The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-04-22


instructed of the councillors stood for
ward and put to me the test with many i
questions, all of which l answered
readily. Then they commanded me to
stand before the altar, and, as Keeper /
of the Heart, to open the Heart in the |
highest degree. This / did also, though |
afterward they told me that my ritual
differed in some particulars from their
own.
After that took up my parable and
questioned them till at length none
could answer me, no, not even
the high priest or Natal, and they con-,
fessed humbly that l was more in
structed than any one OF them, and be-
cause of this from that day forward
was held in veneration in the City OF
the Heart.
Now was given seat among the
brethren, the highest, indeed, after
those of the high priest and the great
officers, and the senior was sent for
He entered with adowncast look, and
while Maya and watched him sadly his
examination began. 1t was not long.
At the second question he became
confused, used angry language in
Spanish and English, and broke down.
Brethren" said Tikal, and there was
ioy in his eye rs he spoke, lit seems
that we need not trouble further with
this impostor. By daring to enter our
city he has earned the penalty of death,
moreover he has blackened his crime
by claiming to be one of our brother
hood, whereas he scarcely knows the
simplest password. Is it your will that
he should be taken to his fate? IT so,
speak the word of DOOM"
Now Maya rose affrighted, and mo-
tioning to her to be silent, spoke, say
ing;
"Hear me before that fatal word is
spoken, which cannot be recalled! This
man is of our brotherhood, though he
has not been admitted to the inner cir
cles, and has forgotten those of the
mysteries which were taught to him at
his initiation. Listen and l will tell you
how he came to join the Order OF the
Heart" And l told them all that tale
of my rescue by the senior, and told
them also all the story of our meeting
with Zibalbay, and of our journey to
the City of the Heart, speaking to them
for an hour or more, while they listened
earnestly
When | had done they debated as to
the fate of the senior, and, though by
only one vote, decided that if l had
nothing more to urge on his behalf. he
must straightway die.
Il have something more to urge" |
said though it has to do with the
mysteries of your religion rather than
with those of our order 1t was the
belief of Zibalbay, who is dead, that
when the two halves of the ancient
talisman, the halves Night and Morn
ing, that together make the perfect
Day; are set in their place in the sym
Dol which once they filled before the
dividing of the people, then it shall bt
made clear what part must be played
bv each of us wanderers in the fate tha
is to be- To this end did Zibalbay un
dcrtake his journey, and 10! here is tina
which he went to seek" and drew
the talisman from my breast. Take i
!, Tikal, and lay it with it's fellow in th
place that is prepared for them, SO tha
, we may learn, and all your people ma,
. learn. what truth there is in the vi
j sions of Zibalbay."
: THAT is our DESIRE" answered Tikal
n taking the severed emerald and it
:. counterpart, which Maya gave to him
4 "Let the white man, Son of the Sea
y be placed without the sanctuary an
!. guarded there awhile, for at least h
will gain time to prepare himself fo
. death. Fear not, lady" he added
= noting Maya's anxious face, mo hari
- y shall be done to him till this matter
y the prophecy is made clear"
!. Now for the second time the senc
:. was removed, and when he was gon
;" Tikal spoke, tracing the history OF tn
- prophecy so far as it was known, an
. J, reciting its substance; that when ono
- more the two halves of the symbol {
y the Heart were laid side by side in the
~ place on the altar in the sanctuar,
then from that hour the people shoul
" be great again. MA,
o. faith; still Zibalbay, who in his wa
was wise, believed in it, and the stoi
having gone abroad, the people clamt
- that It should be put to the test.
T. this your will also?"
III 'It is our will" answered the cou
:, cillors.
"a Good. Then let it be done, and {
"a your heads be it if harm should con
of it. Natal, the council command
u, YOU to set these fragments in the he
~ low of the symbol"
~ 'If that be the will of the council
>. have no choice but to obey" 50
~ Natal. "Yet, though none else ha
", u. done so, I give my voice against it, +
re hold that this is childishness, al
Gu never did l know any good to sprii
from prophecies" and he paused
lal though waiting for an answer.
"Obey! Obeyr' said the council, +
ms curiosity had got hold OF them, al
ng they craned their necks forward to
or what might happen.
er; "Obey!" repeated Tikal. "But bewa
how you shake the symbol, lest
:, should perish in the doom Of waters.
all Then Natal set the two halves
m the talisman in the hollow OF t
ne Heart, and as before, in the midst
be, an utter silence, the heart opened Ii
es. a flower. Leaning forward, l saw
OF eve within its hollow, but it seemed
be- me that the fire had faded from
'ur heart of the Jewell for it now CLEAN
,he coldly, like the eye of man who
nm two hours dead. l think that Mat
wv noted this also, for as the sym
ou. opened he started and his hand sho,
To- Now, when they saw the marvel
lnd gasp of wonder rose from the coun
ave then Tikal spoke saying
by at seems that there was wisdom
'aly Zibalbays madness, for the Heart
to opened indeed, and within it is stt
uld eye resting upon plate Of gold tina
ago covered with writing"
ady 'Read the writing" they cried.
use Displacing the eye he lifted the pl
her of gold and scanned 1t.