San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-03-22

'There is but one thing TO do; yield
ourselves and trust to fortune, if, in
deed, fortune has any good in store for
us. Only / wish that we had done it
before we undertook this weary jour
ney."
Now, as she spoke by the light of the
rising sun we saw a great number OF
men forming a circle round the house.
With them were several captains and
lords, and among these l recognized
Dimas and TiSal.
LET us put bold face on it," said
Maya. So we opened the door, walked
out, and came into the presence of
Tikal, Dimas and the other lords.
"Whom do you seek that you come
with an armed force?" asked Maya. o
Whom should l seek but your fair
self, cousin?" answered Tikal, and 1
saw that his eye was wild, as though
with drink.
Tell US of what we are charged
that you follow us as though we were
evildoers."
Lady" the old priest answered,
gravely, lit would seem that you have
earned this name, you and your COM
panions together. Listen, two days
since you were missing, and the lady
Nahua was also missing. Search was
made, and at last your private apart
ments were broken open, and there she
was discovered bound and gagged.
From her we learned the secret of your
flight and followed after you"
ibid she then tell you why we fed?"
asked Maya. "Did she tell you that
she crept to my chamber like thief in
the night, and there was found in the
act of doing murder on my child?"
"No, 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 if you had fed 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"
Maya, 1--WE broke them to save our
lives. Were 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,
and perhaps one stands there, F" and she
pointed to Tikal, ''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 Tikal. Is it
then 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, land if Nahua is what you say,
without doubt she must suffer for her
crime. Yet her evildoing cannot pay
for yours, for when yon found your
selves in danger you should have
claimed protection from those who
could give it, and not have betal1en
yourself to fight, like thieves in terror
Of the watch. Come, enter the litter
that is prepared for you, and let us be
going"
Then we started. OF our journey
back there is nothing to tell, unless It
is to say that after its own fashion it
was even more wretched than that
which we had just accomplished. Then,
indeed, we were footsore, hungry and
racked with fears, but at least the
hope of freedom shone before us like
a guiding star, whereas now, although
we travelled in comfort, it was to find
shame, exposure and death awaiting us
at last.
Maya and the senior had each other
and their child to console them, but l
had nothing except such friendship as
they chose to spare me, the memory of
my many failures, the clinging bitter
ness of conscience, the fear of ven
geance to be wreaked, and the hope Of
peace beyond the end. Therefore !,
an outworn and disappointed man, was
prepared to welcome the doom that
awaited me, but how would it be with
the others who were still full of love
and youth?
Late that night we reached the city
and were led, not to the palace where
we lived, but toward the Enclosure Of
the pyramid.
How is this?" asked Maya of the
captain Of the guard. Our road lies
yonder."
mo, my lady" he answered; my
orders are to take you up the stairway
of the pyramid"
Now MAYA pressed her face against
the face of her child and sobbed, for
she knew that once more we must in
habit the darksome vault where her IA
ther had been taken to die. They led
us up the stair and down the narrow
way till we stood in the lamplit hall
and heard our prison gates clash behind
us. Then they gave US food and left
us alone.
AS l unused thus, even through the
massive walls of the vault l heard a
woman scream, and, springing from
my bed, ran into the central hall
where the lamps burned always. Here
met Maya, clad in her night dress
only, and running down the hall, her
eyes filled with terror.
What has happened?" I said, stop
ping her, and as spoke the senior came
up.
"Oh, I have dreamed" she gasped;
81 have dreamed a fearful dream. I
dreamed that my father came to me,
and-I cannot tell 1.-THE child-the
child" and she broke down utterly
and could say no more.
This place is full of evil memories,
and her strength is shattered" said the