San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-02-17

greatly Cherished OBJECT, spread upon
the floor over a bed of clean rushes.
There was no fireplace in this roonn as
was usually the case, and the walls were
of a pure and refreshing wilderness. 1t
had a window on each side, and was an
exceedingly pleasant apartment indeed
aside from the luxury of its gold and
silver exterior.
Gilbert felt that his lines had fallen
in pleasant places as the priests retired
and left him alone.
The unexpected developments of the
day had changed the course of the festi-
val, and the great feast had been forgot
ten; a quiet, peaceful sense of relief and
thankfulness filled all hearts, the deeply
religious among the people feeling
hushed into solemn gladness by the days
events, and discussing with much awe
the overthrow of Chalcu, the thunder
Gus coming of Quetzal and the peaceful
future so full of blessings that lay be-
fore them. and when the night settled
down upon the city they sought their
beds with a calm sense of security
brooding over them in the presence of
the fair god.
Gilbert, too, went to his couch with
somewhat the same thankful spirit in
his heart.
He awoke on the following morning
with that confused feeling that comes
on awakening in strange place strong
upon him, and as he lay ON his bear
skin robe he let his thoughts run over
the events of the preceding day. In the
realization of his peculiar position there
was uppermost in his mind the idea that
he had been placed there to accomplish
good. The thought of Pierce's fate
troubled him but slightly, for he knew
that the balloon, lightened of fully two
thirds of its weight, would rise and
probably convey him safely over the
mountain range into more habitable
and populOus regions.
In the future before him here he saw
the opportunity not only of study, but
for the exercise of his varied talents.
The first duty, he knew, would be to
master the language, and as he was a
finished and remarkable linguist he APP
pretended little difficulty in that direc-
ton. Beyond that the widest, widest
range of possibilities, verging even upon
the ridiculous, asserted themselves.
Then there crept over his thoughts a
memory, dim at first, growing stronger
momentarily, of dream that had Wis
tied his slumber during the night, and
it unfolded itself before him, gathering
form and details, as some dreams do, the
longer one dwells upon them. In it was
vision of a fair, sweet face with blue
eyes-the face he had seen in the even
ing-and he felt little suggestion of the
strange, tender thrill again.
Although he was thirty, and, he
thought, had been so madly in love
again and again that he was familiar
with the passion, yet that wild thrill
was new and weird sensation. He
felt it tingling through him as hemused,
and he wondered at it in dreamy way,
as a man might look back upon an ex-
pertinent in opium smoking or hasheesh
eating-as a sort of curious study in new
emotions or feelings. A close student of
men and of nature, as well as of science,
he knew but little after all of womel..
and had yet to witness the power If
loves strong passion in pure woman's
heart.
He rose and looked out the window.
The canyons depths We're still black as
night, but he heard the voices of the
shepherds as they drove ont their focks.
and some pale columns of blush smoke
were winding sinuously upward in the
still air, showing that life was stirring
in the strange city.
He went out and wandered along the
bank of the winding river, where the
pinOn orchards grew down to the waters
edge, and he saw the trout leap and rip
pie its calm surface. Farther on were
slight rapids, and he complacentIy Sc
lected a site for his mill with feeling
of enthusiasm.
There were delciously picturesque
spots along the stream, shady hooks
with velvety greensward and prOdtgaI
with flowers unknown to him, for he
was not a bOtanist.
He found he had wandered for quite
distance from the city by the time the
sun rose, and he returned more hur-
riedly, with an appetite for breakfast
that he hoped would be rewarded.
Kulcan was at the temple when Gil
bert arrived, and had prepared a me;
for the guest. 1t was evident that he
desired a closer acquaintance, for he en-
deavored to converse with the stranger
bringing all his knowledge to bear on
til. task, but i'll vain. Gilbert. however
renshed his friendly intentions and sig.
nifed his pleasure by cheerful, amiabIe
smiles.
Beginning by pointing to various oh