The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-08-08
HEART OF THE WORLD.
BY H. RIDER HAooARD.
A Strange story, Taken From Manuscript Be-
sssathed By an Old Mexican Indian 10 Ills
Friend and Comrade, English
man Named Jones.
Copyrighted. 1894. by H. Rider Hasgard
CHAPTER XIII CONTINUED.


CHAPTER XIII -CoNTEUED.
"Did She then tell you why we fied?"
asked Maya. Ibid she tell you that
she crept to my chamber like a thief in
the night, and there was found in the
act OF doing murder on my child?"
mo, lady, she told us nothing OF all
this. Indeed. her manner was strange,
for so soon as she was recovered some
what she took back her words, and
said that she knew nothing OF you or
your plans, and that IL you had fled we
should do well to let you go before
worse things happened. But knowing
that for all this she had reasons easy to
be guessed, we followed you and found
you, and now we arrest you, to answer
before the council for your great sins,
in that you have broken your solemn
oaths by attempting TO leave the land
without the consent of the council, and
have added TO your crimes by taking
with you this child, the Heaven-sent
deliverer, on whom rests the hope OF
our race"
ssIf we have broken our oaths," said
Maya, 1--WE broke them TO save our
lives. We're we then TO stop in the city
till the knife OF the assassin found us
out? On the very night of my marriage
a murderer was set upon my husband,
pointed 10 TilSal, who could tell us
who he was and whence he came. Three
days ago another murderer sought
the life of our child, and that MUIR
derer the wife of the Lord TilSal. Is IL
then a sin that we should take from the
land one whose life is not safe with
In it?"
"All these matters you can lay be-
fore the council, lady," answered
Dimas. ''and IL Nahua is what you say,
without doubt she must suffer for her
crime. Yet her evildoing cannot pay
for yours, for when you found your
selves, In danger You should have
claimed protection from those who
could give H.. and not have betalsen
yourself to flight, like thieves in terror
Of the watch. Come, enter the litter
that prepared for you, and let US be
going"
Then we started. or our Journey
back there Is nothing to tell, unless II
Ia TO say that after its own fashion II
was even more wretched than that
which we had just accomplished. Then,
indeed. we were footsore, hungry and
raclsed with fears, but at least the
hone OF freedom shone before us like
guiding star, whereas now, although
we travelled in comfort. il was TO find
shame, exposure and death awaiting us
at last
MAYA and the senior had each other
nd their child to console them but
had nothing except such friendship ms
they chose to spare me. the memory OF
my many failures, the clinging bitter
ness OF conscience, the fear OF ven
geance 10 be wrealSed, and the hope oi
peace beyond the end. Therefore /
an outworn and disappointed man, was
prepared To- welcome the doom thai
awaited me, but how would II be with
the others who were still full OF love
and youth?
Late that night we reached the city
and were led, not 20 the palace where
we lived, but toward the Enclosure o
the pyramid.
How is this?" asked Maya Of tn,
captain OF the guard. "Our road lie
yonder"
.'No. my lady" he answered. I'm,
orders are 10 take you up the stairwa.
of the pyramid"
Now MAYA pressed her face agains
the face OF her child and sobbed, 70
abe knew that once more we must IN
habit the darlSsome vault where her ia
Their had been taken TO die. They Lee
rs up the stair and down the narroN
way till we stood in the lamplit hal
and heard our prison gates clash behin
us. Then they gave MS food and lef
ms alone.
Ash unused thus. even through On
massive walls OF the vault | heard
woman scream. and, springing froI
my bed, ran into the central ha
where the lamps burned always. Her
i met Maya, clad In her night drcs
only, and running down the hall, he
eyes filled with terror.
"Wnat has happened?" / said, stol
ping her. and rs I spoke the senior can
up
"Oh, have dreamed" she gaspe,
81 have dreamed fearful dream.
dreamed that my father came TO M
and--I cannot tell 1.-THE child-tf
child" aud she broke down uttcrl
and could say no more.
This place IL full OF evil memoric
and her strength Is shattered, said u
senior when We had calmed her som
what. "Comc back. wife, and sleep
''Slccpl" she answered. II do M
think that | shall ever sleep again; an
vet. unless / sleep shall go mad. O
that dream! Truly the curse OF Matt
has taken hold Of me-"
Some few hours later we met aga
In the great hall. but Maya said not
ING Of her dream. nor did | ask her
tell II, though could sec from her ia
that Il was not forgotten. We ate,
made pretense 10 eat, and sat for awhi
In silence.