The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-12-28
HEART OF THE WORLD.
BY III. RIDER HAGGARD.
Strange Story Beqeathed by Old
Mexica His Friend and Comrade.
Named Jones'
Copyrighted. 1894, BY a Rider uaggard

reaching little stream that ran
through . ravine in the forest, we
paused to drink and cool our fevered
1cet and hands. Zibalbay sanl1 ex-
hausted upon the bank, where I.
brought him water in my sombrero,
while his daughter sat herself down on
q stone in the stream, suffering it to
G3w over her feet and ankles that by
now were swollen with ant bites: and
tieeding from cuts of thorns and
grasses.
Presently she looked up and seeing
Che senior standing on the bank talking
10 me, invited him with motion of her
hand to seat himself beside her.
What is your name, white MANI"
ste asked.
James Strickland"
flames Strickland" she repeated,
with some difficulty: II thank you,
James Strickland, for rescuing my
father from torment and me from in
suit, and because Of that deed I, Maya
os the Heart, whom many have served,
am your servant forever"
"Iou should thank my friend, Don
Ignatio," he said, pointing to me.
For a few moments she looked at me
aearchingly, then replied:
II thank HIM also, but l thank you
the most, for your hand rid me Of that
hateful man and saved us.
sit is early to return thanks, lady"
he said; 1--WE are not out OF danger
Yet.'
II have little fear now that we have
escaped from that dreadful house," she
answered. almost indifferently, "since
our hiding place is near And how can
they find us in this forest? Hark! what
was that?"
As she spoke a faint and distant sound
FELL upon our ears, such sound as
might have been made by bell struck
far away at night.
That is how they will find u.s." he
aid, springing to his feet. 'Do you
near, lgnatio? The dogs have hit our
now, lady?'
along the banks OF the stream"
"Then we must go forward in the
vater," said the senior; cts our only
chance, for the hounds cannot track us
there"
Not more than three hundred PAGES
from the banks of the little stream we
came upon high mound densely over
crown with trees, between the boles of
which appeared masses of cut stone.
''This is the place, ''gasped Zilbalbay.
Look, Wonder above us are the walls ct
the temple, and here is the ancient
stairway that led to it." And he pointed
to long flight OF crumbling stone steps
almost hidden in ferns and bushes. Up
these steps we went with caution,
Molas carrying Zilbalbay upon his
broad back.
The staircase was in three flights, the
top fight, now almost entirely broken
away, emerging on what once had been
a broad and splendid terrace, but to-day
was q chaos Of stonework, in the crew
ices of which grew bushes and even
large trees. Over the head of the stair
way stood a colossal arch sculptured
with the figures of gods and beasts.
Thsi arch was in the last stage of de-
cay; indeed, the crown of it, a mass of
masonry that must have weighed be-
tween one hundred and two hundred
tons, had been nearly separated from
It's supports by the action of time and
rain, aided, perhaps, by shock of
earthquake, and hung threatening over
the top of the stair. In truth, 30 slight
were the attachments which remained
between it and it's supporting side col
umns and buttresses, that at first sight
1t seemed as though it must fall at once.
A closer examination showed, how
ever, that it was held in place by three
or four great roots, trees that grew
upon the crown Of the arch. Be-
yond the arch, on the further
side of the terrace rose the ruined
temple, single-storied building with a
fiat roof, whereon grew many shrubs
and palms.
Passing into the temple, Maya led us
into chamber. In the corner lay a
little pile of articles covered over with
a serape that Maya fastened to remove,
revealing among other things an
earthen cooking pot, a copper axe OF
similar workmanship to the machete
with which the senior had killed Don
Jose, two curiously fashioned blow
pipes, with supply of poisoned darts,
and lastly, bags containing dried flesh,
beans and cuca- paste.
'All is safe," she said; ''Dow let us
eat, that we may b; strong to meet
danger"
While we were filling ourselves thank
fully with the dried meat the senior
spoke to me, saying he hoped our pur-
suit had been abandoned.
You can know little of these men to
speak thus" he answered. "Don Pedro
will certainly seek to avenge the blood
OF his son."
=. .Then what do you propose to do?"
he asked. ''Start on again, or stop
here?''
."Senor, we must stop here because
we cannot travel farther, unless you
would abandon the old man and his
daughter Moreover, in the forest it
would be easy to overwhelm us, but this
place is hard to climb, and here at least
we may die fighting. Let us make
ready for the worst, senior"
GLOW are we to make ready" he
asked, when we have nothing to fight,
>, with except machetes and Indian blow
pipes. The powder in the pistol TASKS
Is damp and the caps will miss fire, so
that If they come our death is certain
SIT seems So" answered, land yet
IL it pleases God we may live. Yonder
lie stones in plenty; let US pile them up
beneath the archway; perhaps we may
kill some of our foes by rolling them
down the steps"
This we did then, while Maya watched
s@us At length the task was finished.
and aa we turned to leave the heaps of
stones we heard dog baying down by
the river, followed by a sound of men
and horses forcing path through the
bush.
stLook, here; they corne," said the
senior, and as he spoke a party Of seven
or EIGHT men, three Of them riding on
mules, appeared at the foot of the
mound, and, dismounting, picketed
their animals to trees.
..Now for it," said the senior, rising
and shakine himself like dog that
leaves the water Il wonder n w many
of us will be left alive when this sun
sets?'' ,5.!.
E' AS he spoke one Of the men advanced
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