Very soon Hellen went to bring Electra. When this beauteous maiden bent before her, Pyrrha gazed surprised, admiring; and next held out her hand and drew her to her to kiss her well. Still retaining the hand, she asked of Deucalion, “Are all the Atlanteans like this?”
“Would that they were. The spirit of Electra is as fair as is her body of flesh. With them the outer body was fair, but the inner one had become evil of shape. Moreover Electra hath in her veins the best blood of Atlantis and Khemi.”
“Hath she parents?”
“Her parents are above. There were Alto the king and his two brothers. Alto was the father of the last king, Atlano. The wife of King Atlano was Atlana, the daughter of the second brother by a princess of Khemi. The mother of Electra was the daughter of the third brother and wife of a prince of Khemi; and her brother was Oltis, the last high priest. Yet, though Electra was a princess and his niece, Oltis placed her in the temple as handmaid. From there, we freed her.”
“Why did Oltis thus?”
“He hated her father Cairais because Cairais well knew his evil spirit. And he longed for the riches, that would come to Electra. Further, he wished to trouble Queen Atlana who loved Electra well, after her mother.”
“Father, sudden was the passing away of Cairais. Could it be that Oltis poisoned him?”
“Ask me not, Hellen.”
“If Atlano had died, would Queen Atlana have reigned?”
“I feel sure that she would, though she is not all Atlantean. Hitherto, the kings and queens have been of pure race. But the Atlanteans were so fond of Queen Atlana that they would have made light of her Khemian blood; and the more so that they hated Oltis.”