Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-08-13


| voice is the voice of truth. For these
reasons also. she to WHOM ! was af.i-
anced being dead, have taken to wife
Nahua, the daughter of Natal. Say,
do you accept us?'
Now some few of the company were
| silent, but the rest cried:
We accept you, Tikal and EaEua,
and long may you rule over us accord
| ing to tEc ancient customs of the land. Z"
1T Is well, my brethren" answered
Tizal. "And now, before we drink the
parting cup, have any of you aught to
say to me?"
Il have something to say" cried Iii
balbay in loud voice from the shad-
ows where we stood at the far end of
the hall. At the sound of this voice,
the tones of which he seemed to know,
| Tikal started and rose in fear, but re-
covering himself said:
Advance from the shadow, whoever
you are, and say your say where men
may see YOU"
Turning to his daughter and to us,
| Zibalbay babe US follow him and do as
he did. Then, yelling his face with q
| corner of his robe, he walked up the
| hall. the crowd of mobiles and ladies
| opening a path, till we stood before the
| throne. Here he uncovered himself, as
we did also, and, standing sideways, SO
| that he should be seen both by Tilzal
and all that company, he opened his
| lips to speak. Before word could pass
| them cry of establishment broke from
| the mobiles. and of a sudden the scepter
| fell from the hand of Tikal and rolled
| along the floor.
''Zibalbay!' said the cry. sit is Iii
| balbay come back, or the ghost of him.
and with him the Lady of the Heart"
''Ay, mobiles" he said in quiet voice,
although his hand shook with rage, lit
is |. Zibalbay, your lord. come home,
and not too soon, as it would seem.
What, my nephew, were you so hungry
for my place and power that you must
break the oath you swore upon the
Heart and seize them before the APP
you lost your skill, or have the gods
smitten you with curse, that you
prOphesy falsely, saying that it was
written in the stars that we who are
alive were dead, and thereby lifting up
your daughter to the seat of the Lady
of the Heart.
Nay, do not answer me. Standing
yonder l have heard all your story.
And 1 say to you, Tikal, that you are
foresworn traitor, and to you, Natal,
that you are a charlatan and liar, who
have dared to use the holy art for your
own ends and the advancement of your
house. On both of you / will be
avenged, ay, and on all these who have
abetted you in your crimes. Guards,
seize that man, and the lord Natal
with him. and let them be held fast till
l shall judge them"
The soldiers that stood on either side
of the thrones hesitated for moment,
then advanced toward TiEal, as though
to lay hands upon him in obedience to
Zibalbay's order. But Nahua rose and
waved them off saving:
What! you dare to touch your
anointed lord? Back. / say to you, if
you would save yourself from the doom
of sacrilcge. Living or dead, the day
of Zibalbay is done, for the Council. of
the Heart has set his crown upon the
brow of Tikal, and, whether for good
| or i'll, their decree cannot be changed"
Ayr said Til1al, whose courage had
come back to him. THE lady Nahua
| speaks truth. Touch me not if you
would live to look upon the SUM-"
But all the while he spoke his eyes
were fixed upon Maya, whose beauti-
full face he watched as though it were
that OF some lost love risen from the
dead.
Now, as Zibalbay was about to speak
again, Natal, the astronomer, bowed
before him and said:
BE not wroth, but hear me, my lord.
You have travelled far and you are
weary, and a weary man is apt at wrath.
You think that you have been wronged,
and doubtless all this that has CHANGED
is strange to you, but now is not the
time for US to give count of our acts and
stewardship, or for you to hearken.
Rest this night, and tomorrow on the
pyramid, in the presence of the people,
all things shall be made clear to you,
and justice done to all"
Now Zibalbay paused awhile, look
ing round out of the corner of his eyes
like wolf in trap, for he sought to
discover the temper of the mobiles. Then
finding that there were few present
whom he could trust to help him, he
lifted his head and answered:
You are right, Natal, l am weary,
for age, travel, and the faithlessness of
men have worn me out. Tomorrow
these matters shall be dealt with in the
presence of the people, and there before
the altar it shall be made known
whether am their lord, or you, Tikal.
| There, too, I will tell you who these
strangers are, and why have brought
them across the mountains. Until then
leave them in your keeping, for your
own sakes charging you to keep them
well. Nay, here l will neither eat nor
drink Do you come with me-" and he
called to certain lords by name, whom
he knew to be faithful to him.
Then without more words he turned
and left the hall, followed by a number
of mobiles
at seems that my father has for
gotten me-" said Maya, with a laugh,
when he had gone. Greeting to You
all. friends, and to You, nv cousin
Tikal, and to your wife Nahua, who,
once my waiting lady, has now by the
gift of fortune been lifted up to take
nv place and title. greeting. What
ever may be the issue of these broils,
may you be happy in each others love-
Tikai and Nahua."
Now Tikal came down from the
throne and bowed before her, saying:
Il swear to you, Maya"
mo, do not swear" she broke in,
'tbut give me and my friends here cup
of wine and some fragments from your
wedding feast, for we are hungry. l
thank Won. How beautiful is that
brides robe which Nahua wears, and
surely those emeralds were once my own.
Well. let her take them from me as a
wedding gift. Make room. pray you,
Til<al, and suffer these ladies to tell me
of their tidings. for remember that
have wandered far, and &c as pleasant TO
see faces that are dear TO me.
rFl,o,.. 1x-ave, two xx-hn took small note