The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-02-14

senior, VINO SJlll slept, anu dS was en-
gagged thus saw the lady Maya walk
ing toward me and noticed that her
hands and feet were swollen.
"Senora, said, bowling before her,
81 humbly congratulate you upon your
courage and your escape from great
dangers. Last night / said words to
you in my grief that should not have
been spoken, for it is my fault that l
am apt to be unjust to women. Now l
crave your pardon, and | will add that
if in atonement for. my past injustice l
can serve you in any way now and
afterward / pray you to command me"
She listened, and answered:
Il thank you for your kind words,
Don Ignatio. If you wish to show your
self my friend it is in your power to do
SO. You have guessed my secret, there
fore am not ashamed to repeat that
the senior Wonder has become every
thing to me, though as yet l may be
little to him. ask you then to swear
upon the Heart that you will do moth
ing to separate us, that whatever may
be our need you will help us by all
means in your reach.
"You ask me to swear a large oath,
sonora, aud one that deals with the fu
ture, of which we have no knowledge"
/ answered, hesitating.
81 do, senior; but remember, were it
not for me at this moment your friend
who sleeps wonder like a child would
be stiff in death. Remember. also, that
you have ends to gain in the City of
the Heart, where it will be well for you
to have me as friend should we ever
live to reach it."
There is no need to threaten me,
sonora" answered, II promise that |
will not stand between you and the
senior. But see, he awakeS, and his
soup is ready"
She took the pot off the fire, skinned
it, and poured the contents into gourd.
Then she walked to the hammock and
said: "Senor, here is your soup"
He was but newly awakened, and
looked at her vacantly.
Tell me, Maya" he said, what has
happened?"
Last evening"" she began, ''in pick
ing flower for me you were bitten by
a snake and very nearly died"
~ know" he answered. Go on"
after the danger of the poison was
past you became thirsty, so thirsty that
you were dying of it, and there was no
water to give you"
Eyes, yes" he said; 1T was agony.
pray that may never suffer so again.
But l drank water and lived. VINO
brought it to me?"
1T came from the cueva, that place
which we examined before you were
bitten"
"Who went down the cueva to get it?
The place is unclimbable.
81 went down"
"Youl" he said, in amazement. You!
1t is not possible. Do not jest. Tell
me the truth Quick; am tired"
Il am not testing. Listen, senior.
You were dying for want of water. l
could not bear it, and l knew that my
father would not be back in time; so
took the water skin and some torches
and went, without saying anything to
Ignatio The place was hard to climb
and the adventure strange; but came
through it safely"
The senior heard, but made no answer.
He only stretched out his arms toward
her, and there in the wilderness did
they plight their troth.
Remember, am but an Indian girl, s"
she murmured presently, and you are
one of the white lords of the earth. Is
it well that you should love me?"
1T is we'll" he answered; ''for you
are the noblest woman that 1 have
known, and you have saved my life"
Zibalbay did not return until past
midday, when he appeared with the
water.
docs he still live?" he asked of
Maya.
Eyes, father"
HE must be strong, then" he an
swered. Il thought that the want of
water would have killed him ere now"
He has had water, father. l de-
scended the cueva and fetched it, she
added after a moments pause.
The old man looked at her, amazed.
How came it that you found cour-
age to go down that place, daughter?
he asked at length.
THE desire to save a friend gave me
courage" she answered, letting her eyes
fall beneath his gaze. Il knew that you
could not be back in time, so l went"
Zibalbay pondered awhile, then said:
Il think that you would have done
better to let him die, daughter, for
believe that this white man will bring
trouble upon us. 1t has pleased the
gods to preserve you alive. Remember
that your life belongs to them and that
you must follow the path that they
have chosen. Remember. also, that one
waits you in the city yonder who may
ldNO a NO4N ~ % SAo " gO0A AA~~-N
ship with this.vanderer-"
That same evening Maya told me
of her fathers words and said:
Il think that before all is done 1
shall need the help that you have
sworn 10 give me. senior, for l can see
well that my father will be against me
unless my wish runs with his purpose"
For two more days we rested there
by the cueva till the senior was fit to
travel, then we started on again. For
ten days we journeyed across the
wilderness. On the eleventh day we
began to ascend the slope of lofty
range of mountains, and on the twelfth
we reached the snow line, where we
were obliged to abandon the three
mules that remained to u.s.
That night we slept with little to eat
in a hole dug in the snow, wrapped in
our serapes.
''How far must we travel up this
snow?" l asked of Zibalbay as we
stood shivering in the ashy light Of the
dawning.
Look yonder," he answered, point
ing to where the first ray of the sun
shone upon a surface of black rock far
above US; there is the highest point
and we ShOuld reach IL before night