The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-07
Copyright, 1891, by H. Rider Haggard.)
Written for The Salt Lake Herald.1
CHAPTER XIV.
IGNATIo'S OATH.

IGNATIO'S OATH.
At sunrise on the following day lit
q fire by which to prepare soup for the
senior, who still slept, and as l was en-
gagged thus / saw the lady Maya walk
ing toward me and noticed that her
hands and feet were swollen.
Sonora 1 said, bowling before her,
sI humbly congratulate you upon your
courage and your escape from great
dangers. Last night I said words to
you in my grief that should not have
been spoken, for it is my fault that l
am apt to be unjust to women. Now
1 crave your pardon, and l will add
that if in atonement for my past in
justice / can serve you in any way
now and afterward, L pray you to COM
mand me-" She listened, and an
swere5:
81 thank you for your kind words,
Don IgJlatio and / forget other words
that were not kind which you have
spoken to me from time to time. If
In truth you wish to show yourself my
friend it is in your power to do so.
You have guessed my secret, therefore
/ am not ashamed to repeat that the
senior yonder has become everything to
me, though as yet / may be little to
him. I ask you then to swear upon
the Heart that you will do nothing to
turn him from me or to separate us
should he ever learn to love me, but
rather, should this come about, that
whatever may be our need you will
help US by all means in your reach
You ask me to swear a large oath,
sonora, and one that deals with the
future, of which we have no knowl-
edge" I answered, hesitating.
81 DO, senior; but remember, were it
not for me at this moment your friend
who sleeps yonder like al child would
be still in death. Remember, also,
that you have ends to gain in the City
of the Heart, where it will be we'll for
you to have me as a friend should we
ever live to reach it. Still, do not
swear unless you wish, only then l
shall know that you are my secret
enemy and / shall be yours
There is no need to threaten me.
sen 1ra,' l answered, NOR am l to be
moved thus; but l promise that / will
not stand between you and the senior.
Why should 1? His will is his own,
and, as YOU say, you saved his life. But
see, he awakes, and his soup is ready
She took the pot off the fire, SKINNED
1t, and poured the contents into a
gourd.
shall L take 1t, or will your she
asked.
Il think you had better take st." 1
answered.
Then she walked to the hammock
and said: "Senor, here is your SOUP"
He was but newly awakened, and
looked at her vacantly.
Tell me, Maya he said, what has
happened?'
Last evening" she began, 'in pick
ing a flower for me you were bitten by
q snake and very nearly died"
II know he answered. Without
doubt should have died had you not
sucked the wound and tied a bandage
round my wrist, for that gray snake
is the deadliest in the country. Go on
After the danger of the poison was
past you became thirsty, so thirsty
that you were dying of 1t, and there
was no water TO give you
Yes, yes he said; 't was agony.
I pray that I may never suffer so
again. But 1 drank water and lived.
Who brought it to me?'
My father started on to the next
camping place, where there is a pool"
she answered.
HAS he returned?"
mo; not YETI
Then he cannot have brought the
water. Where did 1t come from?"
1T came from the cueva, that place
which We examined before you were
bitten"
who went down the cueva to get
1t? The place is unclimbable.'
II went down."
Your he said in amazement. You!