The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-10-01

that pierces through time. and through
barriers which separate the mind and
memory OF the past from the present.
las you know, Kamaiakan-was never
Wedded; the fate of our people, and my
early end, kept that from me. But the
thought OF that youth is here, "-she put
ner nand on her bosom-''and il seems to
me mat, were we to meet, L should know
MIN. Perhaps, were that to be, Miriam
and L might thus come to be aware of.
each other, and live henceforth one life"
such matters are beyond my knowl-
e0ge," SAID the Indian, shaking his head.
The gods know what will be. It is for
US, now, to regain the treasure. Are you
wiling, my Princess. to accompany me
Il am ready. Shall it be now?"
Not now, but soon. I will call you
when the moment comes. The place is
put ride of but two or three hours from
mere: None must know our departure,
Tor there are some here whom l do not
trust. We must go by night. You will
wear the garments you now have on,
without which all might miscarry.''
how can the garments effect the re-
suit, kamaiakan?''
"a powerful spell is laid upon them,
Princess. Moreover. the characters
wrought. upon them, with gold thread
and jewels, are mystical, and the sub
IL
to preserve the wearer from evil. 1t is the
same that was worn by you when the
treasure was hidden, and it may be,
Semltzin, that without its magic aid your
spirit could not know itself in this world
as now it can"
As he spoke the last words a sound,
wandering and muttering with an in
ward note, came palpitating on their ears
through the night air. 1t seemed to APP
proach from no direction that could be
identified, yet it was al first remote, and
then came nearer, and in moment trem-
bled around them, and shivered in the
solid earth beneath their feet; and in an
other instant it had passed on, and was
subdued slowly into silence in the shad
owy distance. No one who has once
heard that sound can mistake it for any
other, or even can forget it. The air had
suddenly become close and tense, and
now long breeze swept like sigh
through the garden, dying away in
long-draWn wall, and out Of the west
came hollow murmur like that OF
mighty wave breaking upon the shore of
the ocean.
1.-The earthquakep' whispered Kamai-
akan, rising to his feet And then he
pointed to the stone basin. Look! the
spring..
sit is gone" exclaimed Semitzin.
And, In truth the water, with strange,
sucking noise, disappeared through the
bottom of the basin, leaving the glisten-
ing cavity which had held it, green with
Shiny water-weed, empty.
The time Is near, indeed" muttered
the Indian. 1.-The second shock may
cause the waters from which this spring
came to rise as no living man has seen
them rise and make the sea return, and
the treasure be lost. In few DAYS ali
may be over. But you, Princess, must
vanish; though the shock was but slight,
\ ,,-.L~& l.
you to be discovered our plans might GO
wrong"
''Must / depart so soon?" said Semit-
Yin, regretfuIly. 1.-The earth is beautiful.
Kamaiakan-the smell of the flowers is
sweet and the stars in the sky are bright
To feel myself alive, to breathe, to walk,
| to see, are sweet. Perhaps L have no
other conscious than this. 1 would like
to remain as | am. | would like to see
the SUN shine and to hear the birds sing
| and to see the men and women who live
| in this age. Is there no way of keeping
me here?"
81 cannot tell. 1t may be; but it must
| not be now, Semitzin," the old man re-
piled, with troubled look. 1.-The ways of
the gods are not our ways. She whose
body you inhabit-she has her life to
| live"
but is that girl more worthy to live
| than /? You have called me into being
again; you have made me know how
pleasant this world is. Miriam sleeps:
she need never know; she need never
| awake again. You were faithful to me in
the old time; have you more care for her
than for me? l feel all the power and
| thirst of youth in me; the gods did not
let me live out my life; may they not in
tend that 1 shall take it up again now?
| Besides, 1 wear Miriam's body; could I
| not seem to others to be Miriam indeed?
How could they guess the truth?'
Il will think of what you say, Prin-
cess" said Kamaiakan. Something NAV
perhaps be done; but it must be done
gradually; you would need much instruc-
you could safely enter into it's life. Leave
that to me. lam loyal as ever; is it not
to fulfill the oath made to you that I am
here? and what would Miriam be to me,
were she not your inheritor? Be satisfied
for the present; in few days we will
| meet and speak again."
1.-The power is yours, Kamaiakan; it is
well to argue, when with word you can
Danish me forever! Yet what if I were
to say that, unless you consent to the
thing desire, / will not show you where
the treasure Ees?'
Princess Semitzin !" exclaimed the
Indian, remember that it is not against
me-, but against the gods, that you con-
tend. The gods know that have no care
for treasure. But they will not forgive
broken oath; and they will not hold that
one gulitless through whom it is brought
to Ilaught."
well, we shall meet again. answered
Sem1tzln, after pause. "But do you re-
memer that you, too are not free from re-
sponsibility in this matter. You have
called me back; see to it that you do me
| justice.'' She waved her hands with a
gesture of adieu, turned and left the in
closure. kamaiakan sank down again
| beside the empty bowl of the fountain.
Semitzin returned along the path by
| which she had come, towards the house.
AS she turnedround one of the corners
she saw Inanis figure before her stroll
Ing slowly along in the same direction in
which she was going. In few moments
he heard her light foot fall, and, facing
| about confronted her. She continued to
OF him; then she paused and gazed stead
| lastly in his face. He was the first hui
man being, save Kamaiakan, that she
had seen since her eyes closed upon the
world of Tenochtitlan, three hundred
years before.
The young man looked upon her with
manifest surprise, 1t was too dark to
distinguish anything clearly, but it did
not take him long to surmise that the
hgure was that of a woman, and her
countenance. though changed in aspect
by the headdress she wore, yet had feat
ures which he knew he had seen before.
But could it be Miriam Trednoke who
was abroad at such an hour and in such
costume? He did not recognize the
Golden Fleece, but it was evident enough
that she was clad as women are not.
Before he could think of anything to
say to her she smiled and uttered some
words IN a soft, flowing language with
which he was entirely unacquainted. The
next moment she had glided past him,
and was out of sight round the curve of