The Irish standard., 1896-01-18
q IRE named the SouHof the Sea
and / Rnatiio. tho sNand err y answered

derer, why come you here, asked
Tikal, through the gate on which Is
( written, Death to the, ,Stranger9."
Because we have a prayer TO utter.
an offering to make, and because, al
though we dwell In q far land. we are
the servants Of the Heart" answered ms 'e
Maya ~.. 5,> $5s ..s:s.;.,.. t
Then the various signs Of the ritual
were made by Maya. VI. 4,
Strangers . said Tikal,, your mouths
are opened in the sanctuary according
to the ancient form, and it is lawful for,
the council to listen to your prayer.
Speak then without fear. . Then I
spoke, saying:
'1''Brethren, for so l will dare to. call
you, seeing that also, though astran-
ger. am of the Brotherhood Of the
Heart as can prove TO you If need be,
ay, and higher in. rank than any pres
eat here, unless it be you,sO Keeper OF
the Heart. On my own behalf, on be-
half of nay brother, WHO also is OF our
company, aud on behalf of Maya the
Lady of the Heart, daughter Of him
who ruled you, and heiress to his pow
er, [ speak and make nay prayer to you.
'sIt would seem that we three, to-
gether with Zibalbay, who is dead, and
therefore Beyond your Judgment, have
violated the. laws OF. this city we by
daring to enter it's gates. and Zibal5ay
aud the Lady Maya by leading us to
those gates For this crime we should
have been put to death eight days ago
upon the pyramid had not the Lady
Maya claimed a right to have our cause
laid before this high tribunal. In her
case, and in that of her father, this was
conceded, and I pray now that the
same clemency may be extended to me
and to my brother" 80 :
Upon what grounds do you claim
this, stranger?'' asked Tikal.
Upon the ground that we are hreth-
ren of the inmost, circle of the Heart,
and, therefore, have . connitteds no
crime in visiting this city, which is free
to US by the right of our rank and
Office" s~ -. =
Now there was mur1nur of true"
from the council behind me, and Tilza}
also said ''true.'' but added ,'.If you
are brethren of the inmost circle OF the
Heart you are free from, offense, but
first you must prove that this is SO,
which as yet you have not done. A
brother Of the inmost circle knows its
mysteries, and can answer the secret
questions. Come let us put you to the
test, but first let the white man be re-
moved from the, sanctuary, for IN this
Accordic gly the senor was led away,
aud the doors having been closed and
the lamps shaded, the oldest and most
instructed of the councillors stood for
ward and put to me the test with many
questions all of which 1 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 i'll some particulars from their
own. ~.Y ~, ..,t-.., ~ !.
After that took up my parable and
questioned them. till at length none
could answer me, no, not even
the high priest or Natal, andthey con-
fessed hnmbly that / was more in
cause of this from that day forward L
was held in veneration in the City of
the Heart.
Now was given a seat among the
brethren, the highest indeed, after
those of the high priest and the great
officers, and the senor 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
joy in his eye as he spoke. lit seems
that we need not trouble further with
this impostor. BY daring to enter our
city he has earned che penaltyof death,
moreover he has blnckcned his crime
by claiming to be one of our brother
simplest password Is it your will that
he should be taken to his fate? If SO,
speak the word of DOOM"
. Now Maya rose atfrighted. and mo-
tioning to her to be silent, / spoke, say
ing; gna. 80 ho4o,.o +,>,+ 4,+o, ,,o,,.a -
spoken, which cannot be recalled! This
man is of our brotherhood, though he
has not been admitted to the inner cir
cles, aud has forgotten those Of the
mysteries which were taught to him at
his initiation. Listen and I will tell yon
how he came to join the Order ct the
Heart And told them all that tale
of my rescue by the senor, 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 On hour or more, while they listened
earnestly. a5,r
When I had done they debated as to
the fate Of the senior, and, though by
only one vote, decided that if / had
nothing more to urge on his behalf, he
must straightway die. ,z...s. .s...s,..
II have something more to urge, 4
said, though it has to do with the
mysteries of your religion rather than
with those Of our order. It was the
belief of Zibalbay, who is dead, that
when the two halves of the ancient
talis,nan, the halves Night and Mora
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 be
made clear what part must be played
by each of us wanderers in thefate that
is to be. To this end did Zbalbay I'M
dertake his journey, and 10! hero is that
which he went to seek and drew
the talisman from my breast. Take it
Tikal. and lay it with,its fellow in the.
place that is prepared for them, 50 that
we may learn. and all your people may
learn. what truth there is in the vi
sions of Zibalbay." 9fst. III
THAT is our DESIRE" answered Tikal,
taking the severed emerald and, its
counterpart, which Maya gave to him.
LET the white man, Son OF the Sea,
be placed without the sanctuary and
guarded there awhile, for at least he
will gain time to prepare himself for
death. Fear not, lady,. he added,
noting Maya's anxious face, mo harm
shall be done to him till this matter Of
the prophecy is made clear"
Now for the second time the senior
was removed, and when he was gone
Tikal spoke, tracing the history or the
sr,rnphe,ru al far az III was known. and