A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder James De Mille

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intervals apart, flying in a straight line, while ours was last.
Layelah said nothing. She sat in front of me; her back was turned
toward me; she held in her hands the reins, which hung quite loose at
first, but after a while she drew them up, and seemed to be directing
our course. For some time I did not notice anything in particular, for
my eyes were fixed upon the athaleb immediately before us, upon which
was seated the loved form of Almah, which I could easily recognize.
But our athaleb flew slowly, and I noticed that we were falling
behind. I said this to Layelah, but she only remarked that it was
fatigued with its long journey. To this I objected that the others had
made as long a journey, and insisted that she should draw nearer. This
she at first refused to do; but at length, as I grew persistent, she
complied, or pretended to do so. In spite of this, however, we again
fell behind, and I noticed that this always happened when the reins
were drawn tight. On making this discovery I suddenly seized both
reins and let them trail loose, whereupon the athaleb at once showed a
perceptible increase of speed, which proved that there was no fatigue
in him whatever. This I said to Layelah.
She acquiesced with a sweet smile, and taking the reins again, she sat
around so as to face me, and said:
"You are very quick. It is no use to try to deceive you, Atam-or: I
wish to fall behind."
"Why?"
"To save you."
"To save me?"
"Yes. I can take you to the land of the Orin. Now is the time to
escape from death. If you go back you must surely die; but now, if you
will be guided by me, I can take you to the land of the Orin. There
they all hate death, they love life, they live in the light. There you
will find those who are like yourself; there you can love and be
happy."
"But what of Almah?" I asked.
Layelah made a pretty gesture of despair.