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BRAVE AND BOLD. 19
Queen Olive, who could not help hearing the coniino-
tion, came outside and nodded when she saw what cfuised
it, as though she was well satified with Azurma's success.
“I knew that if'he was alive she would find him,” said
she to Dick.
“All that I can say is that I am glad of it,” was the
reply.
“Azurma is a very brave girl,” said Leo. “Had it not
been for her I would never have found my way to this
place again. I don't know how I shall ever repay her.”
“Oh, that is easy," returned Azurma; “promise to be-
come my lord and master when the proper time arrives.”
The queen then spoke, informing Leo what the custom
of Hez was, concluding with:
“I have just been visited by a committee of unmarried
ladies, who demand that they shall have an opportunity
of drawing lots for each of you. It is the custom, and
we must adhere to it. I have appointed to-inorrow morn-
ing for the drawing to take place. You will all remember
H115, and be at the palace an hour after sunrise.
XVith these words she left our friends, taking Azurma
with her.
The next morning, at the appointed time, Leo, Dick.
l’rof. Easy, Martin Haypole and Lucky made their way
to the abode of the queen.
At least half a hundred girls and niiddle-aged women
Were there, and it was with great difficulty that our
friends managed to squeeze their way in.
More than one pair of eyes cast a hewitching glance at
them as they passed, and Lucky and the Yankee grinned
in a wholesale manner.
Queen Olive was at the further end of the long hall
through the center of the building, and Dick noticed that
her face wore an anxious look.
“ihen all had assembled and the utmost quiet reigned,
she arose and addressed the audience in Spanish.
“Women of Hez,” said she, “we have assembled here
this morning, according to our ancient custom, to choose
five husbands. Our law is that no woman shall ever
marry, unless her luisband be a stranger from the outside
world. That is the way our race was founded, and is the
reason why we are so few in number. hit the custom
must be kept up. There are fifty-one of us here, and
there are but five strangers. Forty-six must be disap-
pointed. As Queen of Hez, I shall choose one of the five
without going into the form of drawing lots.”
A slight murmur of disapproval arose from the assem-
blage as these words rang out.
Queen Olive evidently expected this, for, with Hashing
eyes, she exclaimed:
“Silence! I am the ruler of this land, and my word is
law.”
Then motioning to Dick to step forward, she went on:
“This is the man I have‘ chosen for my husband; he
loves me and I love him.”
Nothing abashed, Dick took his place beside the beauti-
ful creature.
But that the girls were anything but satisfied was
plainly apparent. They thought that in a case of this
kind the queen should place herself upon an equal footing
with them, and take her chances.
hit Queen Olive thought differently, and that SCttlC(l
it, for the time being, anyhow.
As soon as her majesty ceased speaking, Azurma
pushed her way through the crowd and made an eloquent
address, relating how she had saved Leo from a death
of starvation, winding up with a strong argument that
he should be given to her.
But the Hez beauties would not listen to this, and so
Azurma’s appeal was ruled down.
At Queen Olives order, a small, square box was brought
forth, which contained a number of small pieces of coal-
like substance, and one small bit of crystal of the same
size and weight.
Then every female preseiit was securely blindfolded
and directed to step forward, one at a time, and pick out
one of the pieces.
The one who was fortunate enough to get hold of the
bit of crystal was the one to have the husband.
In case that no one got hold of the crystal, the queen
had the power to give him to whoever she saw fit.
Leo fervently desired that this might be the case, for
he felt that if he was compelled to become engaged to
any of the females present he would rather it would be
Azurma. for the simple reason that she wanted him, and
he owed her a debt of gratitude for coming to hunt him
up.
XVhei1 everything was in readiness, the women stepped
forward to draw the pieces front the box.
It was quite interesting, and our friends watched the
result with bated breath.
As fast as one selected, the bandage was removed from
her eyes and she retired to the other end of the hall.
Azurma was the fifth one to draw, and when a black
ballot was disclosed to her view, she uttered a cry of dis-
may, aiid staggered blindly from the spot.
The next to step forward was a girl as young and fully
as beautiful as she.
As she lifted the ballot from the box a murmur went
up from the assemblage.
She held the piece of crystal in her hand!
“'ith an expression of triumph upon her beautiful face,
she held out her arms and approached Leo.
But she never reached him. A figure bounded forward
with the swiftiiess of an enraged panther; a blade flashed
in the air, and the would-be bride fell to the stone fioor,
the blood spurting from a wound in her left side.
It was Azurma who had committed the deed, and with
tiasliiiig eyes and heaving breast she drew herself to her
full height.
"Thus 1 have broken the laws of Hez !" she exclaimed,
in a dramatic tone. “Do with me what you will, 0
queen !”
It had all happened so quickly that our friends were
utterly astounded, and before they could fully compre-
hend what had taken place, Azurma was seized and bound,
and conducted from the building.
And the girl who had proven so unfortunate in picking
out the crystal-she never spoke again. The blade had
severed her heart in twain, and the beautiful Azurma was
a iniirderess!
Leo turned sick at heart when he realized that he was
the cause of the tragedy, and he leaned against the wall
in a dazed condition.
"Remove the body !"
It was Queen Olive who spoke.
Iler coniinand was instantly obeyed, and then, as though
nothing had happened. the ballots were >'ll(‘tl-(CH about in
the box. and it was announced that it would he decided
who should have Martin l'l;1yp<>le.
“Gosh!" exclaimed the Yankee; “I hope no one don’;