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incredible that such a thing could be, almost within a stone's throw of the spot

where but a brief two centuries before had stood the greatest city of the world.

They bound me to a small tree that grew in the middle of one of their crooked

streets, but the girl they released as soon as we had entered the enclosure. The

people greeted her with every mark of respect as she hastened to a large hut near

the center of the camp.

Presently she returned with a fine looking, white-haired woman, who proved to be

her mother. The older woman carried herself with a regal dignity that seemed

quite remarkable in a place of such primitive squalor.

The people fell aside as she approached, making a wide way for her and her

daughter. When they had come near and stopped before me the older woman

addressed me.

My daughter has told me," she said, "of the manner in which you rescued her

from the men of the elephant country. If Wettin lived you would be well treated,

but Buckingham has taken me now, and is king. You can hope for nothing from

such a beast as Buckingham."

The fact that Buckingham stood within a pace of us and was an interested

listener appeared not to temper her expressions in the slightest.

Buckingham is a pig," she continued. "He is a coward. He came upon Wettin

from behind and ran his spear through him. He will not be king for long. Some

one will make a face at him, and he will run away and jump into the river."

The people began to titter and clap their hands. Buckingham became red in the

face. It was evident that he was far from popular.

"If he dared," went on the old lady, "he would kill me now, but he does not dare.

He is too great a coward. If I could help you I should gladly do so. But I am only

queen--the vehicle that has helped carry down, unsullied, the royal blood from

the days when Grabritin was a mighty country."

The old queen's words had a noticeable effect upon the mob of curious savages

which surrounded me. The moment they discovered that the old queen was

friendly to me and that I had rescued her daughter they commenced to accord me

a more friendly interest, and I heard many words spoken in my behalf, and

demands were made that I not be harmed.

But now Buckingham interfered. He had no intention of being robbed of his prey.

Blustering and storming, he ordered the people back to their huts, at the same

The Lost Continent