Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-12-26

: there; next instant the lever slipped,
and down II came again. But had
taken my chance, for, clinging to the
floor with my fingers, SO soon as my
back was free, with quick movement
! dragged myself foot or more for.
ward. Then the point Of rock that had
been lifted from my back fell again,
but this time 1t struck the ground be-
tween my thighs.
Now he seized me by the arms and
tore me free, though l left one Of my
long boots beneath the stone. strove
to rise, but could not because Of the
hurt to my back.
you must carry me, senor," said.
| lie glanced at the mass that trcmbled
above us, then, giving me the candle,
lifted me from the ground like an in.
FAINT and staggered forward down the
| tunnel Perhaps we had gone some
seven or eight PAGES, not more, when
there was dreadful crash behind us.
The roof had fallen in and the spot
which we had occupied some thirty sec
onds before was now piled high with
rocks.
"Onr' said, cracks are showing in
the stone above u.s." and he rushed for
ward till we found ourselves exhausted
and bleeding among thegrasses outside
the mine
Now | bowed my head and returned
thanks for my escape; then, lifting it,
looked my preservor In the face and
said:
q swear by the name Of God, senior,
that he never made man nobler than
yourself
The next instant fell forward and
tainted there among the ferns.
Ten days had passed since was car
ried from the mouth of that accursed
mine back to Cumarvo in litter, and
during all this time | had suffered
much pain in my back and been very
ill-so i'll, indeed, that was scarcely
allowed to speak with anyone. Now,
however, | was much better, and one
afternoon Senior Strickland, assisted
! by my foster brother Molas, lifted me
from my bed into n hammock.
by the way, lgnatio,' said the
senior when Molas had gone, II never
gave you back this charm Of yours.
What a qneer-looking trinket it isl
he added, taking it from his neck,
''and what did you mean by your talk
in the tunnel about its making me heir
to the empire of the Aztccs In the heart
of every Indian, and the rest Of IT,
Know, senior, that this broken gem
is the secret symbol Of a great order,
of which you are now one of the lords,
seeing that the browning and vital
ceremony Of the creation of n Lord OF
the Heart consists in the hanging Of
the symbol about his neck for the
space Of a minute only by myself.
Understand senior, that the first
duty OF the servant Of the Heart is 81
lence, and that silence demand OF
you
"l}ut suppose that Il man should not
keep silence, lgnatio, what them" he
asked.
''rhere is a land, senor," an
swcred, "whcrc the most talkative
grow dumb, and its borders can be
crossed'by all, even by the Lords of
the Heart, for fearful Is the doom of q
false brother"
You mean that If repeat anything
may hear ! shall be murdcred9'
Indeed, no, senol; but you may hap
pen to die. speak on the Heart; do
you hear with the ears?'
II hear with the ears he answered,
catching my meaning,
Very well, senior, since you have
now sworn secrecy to me by the most
solemn oath that can pass the lips Of
man, | will speak to you openly.
You have heard the story of that
white man, or god, sometimes called
Quetzal by the Indians, and sometimes
Cucumatz, who came to these lands in
the far past and civilized their peoples?
"When Quetzal sailed away from his
people he left the stone, that once he
had worn upon his brow, of which this
is the half, to be treasure to the
kings who came after him. Also he set |
this fate upon Iii that while the heart
remained unbroken, for so long should |
the people be one and whole; but II IL |
came about that 1t was cut or shat
tered, they should be divided with It,
to be no more one people until again
the fragments were one stone.
Nov, when these king brethren
quarrelled and parted, they sawed the
token asunder, as you see
Sat length 1t came into the hands Of
the great Guatemoc, last Of the Aztec
emperors, who, before the Spaniards
hung him, found means to send it to
his son, from whom it has come down
to me.
Now Of this stone, through all the
ages il has never been lost, and It is
known in the land from end TO end; he
who wears 1t for his life being called
Keeper Of the Heart, and also Hope Of
those who wait since 1t may happen
in his day that the two halves may
come together again.
"Andwhat II they do?"
Then, so says the legend, the In
dams will once more be a mighty nation,
and drive those who oppose them into
the sea as the wind drives dust"
Now the senior rose from his chair
and walked up and down the room.
"Do you believe all this9' be asked
suddenly,
YES" answered, or the greater
part of It. Indeed, If what hear Is
al. L. Ill IL a