San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-12-29

ca5cnmg my meaning
Very well, senior, since you have
now sworn secrecy to me by the most
solemn oath that can pass the lips Oh
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 it: that while the heart
remained unbroken, for so long should
the people be one and whole; but if il
came about that it was cut or shat.
tered, they should be divided with it,
to be no more one people until again
the fragments were one stone.
''Now, when these king brethren
quarrelled and parted, they sawed the
token asunder, as you see.
cat length it 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 it has never been lost, and it is
known in the land from end to end; he
who wears it for his life being called
Keeper of the Heart and also Hope of
those who wait, since it may happen
in his day that the two halves may
come together again"
"And what if they do?"
''Then, so says the legend, the In
dians will once more be 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 this?" he asked
suddenly.
YES" l answered. ''or the greater
part of it. Indeed, if what hear is
true, the lost half of the talisman that
has been missing for so many gen.
erations is in Mexico at this moment,
and, SO soon as am well enough, go
to seek him who bears it, and who has
come from far to find me. That is why
we must part, senor."
sWhere has this man come from?'
he asked eagerly.
81 do not know for certain" an
swered, "but think that he has come
from the sacred city of the Indians, the
hidden golden city which the Spaniards
sought for but could not find, though
it still exists among the mountains and
deserts of the far interior"
"Why do you want to visit it, Igna-
tio?"
ITO understand that, senior, you
must know my history" And / told
him of the failure of the great plot and
the part that 1 had played in it, all of
which have already set out, also of the
secret hopes and ambitions of my life.
"Senor," l added, Though am
beaten am not yet crushed, and l still
desire to build up great Indian en-
pire. First. / will seek this man that
the two halves of the heart NAV come
together and the prophecy be fulfilled;
then, if maybe, l will travel with him
to the city, Heart of the World, care
less whether l live or die, but deter
mined, if there is need, to die fighting
for the fulfilment of the dream of an
Indian empire-Christian regenerated,
and stretching from sea to sea-that I
have followed all my days"
The dream, lgnatio? Perhaps you
name it well, yet few have such noble
dreams. And now, who goes with you
ON this journey"
"Who goes with me9 Molas, as far
as the temple where the Indian is.
After that, if ! proceed, no one."
Then said he, "the prospect of hunt
ing for that city pleases me, for / am
an adventurer to my heart. l am
ready to start for Tooasco, and the
Sacred City, and wherever else you
like, so soon as you are fit to travel"
"Do you swear that on the Heart,
senor?' asked.
"By all means; but 1 should prefer to
give you my hand upon it." And he
stretched out his hand, which took.
Good. You swear on the Heart,
and you give me your hand-the oath
is perfect"