IV.
THE JOURNEY.
Ammon and the king had been playing totoloque, a game of ball, in the garden. Lamoni sat himself down to rest, for the heat of the day approached.
"Ammon, I would have had you for a son, but I must needs be content to keep you for a friend."
"It is an honor to be counted the friend of the king," he retorted, ignoring the first part of the remark.
"Alla takes it rather hard." An amused twinkle came into the father's eye. "She has been unbearable since you refused her."
"I have consecrated my life to the work of the Lord, Alla is too young and fair a creature to be tied to a somber personage like me."
"Your church is well started here. Let me take you to Nephi to meet my father, the emperor. He would like such a man as you."
"He is not a believer. He would seek my life. Moreover, I must journey in the opposite direction to Middoni for my elder brother Aaron and his friends, Muloki and Ammah, are in prison there. I go to deliver them."
"I know that in the strength of the Lord you can do all things, but I shall go with you. Antiomno, king of Middoni, is a friend of mine and I will flatter him that he will release your brethren from prison." He added curiously. "Who told you that they were in prison?"
"The voice of the Lord. Much of the power you attribute to me is gained through listening to the inner spirit that always prompts me aright."
Without question the king ordered his chariots and horses to be got ready for the journey. "We will travel together," he said. "Perhaps I may be able to help even you."
When a king journeyed it meant the moving of a cavalcade. That they might travel faster, Lamoni simplified his preparations. Besides his immediate servants he took only a small body guard. As he went as the guest of a neighboring king, what he lacked in number he made up in magnificence. He remarked to Ammon as they started out that they would fall an easy prey to robbers who could see their gold from afar off.
To give color to his predictions, they had not gone far when they descried a cloud of dust across the plains.
"Whoever they are, they far outnumber us." They had all been straining their eyes when Lamoni raised a shout. "It is my father, the old king himself. Only the ruler of all the Lamanites would travel with such a concourse."
The new comers bore rapidly down on them, and soon the heavy chariot of the emperor shot out and pulled up along side of them. The old man embraced his son but scowled at the white man.
"Why didn't you come to my feast?" he demanded. "And where are you going with this Nephite, who is the son of a liar?"
"I accompany him to get his brother out of prison in Middoni." He explained his absence at the feast by telling how he had lain as if dead for two days, and would probably have been buried alive had it not been for the missionary.
To his astonishment his father became furiously angry. "I am astonished that you have been caught in their toils. These Nephites have come here to rob you. Kill this man with your sword. Then turn about and come back to Ishmael with me."
His son defied him: "I will not slay Ammon, neither will I return to the land of Ishmael, but I go to Middoni that I may release the brethren of Ammon, for I know that they are just men, and holy prophets of the true God."
Enraged by his disobedience, his father raised his sword to strike him. Ammon interposed, "You shall not slay your son, though he is better prepared for death than you for he has repented. If you should kill him his blood would cry from the ground, and you might lose your soul."
The old man hesitated; his voice almost broke. "I know that if I should slay my son I should shed innocent blood. It is you that I ought to kill." He turned his blade toward Ammon, but the latter was too quick for him. He whipped out his own sword and with the stroke that had stood him in good stead at Sebus, he disabled the king's right arm. He could not use it. Realizing that the other was at his mercy, Ammon followed up his advantage. "I will smite you unless you grant that my brethren be released from prison."
Lamoni would not interfere. The retainers kept at a respectful distance. In fear of his life the emperor promised, "If you will spare me, I will give you anything you ask, even to half my kingdom."
The Nephite had the old man where he wanted him. "Release my brethren from prison. Let Lamoni retain his kingdom. Be not displeased with him; allow him to be his own master. Then I shall spare you; otherwise I strike."
The emperor's temporary feeling of relief at being spared from this whirlwind Nephite who swept everything before him, was supplanted by wonder. Ammon had asked for nothing for himself,—only for favors for Lamoni. Should he let a stranger be more generous than he? Touched by the missionary's love for his son, he rejoined, "Because this is all you have asked, I shall have your brethren cast out of prison. My son, Lamoni, may retain his kingdom from this time and forever, and I will govern him no more."
"Come, let the mid-day meal be prepared," exclaimed Lamoni, overjoyed at the turn affairs had taken. "We will eat together."
A hastily served meal it was, that consisted mostly of cooked meat and bread taken from leather pouches, but to the diners it was relished with the sauce of interest.
The two rulers asked each other many questions. They exchanged much news of family and national interest. The emperor asked eagerly after his granddaughter Alla. Lamoni, looking at Ammon out of the tail of his eye, explained that she was temporarily indisposed.
They took their siesta during the heat of the day while the attendants watered the animals. In the late afternoon when they arose to continue their journey, the emperor took an affecting leave of his son. Slipping off two gold bands that had encircled his left arm, he held one out to Lamoni, "Give this to Antiomno, to aid your quest. Say it is from the emperor, though, if rumor be correct, a gift from Alla might be appreciated more." He slipped the other bracelet on the arm of Ammon. "As for you, strange man, that asks nothing for yourself, if perchance you should think of something, bring this to the king, and he will redeem his pledge. The doctrine that holds such an exponent as you cannot be wholly wrong. You and your brethren come up to me to my capitol at Nephi, for I would know you better."
With that he took his departure. As the cavalcade wound across the plains, Lamoni and Ammon continued their journey to Middoni.
The herald of their coming had preceded them, for Antiomno, accompanied by his nobles, sallied out to meet them. The two rulers hailed each other like boon companions. After the formalities of greeting had been exchanged, the young Antiomno ventured to enquire after the health of the Princess Alla.
"So even when I leave her at home, I cannot get rid of the minx!" laughed Lamoni. "Take this cue from me, oh king, she is disconsolate. A sore heart is impressionable. It is ever ready to attach itself to something else. She has been disappointed."
"I will remember it," said Antiomno. "You may expect me to return your visit."
Lamoni looked relieved. There were still hopes of marrying his daughter off. After they reached the palace and had refreshed themselves from the journey, Antiomno was much astonished to learn that he owed the honor of the king's visit to some imprisoned missionaries that he had never heard of before.
"They may be here," he admitted dubiously, "I shall send and find out."
Leaving Lamoni to be entertained by his royal host, Ammon took his way toward the prison in search of his brethren.
RUINS OF THE PALACE OF THE INDIAN KING