The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-08-08

Ihcfs, THAI, tell you now Wnst
have told you before. that will not
listen 10 your words alone. III you have
anything TO say, say Il In the presence
of my husband and my friend, or 20 and
leave II unsaid."
'.You speak roughly TO one who come.
here In the hope Of saving the lives OF |
all OF YOU" he answered; "still Will |
bear with you In this as l have borne |
with you In much else. Listen: All |
your crimes are known 10 me, FOR
Nahua. my wife, has revealed them TO
me. / know how you and that dead
rogue, Natal. on whom the curse OF
Heaven has most justly fallen, forged
the prophecy and violated the sanct-
uary. for have held the proofs of IL In
my hand"
save our lives?" asked Maya, ''for II
we had not done 1t Natal would
have murdered us in order that by re-
moving me he might assure his daugh-
ter in her placer"
II do not know why You did 1t, nor
do / care, seeing that nothing can
tighten such crime. but think that
YOU did il In order that you might win
Wonder white man as a husband. Atthe
least the thing is done, and vengeance
waits you, vengeance from which there
is but one escape.
What escape?" asked Maya, quickly,
for when she learned that Tikal knew
everything all hope had faded from her
heart, as from ours.
MAYA, two people live, and two
alone, who know this tale, Nahua, my
wife, and myself. Till this morning
there was but one, for Nahua only told
me of IL when she found that you had
not escaped, and this she has done that
she may be rid of you, whom she hates
as her rival. Therefore IL was that she
would have held me back from pursuing
you, and therefore il Is that she will
appear before the Council OF the Heart
this night, so that her evidence may in
sure your instant death in the Pit Of
Waters. But as II chances least OF any
thing on the earth do desire that my
eyes should lose sight of you, whom
now as ever love better than anything
on the earth"
Now the senior grew white with rage,
and he broke in:
You will do well TO keep such words
TO yourself, Tilxal, for of this be sure, IL
YOU do not, | will add 10 my crimes,
and you shall not leave this place alive.
| No need To look at your guards, What
do / care for your guards, who have
but one life To lose? Speak thus again,
and before they reach you you shall be
dead"
"Letjhim 90 on, husband, said Maya;
"what can IA few insults more or less
matter TO us now? Continue, most no.
BILE Tilxal, but, for your own sake, re-
strain yourself and say nothing that q
husband should not hear"
ut is for this reason" he went on,
taking no notice OF the senor's anger,
that have come here with plan TO
save YOU all, yes. even this braggart
! white man who has robbed me OF you.
II Nahua and | are silent, who viii
know of your crimes? And III the evil
dence Of them is destroyed before your
eyes, who is there who can prove them?
Now, l will be silent-at price will
even bring the true tablet of the proph-
ecy and the roll Of Mattai's confession
and destroy them with fire before you.
You will be silent, said Maya, but
what Of Nahua? Will she be silent alsoP'
Now TRIALS dark face grew evil with
some purpose OF his own, though
whether il were of murder, or of what,
do not know.
Leave Nahua TO me, !" he said. with
draw the charge you made against her
of attempting To kill yonder child, and
free her thus Of the need OF appearing
this night In the sanctuary, and swear
TO Won that no word OF her dreadful
secret shall ever pass her lips. Then
you will be tried upon one issue only
that OF having broken your oaths 10y
flying the city, crime that is not be
yond forgiveness"
"You spoke Of a price, Tixal; tell us
what Is that price we must pay?
THE price Is yourself, Maya. Nay
. hear me out, and you, white man, keeI
silent. Ii YOU will swear upon The
Heart 20 become my wife within 81,
months from this day, then / on M
part will swear that the white man
yolr husband, who is not your husband
I for he won the consent of the council
TO his marriage by trick, shall be SUI
! fercd 10 escape the land unframed
taking with him his friend and SO mucl
, OF our treasure and things needful 70
) their journey as he may desire.
II will swear, also, and by this yo'
' may see how deep and honestis my low
, for you, that your son shall not be dis
I possessed of the place and rank which
he holds In the eyes OF the people as
2 Hcaven-sent delivercr whose comm
5 was foretold by prophecy. My chill
shall give place 20 yours, Maya
= Once before l held out the han
' OF peace 10 you, Maya, but you refuse
IL and tricked me, and from that refusn
I has sprung the death of your father an
r many other sorrows.
+ "Do not refuse me again, lest thes
= sorrows should be increased and mutt
d piled upon you and upon us all. IL
v no strange or unnatural thing ! ask G
II you that you should we'd the man
Il whom for many years you wer
L afiianced, and take your place as I'll
first lady in this city, instead OF givin
G Yourself over with your accomplices
n the most infamous OF deaths"
n "Yet IL is the most strange and NJ
II natural, Tilsal that n wife should b
q asked 10 part thus from her HUSBAND
- But stay; IL Is for him 20 speak, not m'
n for he may be glad 20 buy safety G
this cost. First, what do you say, II
D. natio? Tell me, though fear your al
10 swcr, for IL is easy TO guess, seeing tina
Tilxal offers all that you can desir
4: freedom and treasure. to enable You
/ execute your plans"
G, 1T Is true. lady" I replied, that !