The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-26

kissed her and went, leaving her in
charge of the padre of the village and
some women. her sisters, taking with
me lock of her hair, and some fowls
and eggs as a present to the Lacan-
done. for they said that, though of our
race. this doctor was not a Christian.
Starting before the dawn l travelled
all day by the river and through the
forest, till at evening 1 came to the
ruined temple which l knew, and be-
gan to climb its broken stairs. AS l
neared the top a man appeared from
beneath the leaning archway that is
the gateway of the stair, and stood
looking at the ball of the setting sun.
He was an aged man, clad in linen
robe only, very light in color, with long
white beard and hair, nose hooked
like hawks beak, and fierce eyes that
seemed to pierce those he looked upon
and read their most secret thoughts
Greeting. brother he said, speak
ing in our tongue, but with strange
accent, and using many words that are
unknown to me, What brings you
here%
"Then he looked at me awhile, and
asked slowly:
"'Say, brother, are you sick at
hearth
Now, lord, when I heard those
words, of which you know the mean
ing, / was so astounded that l almost
fell backward down the ruined stair,
but recovering myself 1 tried him with
sign, and 10! he answered it. Then
/ tried him with the second sign, and
the third. and the fourth, and so on up
to the twelfth, and he answered them
all, though not always as we use them.
Then 1 paused, and he said:
You have passed the door Of the
sanctuary; enter, brother, and draw
on to the altar
But 1 shook my head, for I could
not Next he tried me with various
signs and strange words that have to
do with the Utmost mysteries, but i
was not able TO answer them, though
at times saw their drift.
""You have some knowledge he
said yet you do but stand at the foot
of the pyramid, whereas 1 watch the
stars from its crest, warming my
hands at the eternal fire.
"'None of my order have more,
lord, l answered, save the very
highest
"'Then there are higher in the
ldnd?' he asked eagerly; but started
suddenly, and, looking round, went on
without waiting for an answer, You
are in sorrow, Child of the Heart, and
have come from one who was sick to
the death; to your business, and per-
chance we will speak of these matters
afterward.'
"'First, lord 1 said, L have brought
an Offering and set down the basket
at his feet.
"'Gifts are good between brethren,
he replied; moreover, in this barren
place food is welcome. Come hither
daughter, and take what this stranger
brings
''As he spoke a lady came forward
] through the archway, dressed like hel
father, in a white robe of fine fabric
but somewhat worn. / looked at her
and it is truth, lord. that for the Sec
ond time I went near to falling, for sc
great was the loneliness of this cir
that my heart turned to water within
me- Never before had seen or even
dreamed of such beauty in a woman. "
ITO your tale, Molas, to your tale
What has the fashion of a woman's
beauty to do with the business of the
/ Hearth" ! broke in. angrily.
IT do not know, lord he answered
land yet 1 think that it has to do with
all earthly things.
1.-The lady, whose name was MAYA
looked at me carelessly, and took the
basket Following her through the
archway to the terrace beyond, 1 SET
out the matter of my wife's illness to
the doctor-or rather to him who
passes as a doctor, and who is named
Zibalbay, or Watcher-praying that he
come to the village and minister to
her.
He listened in silence. then took the
lock of hair that 1 had brought with
me, and, going to a fire that burned
near by. he laid some of the hair upon