Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-04-13

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She was superstition snd feared it would
trouble him.
The very next day the council Of the
Katun was called. Its duty was to select
victim and arrange for the great feast.
IT 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 maidens selected by the council
should die.
The council was in secret session
! eighteen days; no one knew It's decision.
not even the high priest, and the result
ofits deliberations would not. be known
until week before the feast. This
would be the week of the election and
the public 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 politician; the priests were busy
at all hours; the maidens, with fearful
eyes and blanched cheeks, wept and
woye shrouds for themselves, for no one
knew who would be taken.
In the midst Of all Eric became III
from oyerwork and lay for ten days in q
delirious fever, tenderly .nnrsed by Leila
and Jan.ila, but unconscious Of their
presence. She rarely left his bedside,
administering to him the medicines be
had placed at his sids-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 a
breath Of scented air came, full OF
springs promises, in at the open window,
and turned to find his dark eyes with
loves gentle gleam 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 q new phase Of the fe-
yer; but he turned his face to her as he
pressed her hand and said:
"Dear heart. how long have ] been illy'
"Oh, so long, so long, my own-ten
long, dreadful days-and ] feared that
should lose youl But you will get well.
sweetheart. You will not leave your
poor Le,a!''
Z "No. dear. | will not leave you.
shall recover fast now. | think, and you
my own-you look so pale and tiredl
tGo and rest and get some color in those
white cheeks.
She laid her head on the pillow beside
him and looked deepinto his eyes. After
awhile her own lids drooped. and in a
moment she slept, with contented
smile upon her lips. The blue veins in
her forehead made her skin look like
purest marble as she lay there. Her
sweet breath famed his cheeks as he
gazed upon her fair and childlike, yet q
woman in the full bloom OF her rare
beauty -perfect-the very dream Of al
artist or poet.
When he left his bed and could wall
"a his window and look forth, 10! the