Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-03-26

Heart, and as before, in the midst of
an utter silence, the heart opened like
a flower Leaning forward, saw the
eye within its hollow, but it seemed to
me that the fire had faded from the
heart Of the jewel, for it now cleaned
coldly, like the eye Of man who is
two hours dead. think that Natal
noted this also, for as the symbol
opened he started and his hand shook.
Now, when they saw the marvel,
gasp Of wonder rose from the council;
then Tikal spoke, saying:
1T seems that there was wisdom In
Nbalbay's madness, for the Heart has
opened indeed, and within it is a stone
eye resting upon plate Of gold that Is
covered with writing"
Read the writing" they cried.
Displacing the eye he lifted the plate
of gold and scanned It.
II cannot" he said, shaking his head.
ut is written In d character more an.
Gent than any l have studied. Take
y, Natal for you are learned in such
signs"
Now Natal took the tablet and
studied 1t long with an ANXIOUS face,
upon which at length light broke that
changed anon to wonder, or rather,
blank amaze, so that |, watching him,
began to think, not knowing all the
cleverness Of Natal, that the senior was
right, and the tablet had been tam
pered with since we saw it.
Read! Read" cried the council
Brethren he said, "the words seem
clear, and yet so strange is this writing
that fear my learning is at fault and
that had best give 1t to others to de-
cipher"
No, read read" they cried again,
almost angrily.
Then he read, "This is the voice OF the
nameless god that his prophet heard In the
year Of the building Of the sanctuary. and
graved upon d tablet VI col which he set in o
secret place in the symbol Of the sanctuary, to
be declared in the far of hour when the lost
Is found and the signs Of the Day and the
Night are come together
ITO thee II speaks unborn daughter Of n
chief to be, whose name is the name OF u ma
ton. When my people ARE grown old and
their number are lessened and their heart Is
faint. then maiden, take TO myself a husband
man OF the race OF the white rod, u son
Of the Seafoam, whom thou Mt lead hither
across the desert, for so my people 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, farther
than my eagles wing between sunrise and
set
Now as he read the face Of Tikal
grew black with rage, and before ever
the echoes Of his voice had died away,
he sprang from his seat, crying:
Whoever it was that wrote this lying
prophecy, god or man, let him be &C.
cursed. Shall the Lady Maya, for her
it must be whose name is the name of a
nation, be given in marriage to the
white dog who awaits his doom without
that door, and shall his son rule over
us? First will | see her dead and him
with her!"
Now one of the Oldest Of the council,
a man named Dimas, who, as learned
afterward, had been foster brother to
Zibalbay rose and answered angrily:
ut seems to me that these things
must be SO, Tikal, and beware how you
utter threats OF death, lest they should
fall upon your own head. We have called
upon the god, and the god has spoken
in no uncertain voice. The Lady Maya
must become wife to the white man,
Son OF the Sea, and then things shall
befall as they are fated."
WHAT" answered Tikal, lis this
wandering stranger to be set over me
and all of us?"
THAT do not know said the coun-
cillor; "the writing does not say SO; the
writing says that his son shall be set
over us, and as yet he has no son. But
this is certain that the Lady Maya must
be given to him in marriage, and in her
right he well may rule, seeing that she
is the lawful heir to her father and not
you, Tikal, although you have usurped
her place"
Now many voices called upon Maya,
and she stood forward and spoke with
downcast eyes.
What shall say she began, lex
cept one thing, that my will is the will
of the gods, and if 1t is fated that |
should be given to the white man in
marriage, why, so let it be.
For many years was taught to look
elsewhere, but he who was to have been
my husband'--and she pointed toward
Tikal-"chose himself another wife,
and now see that he did this not alto
gether OF his own will, but because it
was SO decreed. Ono thing more: |,
whom am but a woman, have no desire
to rule or to take the place that the
Lady Nahua now holds. The writing
says that in day to come, far-off
day, some child Of mine, II indeed am
that daughter of chief whose name Is
the name Of a nation, shall rule In
truth. Let him then come in his hour
and take the glories that await him,
and meanwhile, Tikal, do you sit in
your place and leave me to rest in
peace"
1.-THE Lady Maya speaks you fair,
Tikal and my daughter" said Natal,
and II the people will haveit, you may
do well to accept her offer, leaving the
future to shape itself. She says she Is
ready to take the white man as hus-
band, but we have not yet heard
the white man will take her as
4 wife. 1t may be" he added. with
smile, that he will rather choose to
lie, but at the least we must have his
answer from his lips, that is, II you &C.
cent this nronhecv Ms a. voioa from
.vavrn. Gay, 40 you acc-pv ivf'
"We accept it, answered the council,