The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-03-20
Eead It, saia Maya.

Then Natal read:
ITO thee it speaks, unborn daughter
of chief to be. whose name is the name
of a nation. When my people have
grown old and their numbers have less
ened and their heart is faint. then,
lady, take to myself as a husband a
man of the race of the white god, a son
of the sea foam, whom thou shalt lead
hither across the desert, for so INV peo-
pie shall once more prosper and grow
strong, and the land shall be to thy
child and the child of the god. east and
west and north and south, further than
my eagles wing between sunrise and
set"
He finished reading, and there was
silence as we looked on each other
amazed at the boldness and the cum
ming of this old priest and plotter. 1t
was Maya who spoke first.
You have forged this writing. Mat
tai" she said. land now you desire that
| should set it in the symbol, for you
are mindful of that curse which is
written in the ritual. In short, if you
do not fear the vengeance of the god,
you fear the vengeance of the order"
ITO speak the truth, lady, | fear
both. Still, you must make your choice,
and swiftly
Now she turned to us, saying:
advise me. friends, for | know not
what to answer. In the faith of my
people | have lost faith, and it is to
yours that look for comfort, and yet
the deed seems awful, for if we are not
worshipers of the nameless god, still we
are all of us brethren of the ancient
mysteries of the Heart, and to do this
thing would be to break our solemn
oaths. Come, let us put it to vote, and
do you, who are the oldest and the
wisest among us, vote first, Ignatio."
$50 be it." | answered. For my
part L give my voice against the trick.
Of the gods of your people know moth
ing and think less, but am the master
of our order in my own land, and will
not offend against it. Still, in this
matter your lives are at stake as well
as mine: therefore, if of the three OF
us two are in favor of the act | will be
bound by their decision"
"Good, let it be So said MAYA. "And
now, beloved, speak and tell us whether
you choose death and a clean con-
science, or life and my love to gladden.
it." and she looked into his face with
her beautiful eyes, and half stretched
out her arms as though she would clasp
him to her breast.
81 have no choice, he said. Il do
not fear to die, if need be; but should
be no man were to choose death while
it is your wish that l should live. Like
Ignatio, say that the gods of this city
are to me nothing more than idols. and
to deceive that which does not exist is
impossible. For the rest. | became a
Brother of the Heart not by my own
wish, but by accident; therefore, on this
point, my conscience priclls me little.
81 will do your wish, Maya. and if
you think it better that we should die,
why let us die and make an end"
Nay" she answered with n fash of
reckless passion, Il think it better that
we should live far from this unlucky
city, and there be happy in each others
love. For your sake my fathers curse
has fallen on me, and after it all other
maledietions of gods or men will be
light as feathers"
Little do | care for vengeance to
come if for only one short year | may
call you husband.
"Ill-Omencd words" muttercG Mat
tai. shivering a little; words that only
a woman would utter. but SO be it
As he spoke thought heard faint
groan come from the man upon the
couch. glanced anXiously at Zabal-
bay to find that l must have been mis-
taken. or, at least, that it had not pro-
ceeded from his lips, for ne lay there
rigid and senseless as a corpse.
THE vote is taken" | said. What
next. Mattai?''
Follow me-" he answered. land l
will show you n secret path from this
chamber to the sanctuary beneath.
Nay. yOu need not fear to leave him,
for if his life still burns within him it is
asleep. But stay, where is the tails
man? That will be necessary to us"
Il have one-half." | answered, 1.-The
other is about Zibalbay's neck"
Find it." he said sternly to the Lady
Maya. Nay, you must