The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-12-28
bptt ON, hat 8 dread ul Spilacel''1 III
SAD. think tlaat 4 Had rather aie 81

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..Still, people have gone down in tho
/: past . answered Maya, for look, this -
where they stepped OF the edge.
ss.Come away said Zilbal bay, none
of us here could talro that road and live.
/. The mules must go thirsty; 1--WE hours'
journey away there is a. pool where
/ they. can drink Tomorrow" Then.we
I. turned and LETT this cave of the winds
and were glad to be outside lot il, for
the place had an unholy, look. and, all
the draught understanding, was hot
to suffocation. y. +. n. MIC
Zilbalbay walked to the camp, but i
and the others stayed to pluck some
forage for the mules. Soon they grew
weary of this task and fell to talking as
they watched the sunset, which was
very beautiful On these lonely plains.
Presently heard the Lady Maya say:
meithat flower, friend, to wear
on my breast" and sheS pointed to q
snow-svhite cactus bloom that grew
among some rocks. '.3sF...
He climbed to the place and stretched
out his hand to cut the flower, when OF
q sudden I heard him utter an eScsama-
ton and saw him start back.
What is it?" l said. ''Have you
.pricled yourself, or cut your hand?'
. ttf.'t1A
wide with horror. and he pointed at
something gray that was gliding away
. among the stones, and as he pointed
j saw spot Of blood appear upon his
wrist. Maya saw it also.
IA snake has bitten you'' she cried.
in voice of agony; then she spranS at
him, and before guessed what she was
j. a bout to do, seized his arm with both
hands and applied, her lips to the
wound. He tried to wrench it free, but
she chung to it fercely, then calling to
me to bring a stick she tore a strip Off
her robe and made it fast around his
wrist above the! puncture. y By now l
was there with the stick, and setting it
in Che loop Of linen, twisted it till the
hand turned blue from the pressure.
'slVhat. snake was it?''' asked. $500.
1.-THE deadly gray sort, !" he answered,
adding: Don't look. so frightened,
Maya; l know a cure. Come to- the
camp, quick!" In two minutes we were
there, and the senior had snatched q
sharp knife and a powder flask.
'sNo w, friend, The said, handing me the
knife, s'cut deep, since it is life or death
to me, and there are no arteries on top
of the wrist .'r
Seeing what had come about, Zilbal-
bay held the senor's hand, and l cut
twice He never WINGED, but at each
cut Maya groaned. Then, having let
the blood fall till it would run no more,
we poured powder into the wound, as
much as would lie ON a twenty-cent
piece, and fired it. 1t went Off in puff
of white smoke, leaving the flesh be-
meath black and charred.
CHOW, as we have no spirits. there is
nothing more to be done except to
wait" said the senior, with an attempt
at smile
zilbalbay went to bag and pro
duced from it some cuca paste.
"Eat this" he said; lit is better than
any firewater."
the senior took the stuff and began to
swallow it till presently saw he could
force no more down, for. a paralysis
seemed to be creeping over him; his
throat contracted, and his eyelids fell
as though weighed down by irresistible
sleep Now, seeing that notwithstand-
ing our remedies the poison had got
hold of him. we seized him by the arms
and began to walk him to and fro, en-
couraging him at the same time to keep
brave heart and fight against death.
II am doing my best" he answered,
feebly; then his mind began to wander
and at length he fell down and his eyes
shut - ...,-e.o go
."Unless we can rouse him the white
man will de-" said Zilbalbay.
oh awake!'' cried, Maya despairing-
lv, placing her lips close to the senor's
ear. ...... 81
He seemed to hear her, for.though his
ewes did not open, he smiled family and
murmured, "l'll try r. 20, .,:4
Then, with our help, he struggled
from the ground and began to walk
again like man who is drunk. Then
he fellagain, and putting our hands upon
his breast we could feel the contrac-
tions of his heart growing weaker every
moment, till at last they seemed to die
awav. But of a sudden, when we had
already abandoned hope, it bounded
violently in his breast, and from every
pore of his skin, which till now had
been parched and dry, there burst SO
profuse perspiration that in the light
of the rising moon we could see it run
ming down his face.
3 II think that the white man will live
now; he has conquered the poison"
said Zilbalbay quietly, and hearing his
words, returned thanks to God IN my
heart. - .'@- ''''y' Hf
Then we laid him in a hammock, pill
ing blankets and serapes, over him till
at length the perspiration ceased, all
the fluid in his body having evaporated,
taking the venom with it.
For an hour or more he slept, then
awoke and asked for water in faint
voice. We, who were watching, looked
at him in dismav, for we had not a sin
gle drop to give, and this we were
obliged to tell him. He groaned and
was Silent for awhile, and then said:
eft would have been kinder tolet'me
die of the poison, for this torment OF
thirst is more than I can bear.'' ~
"Can we try the cueva?' faltered
Maya.
at is impossible" answered her
father. 1--WE should all bc killed"
Eyes, yes," repeated the senior, sit is
impossible. Better that;one should die
than all FOUR ~aasi ."tra@
=. Fear not,"' said to the senior, sit is
the poison that has dried yousup, but
thirst will not kill you so.soon, and.
presently you will feel it less, Obi
that we had medicine here to make you
sleep!''. 49,. -.
- he Law silent for awhile, making no
answer, but from the. workings OF his
hands. and face we could see that he
suffered much. ... "a. ~
Maya he said at length. "can you
find me cool stone to put in my
mouth?"
- She searched and. found d pebble,
which he sucked, but after time it fell
! from his lips, and we saw that it was as.
dry as when it entered them. Then his
brain gave way, and he began to rave
: huskily in many languages. ga:
Are you devil3''. he asked, ''tiaat you
suffer me to die in torment forth want.
of a drink of water?@ Why do you stand
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