The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-12-27
HEART OF THE WORLD.
BY n. RIDER HAGGARD.
Strange Story, Taken From O Manuscript Be
questhed By an Old Mexican Indian TO His
Friend and COmrade, an English.
man Named Jones.
!To BE Continued

by all means, senior. they are al
ready forgotten. Well, adios, this sight
not 81 pleasant that | wish to study
Not far from the ruined temple where
Zibalbay and his daughter sojourned is
the hacienda Of Santa Cruz. and there
as you may have heard, dwell a gang
of men under the leadership of one
Dom Pedro Moreno, who are by profes.
sion smugglers, highway robbers and
murderers, though they pretend to
earn living by the cultivation of coffee
and cocoa. ..t
AS it CHANGED in journeying home
wards, fell into the hands of some of
these men. They searched me, and,
finding Jumps of gold in my pocket,
handed them over to Don Pedro him.
self, who rode up when he saw that
they bad the fish in their net. He ex-
amined the gold closely, and asked me
whence it came. At first refused to
answer, whereupon he said that
should be confined in dungeon at the
hacienda until such time as chose to
speak.
Then, being mad to get back to nv
village and learn the fate of my wife, I
found my tongue and spoke the truth,
saying that the gold was given me in
exchange for food by an old Indian
doctor, who dwelt with his daughter
in ruined temple in the forest.
Mother of Heavenv said Don Pedro,
L have heard of this man before; but,
now know the kind of merchandise in
which he trades, think that l must
pay him a visit and learn what mill IL
was stamped at
Then, having plucked me bare as a
fowl for the oven, they let me go with
out hurt"
L. 1gnatio, sat late that night ponder
ing over these tidings that filled me
with strange hope. l threw myself
upon my bed and strove to sleep, but
could not. Then remembering the
scroll that my friend had given me. I
rose, purposing to change my thoughts
in studying il and so win sleep. 1t was
hard task, but at length mastered its
meaning, and found that it dealt with
n mine near CumarvO, and described
the exact position of the mouth of the
tunnel.
This mouth. it would appear. had
been closed up in the reign of Guatc-
moe, and the scroll was written by
the caciquc who had charge of the
mine in those days, in order that Il rec
ord might remain that would enable
his descendants "a reoncn it. Should
time come when The Spaniards were
driven from the land That the mine
was very rich in free gold was, shown
by the weights Of pure metal stated in
this scroll to have been sent year by
year to the court OF Montczuma by this
caciquc. and also by the fact that II
4bDr1r~I,t y--,-+1,
SpaniardS.
Early on the morrow went - the
room of Senior Strickland and spoke 20
him with heavy heart
''Senor." | said. won viii remember
that when | entered your service told
you that | might have to leave il at
any moment. Now | am here to say
that the time is come. for messenger
has arrived To summon me to the other
end of Mexico upon business of which
L may not speak. and Tomorrow | must |
start upon the journey"
Il am sorry to hear it. IgnatiO." he !
answered. for YOU have been a good |
friend to me. Still. YOU do well To sep
aratc your fortunes from those of an |
unluclly man."
And you. senior, do i'll to speak thus |
to me-" | answered; still, l forgive !
you because | know that at times. |
when the heart is sore. the mouth ut |
tiers words that are not meant. Listen, !
senior: When You have eaten your /
breakfast, will You take ride with !
mc?"
Certainly. if you like. But where !
do you want to ride to-
ITO another mine that is. or should /
be, about two hours on horseback from |
coll 1T q.
peak"
An hour later we were riding among
the mountains. having left a message
for Molas to say that | should return
before dark. After hard Journey and
a long search. by good lucli. we discov-
cred hole Immediately beneath a
rock, large enough for man to Green
into.
Was this made by a coyote. or is
il the mouth of mine?" the senior
asked.
THAT we can only find out by enter
n2 il, answered. Doubtless when
hey shut down the mine the antiques
would have left some such place as
his to ventilatc the workings Bring
he picksx. senior. and we will soon
'ee"
For ten minutes or more we labored.
in soft ground with pick and
pade till we barred the side Of a tun-
,el. which examined
There is no need totrouble further
said. this rock has been cut with
Upper chisels. for here is the green of
he copper. Without doubt we have
ound the mouth of the mine. Now
i've me the hammer and candles. and
ring the leather bag for samples. and (
ve viii enter"
CHAPTER "
TINE LEGEND or TINE HEART
When had gone few PAGES down (
he hole it widened suddenly so that