Lives of Alcyone

that honesty was the best policy, and that the time had come to
undo the wrong of his life so far as was now possible.
They went back to the palace together, and Ursa sent for
Pollux and told him the whole story, saying that he must give up all
hope of succeeding to the throne. Pollux took the news badly, and
rushed out of his father’ s presence in a great rage.
Ursa then called together his chieftains, told them the whole
history of his life, and introduced to them the true heir to the throne.
The majority of them at once agreed to accept Sirius as heir, in spite
of the irregularity of his birth, and thenceforward he wore the golden
collar which marked his rank. Pollux, however, left the country and
endeavored to get together a foreign army to help him to assert what
he supposed to be his claim. He was unable to raise this army
among small neighboring tribes, and so went off to Poseidonis and
tried to interest the Toltec ruler in his affairs. Corona was quite
willing to espouse his cause because of the question of the tribute,
and also because Ursa had recently defeated his armies, though he
was unable to give much active assistance in consequence of a
considerable rebellion in another part of his dominions.
Meantime Sirius, having been publicly acknowledged, was
able to come before Mercury and tell the true story of his early life,
and demand once more the hand of Alcyone. Under these altered
circumstances Mercury was quite willing to give it, saying that
though the conditions surrounding the birth of Sirius had been
exceedingly irregular, yet his public acceptance as heir to the throne
to a large extent wiped out all that and assured his position. There is
no doubt the priest had taken a liking to the young man, and that it
was this and the strong love of Sirius for Alcyone that induced him to
11