The queen then spoke, informing Leo what the custom of Hez was, concluding with:
“I have just been visited by a committee of unmarried ladies, who demand that they shall have an opportunity of drawing lots for each of you. It is the custom, and we must adhere to it. I have appointed to-morrow morning for the drawing to take place. You will all remember this, and be at the palace an hour after sunrise.”
With these words she left our friends, taking Azurma with her.
The next morning, at the appointed time, Leo, Dick, Prof. Easy, Martin Haypole and Lucky made their way to the abode of the queen.
At least half a hundred girls and middle-aged women were there, and it was with great difficulty that our friends managed to squeeze their way in.
More than one pair of eyes cast a bewitching glance at them as they passed, and Lucky and the Yankee grinned in a wholesale manner.
Queen Olive was at the further end of the long hall through the center of the building, and Dick noticed that her face wore an anxious look.
When all had assembled and the utmost quiet reigned, she arose and addressed the audience in Spanish.
“Women of Hez,” said she, “we have assembled here this morning, according to our ancient custom, to choose five husbands. Our law is that no woman shall ever marry, unless her husband be a stranger from the outside world. That is the way our race was founded, and is the reason why we are so few in number. But the custom must be kept up. There are fifty-one of us here, and there are but five strangers. Forty-six must be disappointed. As Queen of Hez, I shall choose one of the five without going into the form of drawing lots.”
A slight murmur of disapproval arose from the assemblage as these words rang out.