Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-08-13

III OF US started IN aStOniShment, for
10! the heart was opening like flower.
| Slowly it opened, till the severed
tal1sman fell from it as its two halves
! lay back on the marble of the altar,
revealing something hidden in its
center that shone like an ember in the
lamplight.
In the hollow of the heart laid upon
a square plate of gold, which was COW
cred with writing, glared q red jewel
shaped like a human eye, that seemed
to answer stare with stare.
IF we stand like this we shall grow
frightened said the senior, <oughly,
glancing round him as he spoke; there
is nothing to fear IN a red stone cut
like an eyes,
IF you think so, white man." an
swered Natal. in voice that shook
little, strive as he would to command
it; lift up the holy thing and give me
the writing that is beneath 1T. Stay.
first take this, and set it in the symbol.
replacing the eye upon it," and he
handed him the forged tablet.
The senior obeyed, nor did anything
happen when he lifted that dreadful
looking jewel and changed the tue for
the false.
Read it." said Maya, as the tablet
was passed to Natal; you have
knowledge of the ancient writings
Perhaps it We're best left unread"
he said, doubtfully.
Nay" she answered; s'le1 Cs know
the worst. Read it,
Then he read these strange words in
slow and solemn voice:
The eye that has slept and is awai1-
ened sees the heart and purpose o. the
wicked. I say that in the hour of the
desolation of my city not all the waters
of the Holy Lake shall wash away their
sim"
Now the faces of us vino heard turned
gray in the lamplight. for, though the
gods of this people were false. we felt
that the voice of a true prophet spoke
to rs from that accusing tablet, and
that we had called down upon our
heads a vengeance which we could not
measure.
Did not tell you that it were wiser
to leave the writing unread" gaSped
Natal. letting the tablet fall from his
hand as though it were a snake.
The clatter of it as it struck the mar
bic floor seemed to wake us from our
evil dream, for the senior turned on him
and said fierce1y:
What does it matter what the thing
says, rogue, seeing that you forged it
as you forged the other
All! would that I had answered
and all of us. then shall you learn
whether or not I forged this writ
ing" And he lifted it from the floor,
and hiding it in the folds of his robe,
added: Close the heart, white man,
and give back the severed jewel to those
who wear it,
The senior did SO, replacing the silken
cloth over the symbol so that the altar
seemed to be as it had been.
Nov let US be going" said Natal
land rejoice that if yonder eye has seen
our wicl>edness, it is hidden from the
OF the gods is sure, but that of men is
swift.
As he spoke we turned to leave the |
sanctuary, and of a sudden MAYA |
screamed. and would have fallen had |
not the senior caught her Well might |
she scream, for there in the narrow |
niche of the door by which he had en- |
tered, stood white figure that at first I |
took to be that of some avenging ghost. |
Another instant and I saw that in |
deed it was ghost, the ghost of Zibal- |
bay, or rather his body come back from |
the boundaries of death to spy upon
our sacrilege before it crossed them
forever.
While he had seemed to be senseless
upon the bed in the chamber. his senses
were awake, and oh, what must he have
suffered when he heard us plan our
fraud nPo9 his sanctuary Then when
we had leIt him his fury and despair
unfettered the limbs that had been
bound so fast and gave him strength to
follow, though they could not unlock
his frozen tongue.
Oh, never shall I forget the rage of
his Quivering face, or the agony and
horror of his tormented eyes as they
met ours.
He saw our fear, and with n last effort !
staggered forward toward his daughter,
his clenched hands held above his head.
Then foam. mingled with blood. burst
from his lips, and he sank down at her
feet dead.
Somehow we Gained and silcnced
Maya; somehow we escaped from that
hateful sanctuary, and by slow degrees
brought her and the dead body of her
father up the narrow stairs and pas
sages to the hall above. where we laid
the latter on its bed. Then Natal left
us, and I remember no more till the
next morning, when the mobiles and
1eeches came to watch by the body of
the cacique and embalm it in readiness
for the tomb.
The next two days went heavily for
the three of us, oppressed as we were
by the silent gloom Of our prison and
the memories of that dreadful night.
At length they carried away the
corpse of Zibalbay to be wrapped in its
winding sheet of gold and set with its
forefathers in the hall of the dead, and
though Maya wept, 1, for my part, was
glad to see the last of him, and so
think was the senior, whose spirit had
bepuu to fail him in the presence of so