Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1896-04-02
HEART OF The WORLD.
BY n. RIDER HAooARD.

ssesfhel By .. Old ne,ics. India, 10 His
Hsssd and Co.rsde, a English.
nan Named Joses.
Copyrighted, 1894 bv II Rider Haessrd
CHAPTER X.
HOW NoLAs DIED.
For some few minutes we rested to
recover our breath, then we started
forward again. In front went the girl,
Maya. our guide, whom the senior led
by the hand. while behind followed
Zibalbay, supported by Molas and my
self. At first these two had run as
quickly as the rest of us, but now all
the fatigues and terrors that they had
undergone took hold of them, so that
from time TO time they were forced 20
stop and rest. which is little to be
wondered at. seeing that for Ave days
they had eaten no solid food, for it was
Don Pedros purpose to starve their Sc
cret out of them.
Slowly and with much toll we forced
path through the tropical forests.
This forest that seemed SO destitute
of life was peopled by millions of In
as, tiny gray fiies, wood wasps, and
ants black and red, tormented us with
their bites and stings, till we groaned
aloud in our misery, then remembering
our danger pushed on again.
Thus two hours and more passed till
reaching a little stream that ran
through a ravine in the forest, we
paused to drink and cool our fevered
feet and hands Zibalbay sank ex-
hausted upon the bank, where /
brought him water In nv sombrero,
while his daughter sat herself down on
. stone in the stream, suffering II to
how over her feet and ankles that by
now were swollen with ant bites and
lying from cuts of thorns and
Ny she looked up and seeing
pdirtH N the bank talking
x seat hi,nself beside her.
""ha. is W name, white man?"
James Strict and"
James Strickland" she repeated,
with some difficulty. 81 thank you,
James Strickland, for rescuing my
father from torment and me from in
suit, and because of that deed /, Maya
of the Heart, whom many have served,
am your servant forever
"You should thank my friend, Don
Ignatio," he said, pointing to me.
For few moments she looked at me
searchingly, then replied:
II thank HIM also. but / thank you
the most, for your hand rid me of that
hateful man and saved u.s."
1t is carly to return thanks, lady,"
he said; I'VE are not out of danger
yet
II have little fear now that we have
escaped from that dreadful house." she
answered, almost indifferently, "since
our hiding place Ia near. And how can
they find us in this forest7 Hark! what
was that2"
As she spoke faint and distant sound
fell upon our ears, such a sound as
might have been made by bell struck
far away at night.
That is how they will find u.s." he
said, springing to his feet. "Do you
hear. Ignatio? The dogs have hit our
trail. Which way does our road run
now, lady?"
Along the banks of the stream
Then we must go forward in the
water" said the eenor; ''it's our only
chance, for the hounds cannot track us
there"
Not more than three hundred peces
from the banks Of the little stream we
came upon q high mound denseiy over
grown with trees, between the boles of
which appeared masses of cut stone.
This Is the place, "gasped Zilbalbay.
Look, yonder above us are the walls Of
the temple, and here is the ancient
stairway that led to it, And he pointed
10 a long flight of crumbling stone steps
almost hidden In ferns and bushes. Up
these steps we went with caution,
Molas carrying Zilbalbsy upon his
broad hack
The staircase was in three fights, the
top flight, now almost entirely broken
away, emerging on what once had been
. broad and splendid terrace, but to-day
was Q chaos Of stonework, in the crew
Ices Of which grew bushes and even
large trees. Over the head of the stair
way stood Q colossal arch sculptured
with the figures of gods and beasts.
Thsi arch was In the last stage Of de-
cay; indeed, the crown of IL, q mass of
masonry that must have weighed be-
tween ono hundred and two hundred
tons. had been nearly separated from
its supports by the action of time and
rain, aided. perhaps, by a shock of
earthquake, and hung threatening over
the top Of the stair. In truth, so slight
were the attachments which remained
between IL and its supporting side col
umns and buttresses. that 1t first sight
IL seemed rs though Il must fall 1t once.
"A closer examination showed, how
ever. that IL was held In place by three
OF four great roots, trees that grew
upon the crown OF the arch. Be-
yond the ssch, on the further
side of the terrace, rose the ruined
temple, q singls-storied building with q
fat roof, whei con grew many shrubs
and palms
Passing into the temple. May. led us
into . chamber. In the corner lay .
little pile of articles covered over with
. serape that Maya hastened to remove,
revealing among other things an
earthen cooking pot, . copper axe of
similar workmanship to the machete
with which the senior had killed Don
Jose. two curiously fashioned blow
pipes, with . supply Of poisoned darts,
and lastly, bags containing dried flesh,
beans and cuca-paste.
IAN Is safe, she said; snow let us
eat, that we may be strong to meet
Wine We were filing ourselves thank
fully with the dried meat the senior
spoke 10 NE, saying he hoped our pur-
suit had been abandoned.
"You cau know little of these men to
spsak thus, he answered. don Pedro
will certainly seek 10 svenge the blood
Of his son."
"Then what do You propose to dor"
- sal<ed. start on again, or stop
bger'
'@saor. We must stop here because
- cannot travel farther, unless yoa
yoaId abandon the old man and his
0nng49w. Moreover. In the forest e
vsnA - savte ovsrwhsln ~. bet ~
.