Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-08-20
HEART OF THE WORLD.
BY H. RIDER HAGGkRD.
Strange Story, Taken From Manuscript Be.
queathed by an Old Mexican Indian to His
Friend and Comrade, English.
man Named Jones.
Copyrighted. 1894. by H Rider Haggard
CHAPTER xIx.-CoNr1NuEp.

CHAPTER XlA.-CONTINUED
That day-it was the day previous to
the night ofthe rising of the waters on
which we were to 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 eye, indeed, of one who would have
killed us 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 flash 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
added, land now that he is gone you
will be able to sleep and reign in peace"
swered, ''seeing that he had left behind
him a more dangerous rival to my
power, namely, yourself. I win not
hide from you, Maya, what you soon
must learn, that large portion of the
people, and with them many of the no.
der, clamor that I 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 1 might have
stilled their cutlery by commanding you
to be put to death, but now it is too
late, for since that time has fought for
you, and your death would doubtless
be followed by my own. When last we
met asked you a certain Equestion, to
which you promised me an answer
when your father was dead or re-
covered, and to-day have come to hear
that answer.
while Zibalbay lived had much to
offer him and you in exchange for your
hand. l offered it freely. So high a
value did l place upon it, now that it
seemed lost to me, that I was prepared
to lay down my power, to suffer your
father to violate the laws and to incur
the internal hate and active enmity of
Natal, his daughter and his party.
Now must make you a lower bid, that
of equal power for yourself and for your
friends here, whatever they may desire.
Should you refuse me, this is the al
tentative: Civil war in the city till one
of us is destroyed, and instant death as
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
\ child have always loved you, Maya,
although you have treated me cold1y
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 / know to be rogue, and
Natal swore that it was written in the
stars. Even so would not have married
another woman, for my heart bled at
the loss of you. had not Natal made
marriage the price of his support, with
out which I could not hope to be
anointed cacique, seeing that I had
many Jealous enemies"
You have spoken. cousin she an
swered, land your words have been
gentle, and yet if I understand you
right, some days since you were in two
minds as to whether it would not be
better to murder me here in this dark
some hole where you placed u.s."
IF policy put any such thought into
my mind, Maya, love drove it out again,
he answered with confusion,
$50 you admit that this was So" she
said. "Well, a day might come when
policy might breed the thought and
love, grown weary. prove not warm
enough to wither it. Also it seems
that even now, you threaten these. my
companions. with death, should refuse
you your desire
IF you should refuse me my desire,
Maya, perhaps it viii be for a secret
reason of your own" and he scowled at
the senior angrlY, ''a reason that the