Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-01-23
HEART OF THE WORLD
BY II. RIDER HAGCARD.
Strange Story Taken From Manuscript Bequeathed by III oa
Mexican Indian to His Friend and comrade, -
Englshman Named Jones.
Copyrighted, 1894, by II. Rider Hassard

VI IiIr was peupieu Dy mllnons OF IN
sects, all of them venomous. Garrapat-
as, tiny gray flies, wood wasps, and
ants black and red tormented us with
their bites and stings, till we groanad
aloud in our misery, then remembering
our danger pushed on again.
Thus two hours and more passed till
reaching little stream that ran
through ravine in the forest, we
paused to drink and cool our fevered
Feet and hands. Zibalbay sank ex-
hausted upon the bank, where l
brought him water in my sombrero,
while his daughter sat herself down on
a stone in the stream, suffering it to
flow over her feet and ankles that BY
now were swollen with ant bites and
bleeding from cuts Of thorns and
grasses.
Presently she looked up and seeing
the senior standing on the bank talking
to me, invited him with a motion OF her
hand to seat himself beside her.
"What is your name, white man9"
she asked.
James Strickland"
Games 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 |, Maya
Of the Heart, whom many have served,
nm your servant forever"
"You should thank my friend, Don
Ignatio, he said, pointing to me.
! For few moments she looked at me
searchingly, then replied:
II thank HIM also, but | thank you
the most, for your hand rid me OF that
hateful man and saved us.
ut 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? IIarkl what
was that?"
As she spoke faintan distant sound
fell upon our ears, such sound as
might have been made by a bell struck
far away at night.
"That Is how they will find u.s. he
said, springing TO his feet, "Do you
hear, lgnatio? The dogs have hit our
trail Which way does our road run
now, lady?"
Along the banks OF the stream
"Then we must go forward In the
water" said the senior; tits 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.
grown with trees, between the boles OF
which appeared masses Of cut stone.
"'This Is the place, gasped Zilbalbay,
Look, yonder above us are the walls OF
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 flight, now almost entirely broken
away, emerging on what once had been
a broad and splendid terrace, but to-day
was chaos Of stonework in the crew
Ices of which grew bushes and even
large trees Over the head Of the stair
way stood colossal arch sculptured
with the figures of gods and beasts.
Thsi arch was in the last stage of de-
cay; indeed, the crown of 1t, a mass OF
masonry that must have weighed be-
tween one hundred and two hundred
tons, had been nearly separated from
its 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, SO slight
were the attachments which remained
between it and its supporting side col
umns and buttresses. that at first sight
It 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 inc crown VI tllc urcli. DE-
yond the arch, on the further
side of the terrace, rose the ruined
temple, a single-storied building with o
fat roof, whercon grew many shrubs
and palms.
Passing into the temple, Maya led us
into chamber In the corner lay
little pile OF articles covered over with
a serape that Maya fastened to remove,
revealing among other things an
earthen cooking pot, copper axe OF
similar workmanship to the machete
with which the senior had killed Don
Jose, two euriously fashioned blow
pipes, with supply Of poisoned darts,
and lastly, bags containing dried flesh,
beans and cuca-paste.
IAN is SAFE she said; "now let US
eat, that we may be strong to meet
danger
| While we were filing ourselves thank
f,lllv. with the dried meat the senior