by Frank Aubrey
CHAPTER XXVIII.
RALLYING TO THE CALL.
To make clearer the events described in the previous chapters, itshould be stated that, when Templemore and Ergalon had returned fromtheir journey down the canyon in quest of arms and ammunition, theyfound with Zonella, who was anxiously awaiting them, a messenger fromMonella.
It was not yet daylight, and the two who had made the descent andascent of the difficult path under conditions of considerable hardship,were very much exhausted. They were therefore glad, though surprised,to find that, in their absence, Zonella had provided both food and winefor them.
"How pleased I am to see you I need scarcely say," she exclaimed. "Butfirst, eat and drink, while I talk. I have much to tell, and there isyet time to spare. Therefore, rest and refresh yourselves, while Irelate what has been made known to me.
"Your friend, Monella, has done wondrous things. It seems--as Ergalonhere no doubt has been aware--that he has long been quietly makingpreparations for some such crisis as the present. Coryon, it istrue, by his treachery, has stolen a march upon him, but he is beinggradually and surely enmeshed in the net that the lord Monella hasdrawn around him. For a long time Sanaima has been secretly drillingnumbers of his followers in Myrlanda, where he has a large store ofarms, and he and Monella have gained over many of Coryon's men; inparticular, some of those sent to close the subterranean pass. When,therefore, the two, with many armed men, presented themselves atthe entrance to the pass and found the gates closed against them,instead of making a desperate fight of it in which many must havebeen killed on both sides and the news of it have been carried toCoryon's ears, they waited for their friends inside to act. Soon,those of them amongst the soldiers who guarded the approach, seizingtheir opportunity, fell upon their fellows in their sleep, bound them,and opened the gates. The same thing has occurred in the palace;all Coryon's soldiers really devoted to him have been quietly madeprisoners, and the palace is now in the hands of Monella and Sanaimaand their friends; and Coryon knows it not.
"Now, when Monella found that you had escaped, he divined whither youhad gone, and sent messengers here to await your return; and I sentthem back at once to tell him I expected you here ere long. And nowanother has arrived with instructions, in case you should return intime to put them into execution, as--the Great Spirit be praised!--youhave. Monella has sent two or three of Coryon's own people to him withvarious messages to allay his suspicions; and Coryon quite believesthat you are still a prisoner, and that Monella is still in Myrlanda,unable to get through the pass. Others of Monella's men, dressed inblack tunics taken from the prisoners, are now placed at intervals onguard at all the approaches to Coryon's retreat; where already, by thistime, nearly all his followers and his adherents amongst the peopleare assembling. There will be some hundreds altogether; all hostile toyou and your friends. But, when they are all assembled, Monella willgather together also many hundreds from the people outside, and marchthem to the amphitheatre and so surprise Coryon and all with him."
"But how," asked Templemore, "if Coryon gets to hear of it?"
"He will not. No move will be made till all are gathered in theamphitheatre; after that, any stragglers going thither from the town,and any messengers sent thence by Coryon, will fall into the hands ofMonella's disguised soldiers, and will be quietly seized and bound."
"I see. And now what is to be done to make sure of the safety of ourfriends?"
"The directions are these. You are to go quietly, through the forest,to the wood at the edge of the amphitheatre where----"
"I understand," broke in Ergalon. "It is the place,"--turning toTemplemore--"where we stood and looked down upon the great devil-treethat night. I can take you by a route that leads through the woods allthe way, and thus we shall not be seen."
"Yes, that is right," resumed Zonella. "When you get there, you are toremain concealed, and watch all that goes on, and, unless compelled, donothing till the arrival of Monella and his friends. But, if it shouldbe absolutely necessary to interfere before that to save our friends,why, then, of course, you must do the best you can."
"I only hope we may be in time to save them," said Templemore, with asigh. "I am terribly anxious. Let us be going; it is already gettinglight."
The three then started--for Zonella insisted on accompanying them--andthe messenger was sent back to inform Monella. When they approached theamphitheatre, four black-coated soldiers suddenly sprang up before themfrom among the bushes, where they had been lying concealed. Templemoredrew a pistol, but Zonella stepped in front of him, and said somethingin a low tone to the soldiers, who at once gave way and let them pass.
"What did you say to them?" asked Templemore.
"I gave them the pass-word," she answered quietly.
"And what is that, if I may inquire?"
