Abilene weekly reflector., 1896-03-19
CHAPTER XIX
THE sACRILEGE.

Maya DeQL over tnc loIui ~ hoi '"oAoA
and took the talisman from his neck. :.
II feel like one who robs the dead,
she said.
..Remember that it is to save the
living, and be comforted," answered
Natal as we left the chamber.
"Take lamp, each Of YOU he said
when we had reached the further end
OF the great hall, where he unlocked
the copper gates with key from the
bunch that hung at his girdle. We
passed through, and turning he almost
:losed the gate, but not quite. :.
"Why do you leave the gates a1ary
Iasked.
"Because there are none to follow
u.s. he answered, land who knows
what may happen? Should we be
forced to fly the sanctuary open doors
are easier to pass than shut ones
"What could force us to fly the sane
tuary?" asked.
Natal shrugged his shoulders and
went on. We passed down many stairs,
along passages, and through secret
doors, each Of which Natal left open
behind us, till at length we came to the
sanctuary of the nameless god and stood
on the further side OF the wall huddled
together and clasping each others
hands. for the place was awesome, and
its utter silence and solemnity filled us
with fear
The roof of the sanctuary, which
was of no great size, was va'llt-shaped,
in imitation of the arching sky, and in
it appeared golden sun, silver cres-
cent moon. and the stars of heaven. Its
walls were lined throughout with pol
ished blocks of the beautiful stone
known as Mexican onyx. fretted over
to the height of man with a border OF
hieroglyphcs and eillgies Of the lesser
gods in attitudes of alteration, cast Ill
gold and set flush with the face Of the
wall.
The furniture was very simple con
sisting only of stools cut from rich
woods, heavily gilded in quaint designs,
and a small table, whereon lay sheets
of paper made of bark, together with
brushes of reed fiber and pots Of pig
ment, such as were used in the picture
writing of this people. At that end by
which we had entered the chamber was
an altar of black marble, written round
with letters shaped in gold, and upon
this altar lay something covered with
Silken cloth.
For minute or more we stood silent
contemplating these wonders, then witt
gesture of impatience Mattal spoke II
whisper, saying;
"Let that be done which we have
come to do, for now the sacrilege Il
committed, and it is too late to hesi
tate"
Speaking thus, he stepped to tn
altar and lifted the silken cloth that la,
over the object which was upon 1t, re
vealing the image Of human heart
fashioned in bloodstone, with veins o
gold. In the center Of this heart ap
peared small and shallow hole tba
had been followed in its substance.
.sThis is the tradition said Natal
still speaking in a whisper, that whei
the two halves Of certain talisman ar
placed in this hollow, the symbol vii
open and reveal that which has beef
set within II since 1t was fashioned
thousands of years ago, and there !
this in favor of the truth of this tale
that golden hinges appear upon tn
sides of the symbol.
"In this matter, however, there
something more to fear than the ven
geance Of the gods, for, an ancient ira
dition tells US that If the symbol b
stirred from the place where it has lai
for SO many years. the foodgate vii
roll back and the waters of the lax
viii pour in upon the city, destroyin
ii and its inha abitants.
"Yet the flopdgate cannot roll bac
when it is not shut, nor can the water
flow In during the dry season whe
they are not on level with the walls