The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1896-08-13

t'You have forged this writing, Mat
tai" she said, ''and now you desire that
| should set it in the symbol, for You
are mindful of that curse which Is
written in the ritual. In short. If you
do not fear the vengeance of the god,
you fear the vengeance of the order"
ITO speak the truth. lady, / fear
both. Still, YOU must make your choice,
and swiftly"
Now she turned to MS, saying:
Advise me, friends, for 1 know not
what to answer. In the faith of my
people | have lost faith. and it is to
yours that look for comfort, and yet
the deed seems awful, for II we are not
worshipers of the nameless god, still we
are all of us brethren of the ancient
mysteries of the Heart, and TO do this
thing would be to break our solemn
oaths. Come, let us put it to vote, and
do you. who are the oldest and the
wisest among us, vote first, lgnatio."
$50 be it," / answered. For my
part | give my voice against the trick.
OF the gods of your people know poth-
ing and think less, but am the master
of our order in my own land, and will
not offend against IL. Still, in this
matter your lives are at stake as well
as mine: therefore, if of the tbree of
us TWO are IN 1aVOr OF lnc ACT Will De
bound by their decision"
Good, let it be so, said Maya. And
now, beloved, speak and tell us whether
you choose death and a clean con-
science, or life and my love TO gladden.
it." and she looked into his face with
her beautiful eyes, and half stretched
out her arms as though she would clasp
him to her breast
II have no choice" he said. II do
not fear to die, if need be: but should
be no man were l to choose death while
1t is your wish that | should live. Like
| Ignatio, l say that the gods of this city
are to me nothing more than idols, and
to deceive that which does not exist is
impossible. For the rest, l became a
Brother of the Heart not by my own
wish, but by accident; therefore, on this
point, my conscience pricks me little.
II will do your wish, Maya, and if
you think it better that we should die,
why let us die and make an end"
Nay" she answered with a fash of
reckless passion, II think 1t better that
we should live far from this unluclky
city, and there be happy in each others
love. For your sake my fathers curse
has fallen on me, and after it all other
maledictions of gods or men will be
light as feathers"
Little do / care for vengeance TO
come if for only one short year i may
call you husband.
"Ill-omened words" muttered Mat
tai, shivering little; words that only
woman would utter, but SO be it,"
As he spoke thought | heard a faint
groan come from the man upon the
couch. glanced anxiously at Zabal-
bay to find that l must have been mis-
taken. or, at least, that it had not pro-
ceeded from his lips for he lay there
rigid and senseless as a corpse.
THE vote is taken" l said. "What
next, Mattai?"
Follow me-" he answered. land
will show you secret path from this
chamber to the sanctuary beneath.
Nay, you need not fear TO leave him
for if his life still burns within him it is
asleep But stay, where is the tails
man? That will be necessary to u.s."
Il have one-half," / answered, "tht
other is about Zibalbay's neck"
Find it," he said sternly to the Lady
Maya. Nay, you must"