"It is a word you do not regard with the same feelings as ourselves,"she answered gravely. "But in Manoa it has always been a word toconjure with, and, so it is to-day--it is 'Mellenda.'" And, while shespoke, she looked at Templemore half defiantly.
But he made no reply, and they walked on in silence, and now with allcaution, to their destination.
Meanwhile, so soon as the sun had risen, messengers were hurryinghither and thither amongst the populace, knocking at doors, andsummoning all friendly to the king and the princess, to assemble in thegreat square where stood the large museum. And, in reply to excitedquestionings, they often only gave the magic word, 'Mellenda,' or said,'Mellenda calls you.'
Most of the population were early astir that morning, restless withanxiety and fear for the princess and her betrothed, who had, theywere told, been carried off by Coryon. As stated, by the great mass ofpeople their princess was much beloved by the people; and Leonard, ifhe had not gained their affection, had the sympathy, for her sake, ofall loyal subjects, and they were many. Indeed, all they wanted was aleader; they were too cowed to take action for themselves.
No wonder, then, that when such a leader came, announcing himself asthe long-expected, legendary Mellenda, the whole population, outsidethose who were gathered around Coryon in the amphitheatre, ralliedto his standard, and clamoured to be armed and led against theiroppressor. That there were plenty of arms in the museum all well knew;and, when the messengers ran to and fro, spreading the news of thereturn of their hero-king, all the men who heard the tidings left atonce whatever they might have in hand, and hurried to the museum. Therethey found Sanaima with a number of followers already equipped inthe well-known red tunics and winged helmets; and Colenna and othersengaged in giving out arms and uniforms to many more.
And when, shortly after, Monella appeared at the top of the wide flightof steps, clad in Mellenda's coat of mail, with the well-known bannerfloating above him, and wearing at his side the mighty sword, everyman and woman and child amongst the crowd below gave a great shout andknelt before him. Then Monella drew the mighty sword, that an ordinaryman could hardly wield, and, flourishing it in the air as easily asthough it were but the lightest cane, addressed the kneeling people insonorous tones that were heard by all, and were delivered with an airof exceeding majesty and dignity,
"Yes, my children! I have returned to you! After many days the GreatSpirit hath led my weary steps back to my beloved country, thereto finish my life's work, and end a long and troublous journey. Mypilgrimage through the ages hath been a punishment to me, even as thesame dreary time hath been a punishment to you; a punishment to myselffor having placed too high a value, in the times that are long past,on power and conquest and dominion; to you, for that your forefathersforsook their faith--the worship of the one Great Spirit--and embracedthe religion of the powers of darkness, and supported the atrociousCoryon in a rebellion against their lawful king, and in the murder ofthose near and dear to him. For that, the punishment hath been thatthey should be oppressed and cruelly ill-treated by him they thussupported, through many generations. But, at last, the anger of theGreat Spirit is appeased. He hath led me hither to deliver this fairland from the horror that
broods over it. I come to you, not with greatfleets of ships, with armies and generals, as of yore; but as a simplewanderer returning to his home. Yet in my coming the Great Spirit sentyou all a sign; for I arrived but just in time to save her who is thechild of Manoa's ancient race of kings and--my own descendant. This wasthe sign--this and the death of Zelus at the same time; which was awarning to Coryon that he heeded not. But time presses, and I may notsay more now. The princess and our friends are in great peril, and Igo to save them. I go to break Black Coryon's power for ever, and topunish him as he deserves. Then will I bring again to this fair landpeace, and happiness, and security for all."
Then, amid acclamations, and shouts and cries of delight, Monella--orMellenda, as he now called himself--moved off towards the place whereCoryon, in fancied security, was boastfully proclaiming his intentionto espouse the princess, and to live henceforth at the palace assupreme ruler of the country.
Those of Sanaima's followers from Myrlanda, who had been instructedin their duties, took charge, as officers, of ranks and companies ofthe newly-recruited men. They were assisted by many officers of theking's guard who had been held prisoners in the palace, but had beenreleased, and had now changed their blue uniforms for the red tunicsand winged helmets in the museum.
Some, however, remained behind, to equip and despatch reinforcementsas men continued to arrive asking to be enrolled. Thus, if troubleshould arise with Coryon, Monella would have at his back, eventually,an overwhelming force. And as the men kept marching off in companies,the crowd of women and children and old men collected in the squarein which was the museum stood about in anxious groups, awaiting news;hardly daring to hope for what all so fervently desired--the finaldownfall of their ruthless tyrant.