"All this I can do, my husband, if you but will let me try. For me they will believe, a woman, Oroid all of blood--for they know women do not lie." She stopped and the fire in her eyes changed to a look of gentle pleading. "If you will but let me try," she finished. "My husband--please."
The Chemist glanced at his friends who sat astonished by this flow of eager, impa.s.sioned words. Then he turned again to Lylda"s intent, pleading face, regarding her tenderly. "You are very fine, little mother of my son," he said gently, lapsing for a moment into her own style of speech. "It could do no harm," he added thoughtfully "and perhaps----"
"Let her try it," said the Doctor. "No harm could come to her."
"No harm to me could come," said Lylda quickly. "And I shall make them believe. I can, because I am a woman, and they will know I tell the truth. Ah, you will let me try, my husband--please?"
The Chemist appealed to the others. "They will believe her, many of them," he said. "They will leave Orlog as she directs. But those in other cities will still hold to Targo, they will simply remain silent for a time. What their feelings will be or are we cannot tell. Some will leave and go to Orlog of course, for Lylda will offer freedom of their leader and to secure that they will seem to agree to anything.
"But after all, they are nothing but children at heart, most of them.
To-day, they might believe in Lylda; to-morrow Targo could win them again."
"He won"t get a chance," put in the Very Young Man quickly. "If she says we kill anybody who talks for Targo outside of Orlog, that goes. It"s the only way, isn"t it?"
"And she might really convince them--or most of them," added the Doctor.
"You will let me try?" asked Lylda softly. The Chemist nodded.
Lylda sprang to her feet. Her frail little body was trembling with emotion; on her face was a look almost of exaltation.
"You _will_ let me try," she cried. "Then I shall make them believe.
Here, now, this very hour, I shall make them know the truth. And they, my own people, shall I save from sorrow, misery and death."
She turned to the Chemist and spoke rapidly.
"My husband, will you send Oteo now, up into the city. Him will you tell to have others spread the news. All who desire an end to Targo"s rule, shall come here at once. And all too, who in him believe, and who for him want freedom, they shall come too. Let Oteo tell them magic shall be performed and Lylda will speak with them.
"Make haste, my husband, for now I go to change my dress. Not as the Master"s woman will I speak, but as Lylda--Oroid woman--woman of the people." And with a flashing glance, she turned and swiftly left the balcony.
CHAPTER XXIV
LYLDA ACTS
"She"ll do it," the Very Young Man murmured, staring at the doorway through which Lylda had disappeared. "She can do anything."
The Chemist rose to his feet. "I"ll send Oteo. Will you wait here gentlemen? And will you have some of the drugs ready for Lylda? You have them with you?" The men nodded.
"How about Lylda carrying the drugs?" asked the Very Young Man. "And what about her clothes?"
"I have already made a belt for Lylda and for myself--some time ago,"
the Chemist answered. "During the first year I was here I made several experiments with the drugs. I found that almost anything within the immediate--shall I say influence of the body, will contract with it.
Almost any garment, even a loose robe will change size. You found that to be so to some extent. Those belts you wore down--"
"That"s true," agreed the Doctor, "there seems to be considerable lat.i.tude----"
"I decided," the Chemist went on, "that immediately after your arrival we should all wear the drugs constantly. You can use the armpit pouches if you wish; Lylda and I will wear these belts I have made."
Oteo, the Chemist"s personal servant, a slim youth with a bright, intelligent face, listened carefully to his master"s directions and then left the house hurriedly, running up the street towards the center of the city. Once or twice he stopped and spoke to pa.s.sers-by for a moment, gathering a crowd around him each time.
The Chemist rejoined his friends on the balcony. "There will be a thousand people here in half an hour," he said quietly. "I have sent a message to the men in charge of the government workshops; they will have their people cease work to come here."
Lylda appeared in a few moments more. She was dressed as the Chemist had seen her first through the microscope--in a short, grey skirt reaching from waist to knees. Only now she wore also two circular metal discs strapped over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Her hair was unbound and fell in ma.s.ses forward over her shoulders. Around her waist was a broad girdle of golden cloth with small pouches for holding the chemicals. She took her place among the men quietly.
"See, I am ready," she said with a smile. "Oteo, you have sent him?" The Chemist nodded.
Lylda turned to the Doctor. "You will tell me, what is to do with the drugs?"
They explained in a few words. By now a considerable crowd had gathered before the house, and up the street many others were hurrying down.
Directly across from the entrance to Lylda"s garden, back of the bluff at the lake front, was a large open s.p.a.ce with a fringe of trees at its back. In this open s.p.a.ce the crowd was collecting.
The Chemist rose after a moment and from the roof-top spoke a few words to the people in the street below. They answered him with shouts of applause mingled with a hum of murmured anger underneath. The Chemist went back to his friends, his face set and serious.
As he dropped in his chair Lylda knelt on the floor before him, laying her arms on his knees. "I go to do for our people the best I can," she said softly, looking up into his face. "Now I go, but to you I will come back soon." The Chemist tenderly put his hand upon the glossy smoothness of her hair.
"I go--now," she repeated, and reached for one of the vials under her arm. Holding it in her hand, she stared at it a moment, silently, in awe. Then she shuddered like a frightened child and buried her face in the Chemist"s lap, huddling her little body up close against his legs as if for protection.
The Chemist did not move nor speak, but sat quiet with his hand gently stroking her hair. In a moment she again raised her face to his. Her long lashes were wet with tears, but her lips were smiling.
"I am ready--now," she said gently. She brushed her tears from her eyes and rose to her feet. Drawing herself to her full height, she tossed back her head and flung out her arms before her.
"No one can know I am afraid--but you," she said. "And I--shall forget."
She dropped her arms and stood pa.s.sive.
"I go now to take the drug--there in the little garden behind, where no one can notice. You will come down?"
The Big Business Man cleared his throat. When he spoke his voice was tremulous with emotion.
"How long will you be gone--Lylda?" he asked.
The woman turned to him with a smile. "Soon will I return, so I believe," she answered. "I go to Orlog, to Raito, and to Tele. But never shall I wait, nor speak long, and fast will I walk.... Before the time of sleep has descended upon us, I shall be here."
In the little garden behind the house, out of sight of the crowd on the other side, Lylda prepared to take the drug. She was standing there, with the four men, when Loto burst upon them, throwing himself into his mother"s arms.
"Oh, _mamita_, _mamita_," he cried, clinging to her. "There in the street outside, they say such terrible things----of you _mamita_. "The master"s woman" I heard one say, "She has the evil magic." And another spoke of Targo. And they say he must not die, or there will be death for those who kill him."
Lylda held the boy close as he poured out his breathless frightened words.
"No matter, little son," she said tenderly. "To _mamita_ no harm can come--you shall see. Did my father teach you well to-day?"
"But _mamita_, one man who saw me standing, called me an evil name and spoke of you, my mother Lylda. And a woman looked with a look I never saw before. I am afraid, _mamita_."
With quivering lips that smiled, Lylda kissed the little boy tenderly and gently loosening his hold pushed him towards his father.
"The Master"s son, Loto, never can he be afraid," she said with gentle reproof. "That must you remember--always."