The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-12-28
CHAPTER XII.

zIBALBAY TELLS HIS MISSION.
When we reached the ruins of the
temple we ate and drank, then, know
ing that we could travel no further that
night, ] spoke, saying:
ssSome two months since, Ziba1bay,
you sent a message by that man who
died to save us this day, to him who,
among the Indians, is known as Lord
of the Heart. Your messenger travelled
found him and delivered the message"
'sTo whom did he, deliver it?' asked
Zibalbay. ~. r.
''To me, for I am the man you seek,
and with my companion l have jour
neyed here to find you, suffering many
dangers and evils on the path
'Prove that you are the man," and he
asked me certain secret questions to all
of which returned answers.
''You are instructed" he said at
length, and turning to Maya said:
'.Come hither. daughter, and give me
that which is hidden in your hair
Maya put her hands to her head, and,
drawing forth some small thing from
the dense masses of her hair, passed it
to her father. -
els this what you would seep' he
asked, holding the object in the light Of
the setting sun. . ,5.s'. f
I looked, and 10! there before me was
the very counterpart of that which had
descended to me from my forefathers,
and which wore about my neck.
''It would seem SO, unless my eyes
deceive me-" l answered. ''And is this
what you have come so far to seek, Iii
balbay?" and I drew forth the ancient
symbol of the Broken Heart.
Now he leaned forward and examined
first the one half and then the other,
searching them with his eyes
Then he turned to me and said:
"Now have day and night come to-
gether and soon shall the new sun
arise, the sun of glory, for already the
dawn is breaking. Take that which is
in your keeping and | will take that
which is mine, for not here must they
be Joined, but far away.
Listen, brethren, to my tale: Per-
chance, my brethren, you have heard
legends Of that ancient undiscovered
city, the last home of our race, which is
queror." .s-. .. ,:.s-
1--WE have heard of it and greatly de-
sire to see it," l answered.
eff this be so,'' went on Zilbal bay,
''in us you have found those who can
guide you to that city, Of which I am
the cacique and hereditary high priest,
and my only child here is the lady. You
wonder how it comes, then, that we,
being of this condition, are found un-
guarded and alone, wandering like beg
gars in the lands of the white man.
Listen:
.sThe City of the Heart, as it is called,
is of all cities the most beautiful and
ancient. and once in the far past she
ruled these lands from sea to sea.
$50 great was her power in the early
DAYS that all the cities whose ruins
may be found buried in these forests
were her tributaries; but as the years
went by hordes of barbarians rolled
down upon her frontier towns, so that
they were lost to her. Still no enemies
came near her gates, and she remained
the richest and most powerful of the
cities of the world.
s'Now, the City OF the Heart is built
upon an island in the center of a lake,
but many thousands of her children
upon the mainland, where they culti-
waited fields and dug in the earth for
gold and gems.
$50 she fiourished and her children
with her, till twelve generations since:
when there came tidings to the king
of that day that a nation of white men
had taken possession OF the empires
near the sea, putting their inhabitants
to the sword and possessing themselves
of their wealth. Tidings came also that
these white men, having learned the
tale of the City Of the Heart and of the
smeasureles: treasures of gold with
which it is adorned, purposed to seek it
out and sack it.
'sWhen the cacique was sure that these
things were true, he took counsel with
his wise men and with the oracle of the
god, and issued decree that all those
who lived upon the mainland should be
brought within the walls Of the city, SO
that the white men might find none to
guide them thither. This was done
then, and the spoilers sought in vain
for many years, till it was reported
among them that this legend of town
filed with gold was but fable.
.:Now, however, great sickness took