Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1896-05-28
HEART OF THE WORLD.
BY H. RIDER HAGGARD.
q Strange Story. Taken From . Manuscript Re-
auesthed by an old Mexican Indian 10 Ms
Friend and COmrsde, an English.
man Named yeses-



That "a. ~ thr ,.ay previous to
the night o.. Using of the waters on
which we were 70 appear before the
Council of the Heart, in the sanctuary
Tikal came to visit us. To Maya he
bowed low, but ON the senior and my
self he looked with an angry eye, with
the eve, indeed. of one who would have
killed MS if he dared.
First. he offered her his sympathy
upon the death of her father. For this
she returned her thanks, quoting, how
ever. with a fash of her old spirit, a
certain proverb of her own people, of
which the meaning is that the death of
one man is the breath of another.
My father was your foe, Tikal, she
sdded. land now that he is gone you
will be able to sleep and reign in peace. ."
Not altogether SO, lady," he an
swered. seeing that he had left behind
him a more dangerous rival to my
power, namely, yourself. Twill not
hide from you, Maya, what You soon
must learn. that large portion of the
people, and with them many Of the no
bles accusing me of your fathers muir
der, clamor that l should be deposed
and that you should be set up in my
place as cacique of the City of the Heart.
''Some few days ago | might have
stilled their outcry by commanding you
10 be put to death, but now it Is too
late, for since that time has fought for
yo--, and your death would Senh.less
be fol'oved by my owp-rh hen last we
met l a-,-as ,ss--s n certain squestion, to
which YOU promised me an answer
when your father was dead or re-
covered, and to-day / have come 10 hear
that answer.
"While Zibalbay lived had much to
offer him and you in exchange for your
hand. offered it freely. So high a
value did l place upon it. now that 1t
seemed lost 10 me, that l was prepared
to lay down my power, to suffer your
father to violate the laws and to incur
the internal bate and active enmity of
Natal, his daughter and his party.
Now L must make you q lower bid, that
of equal power for yourselfand for your
friends here, whatever they may desire.
should you refuse me, this is the al
tentative: Civil war in the city TIL one
OF us Is destroyed, and instant death a.
the portion of your friends.
But, Maya, pray you not to refuse
me. for have something more to offer
you. and it is my undying love. From
a child / have always loved you, Maya,
although you have treated me coldly
enough, and now day by day love you
more. Indeed, / believed that You and
your father were dead yonder in the will
derness, for then had faith in Natal,
whom now i know to be a rogue, and
Natal swore that il was written in the
stars. Even so would not have married
another woSnan, for my heart bled at
the loss of you, had not Natal made
marriage the price of his support, with
out which / could not hope to be
anointed cacique, seeing that ! had
many jealous enemies
You have spoken, cousin" she an
swered, "and your words have been
gentle. and vet If l understand you
right, some days since you were in two
minds as to whether IL would not be
better to murder me here in this dark
some hole where you placed us"
IF policy put any such thought into
my mind, Maya. love drove it out again, -
he answered with confusion,
80 You admit that this was So" she
said "wcll, day might come when
policy might breed the thought and
love, grown weary, prove not warm
enough to wither IL. Also IL seems
that even now, YOU threaten these, my
companions, with death, should refuse
you your desire"
IF You should refuse noe ny desire,
Maya, perhaps il will be for a secret
reason of your own, and he scowled at
the senior angrily, "a reason that the
death of these men, or one of them, will
remove"
'Be sure of thing. Tilkal," she broke
in sharply, ''that such a wicked deed
would put an end forever to your hopes
of making me your wife. Now listen;
i have heard your words and they have
touched me somewhat, for think that
although you have broken your oath 10
my father, and your troth with me, at
heart you are honest in your love. Still
j can give you no answer now, and for
this reason, that the answer does not
lie with me, but rather with the gods.
Tomorrow night we appear before
the High Court of the Council of the
Heart, and you yourself shall set the
several portions of the talisman In the
symbol that is on the altar in the sane
tuary, when the god shall declare his
purpose. By that will and not by my
own must be guided in this and In all
other thingsl" Tikal thought awhile
and answered:
And il nothing follows this cere-
mony and the oracles of the gods are
silent, what then?"
"Then, Tilxal, :" she answered, softly,
you may ask me again il will be-
come your wife, and perhaps IL the
council suffers il shall not say you
nay. And now farewell, for grief still
shadows me, and i can talk no more"