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

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D, 4 If, M 81 b .l..
s ssyent without nssveri IA
behind 8 bush 8 r0nt th fds :s
Here, iit seems
1 told me a. terward, and Tor asls. mo
part do hut repeat her woras-7sh sne-s
gan to think. sS5 s fs5 ss s8Ssss
Only one thing could save him.
water In the depths ct yonder hill !.
( within a few PAGES OF her, doubt less :it,
lay in plenty itb,at vito. would dare arg t !,
seek it there? And yet the dascent of
the cueva must ba possible, since che
ancients used it daily, and why could:
she not dc what they had done2 Yes,s
/ she would try it! When once she had
made p her mind, Maya set about the
task swiftly. y Z: .s. .st.s, !. s.' Il
SIZE provided herself with; flint, steel,
timber, rope, and a small water-skin
OF uptanned hide, which. she strapped
upon her shoulder. In another minute
she was running across the desert like
a deer. At the entrance to tho cueva
she paused. to gather up the aloe torches
which had been thrown down, there.
and also to. look for one moment at the
familiar face Of aigl,t--the light that
she might never see again. Then she
lit q torch aud crspt through this narrow
opening. lf
The place had been awful in the
evening when she visited itin she com M
pany Of the rest OF rs. Now, alone
and at night it appalled, her.
She halted on the briak to strip her
self SO chat there might be AS 1ittle as
possible to impede her u,ovea4ents in
climbing the stair, and twisted her
hair into knot. Next she tied the
cord about her middle and the water
skim to which she fastened the flint
and steel, upon her shoulders. Light
ing two of the largest torches she fixed
them slantingwise in crevices OF the
rock, so that their flames shore over
the mouth of the shaft, down which she
threw, hrst a bundle of unlit torches,
and lastly one on fire. This torch did
not go out, as she had expected that it
would, for presently looking down the
pit she saw a spark of light shining
one hundred and fifty feet Or more be-
Wv All ali ner preparations were conn
plete. and nothing remained TO be done
except to descend and search for the
water ,....
By the time that she was third OF
the way down the shaft her courage re-
turned to her, and the only fear she
felt was lest some Of the inches should
be broken Fortunately this was not
the case, although one of them was SO
much worn that her toes slipped out OF
it, and for second Or two she hung by
her hands Recovering herself, she
went on from step to step till at length
she stood at the bottom of the shaft.
After few minutes pause to get her
breath, Maya found one OF the dry aloe
stems and lit it at the einbers OF the
torch, which she had thrown down the
pit Then she looked round her to And,
herself in a large, natural cavern OF no
great height, which sloped gently
downward furthe: than she could see.
Turning her eyes to the floor she
searched for and found the patti that
lad been followed out by the feet OF
the ancients, but now was half hidden
in sand and dust.
1t ran struight down the cave and she
followed it for fifty PAGES Or moro,
holding the light in, one hand end
some spare torches under her arm,
Suddenly the passage took a turn,
and there in the center of wonderful
place, such as she had never seen be-
fore, CLEANED the water which she had
risked her life to reach u
This water, though clear as crystal,
was not still, for once in every tsvo'sec..
onds a great bu bble rose in the center OF
the pool to burst on it's surface and send
q ring of ripples to the rocky sides. SO
beautiful was this bubble, and so resr1i-
lar it's appearance, that for sonae min
utcs Maya watched it, then, remember
ing that she had no time to spare, set
herself to get to the water, only TO find
that she was confronted by a new diff
k,,+ F/,r. p
sight .ight have proved insuperable.
The rock / anll of the pool was so smooth
and sloped so steeply to the water that
It was quite impossible for anyone to
keep afooting Oh it.
The ancient had overcome tho
trouble hy means OF a wooden stair
case, as was evident from the places
followed in the rock to receive the up
rights, but this structure had long since
rotted away At the head OF where
this staircase had stood a hole was
bored in the rock, doubtless to receive
rope by which the water bearers sup
ported themselves while they filled
their lars, and the sight of this holo
gave Maya an idea,
Untying the cord which she had
brought with her, she made it fast
through the hole, aud having fixed the
torch into one Of the spaces followed to
hold the timbers of the stairway, she
slid down the bank till she stood breast
high in the water. For minute or
more she remained thus drinking her
I'LL and enjoying the GOODNESS OF her
bath, then, first having taken care TO
remove the finder that was tied TO 1T,
she slipped. the water skin from her
shoulder, washed it out, filed and re-
placed it.
Next she ORA ggcd herself up the bank,
and by the light of a new torch started
for the foo, Of the shaft. Here Maya
rested awhile, gathering up her er,er-
gies, then she commenced the ascent.
There were 101 Of the notches. for she
had counted them as she came down,
and now again she began to count 80
that she might know her exact position
in the shaft, of which she could see
nothing because of the intense dark
ness. Before she had assembled tifty
steps she was dismayed to 6nss q feeling
of weariness taking possession OF her,
which forced her to pause awhile, bang
ing to the face Of the shaft. Then she
went Oh again, and with great efforts
reached the seventv-6fth step.
Then it seemed that q voice called
her, and she struggled. writhing forward
like a wounded snake, till darkness
closed in upon her mind. ~ q.
When Maya recoveredna few minutes
later she found that she was lying upon
the edge Of the pit, over which laer feet
still hung. Instantly sire remembered
all. and with.a little scrcam.of terror
wriggIed forward along the floor. Then
she rose to her feet, and picking up her
linen robe, crept toward the entrance
n,