otho. We do not believe you!"
"Wait," cried Lu-don. "If I do not produce him before the sun has
moved his own width, the gates of the palace shall be opened to
you and my warriors will lay down their arms.
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