The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-05-05

gan to circle in ever widening sweeps,
faster and faster, ever higher, ever
stronger as its wings gained power,
until at last, high in the armament, it
passed beyond their vision, and the can
yon wall shut it out. They stood 81
lently watching until it had gone from
view; then Eric said with sigh of
satisfaction:
"He's well off! Now if no hawk seizes
him, nor hunter bag him, he will be in
San Francisco in few days"
"And thenY she inquired obviously.
''Then? Well, then in a few more
days perhaps you will see other men of
my kind, many of them, maybe-and
maybe, too, you will find some one far
more to your liking" He looked slyly
at her, but she scorned to reply. She
was so sure there was no man like him
in all the wide world that she could
smile at the very thought.
That night in her dreams she followed
the bird in his fight over the desert and
the mountains, and it seemed that it was
in sight of fair city, but suddenly
hawk with tho face of Chalpa swooped
down and struck it to the earth, then de-
voured it at his leisure. She awakened
with shudder, glad to find it but
dream. She did not tell it to Eric, for
she was superstitious and feared it would
trouble him.
The very next day the council of tho
Katun was called. Its duty was to select
victim and arrange for the great feast.
1t was composed of twelve priests, the
Office being hereditary, the only heredi-
tary Office in Atzlan. Some of them
were old, but the majority were men
under thirty. Chalpa was the chief Of
this council and one of the three who
cast the fatal lot to decide which of the
twenty maiidens selected by the council
should die.
The council was in secret session
eighteen days; no one knew its decision,
not even the high priest, and the result
of its deliberations would not be known
until week before the feast. This
would be the week of the election, and
the pr bic mind WAS in ferment; all
pursuits were neglected, and the people
spent their time discussing these two
topics from morn until night. Chalpa
was seen everywhere, using all The arts
of the politicians; the priests were busy
at all hours; the maidens, with fearful
eyes and blanched cheeks, wept and
wove shrouds for themselves, for no one
knew who would be taken.
In the midst OF all Eric became i'll
from overwork and lay for ten days in a
delirious fever, tenderly nursed by Leila
and Jan-ila, but unconscious of their
presence. She rarely left his bedside,
administering to him the medicines he
had placed at his side-as he had in
structed her when he felt the fever gain
ing upon him-and giving him the food
that Jan-ila prepared; hanging over him
in tender broOding when he slept. or
standing at his side in terrified agony
when he raved in his delirium-talking
to those demons whom he saw, she
thought, menacing his life.
Her sweet face was the first he saw
when the fever left him, and he opened
his eyes with speculation and reason in
them. He lay there looking at her for
awhile. She sat at the foot of his couch,
and the morning light was cleaning in
her golden hair. He saw that she was
pale and wan with anxious watching,
and her eyes, that looked so mournfully
out over the meadow, had dark blue
shadows under them. She sighed as 8
breath of scented air came, full of
springs promises, in at the open window,
and turned to find his dark eyes with
loves gentle CLEAN in them fastened
upon her face. She gave little start
and then came to kneel beside him and
take his hand. She was not yet certain
that this was not new phase of the fe-
yer; but he turned his face to her as he
s,rcccad 1,o,. hand and said.
ssDear heart, how long have been ill?'
sob. so long, so long, my own-ten
long. dreadful days-and feared that
should lose you! But you viii get well.
sweetheart. You win. not leave your
poor Lelal''
ssNo, dear, viii not leave you. I
shall recover fast now, I think, and yOu