The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-07-11

once more the severed halves OF the
symbol of the heart are laid side by
side In their place upon the altar.
Zibalbay told them that he believed
the god would reveal his purpose and
show what part each Of you should play
In the fate that Is to be, and therefore
the people look To see some sign or
wonder when Day and Night are come
together"
Now Natal thought for awhile. and
went on:
Lady, am old, and for many years
I have followed the worship of the
gods. and vet never have / known the
gods to make answer TO their votaries,
or heard the voices of the immortals
speaking into human ears. l cannot
tell, but think were l In SO sore =
strait as you find yourselves tonight, I
should not hesitate TO give voice TO
these dumb gods"
"What Is your meaning?" asked Maya
"Whcn the severed halves of the
heart are set in their place upon the al
tar, IL there should be any gods they
should give a sign. The ancient sym
boil ON the altar is hollow, and If it
were TO open il might be that a writing
would be found within 1t, an ancient
writing OF the gods prepared against
the present time that shall be to us as
a lantern 10 one wandering in the dark,
or IL might be that nothing would be
found.
Now, as II happens, in searching
through the earliest records Of the tenn
Pile, / have discovered a certain writing,
and IL seems 20 me that your fortune
| would be great IL that writing should
lie within the symbol on the night of
the Rising Waters. Here IL is"
And suddenly he produced a small
plate Of dull gold covered over with
| symbols.
Read It," said Maya.
Then Natal read:
".ro thee IL speaks, unborn daughter
| OF chief to be. whose name Is the name
Of nation. When my people have
grown old and their numbers have less
ened and their heart is faint, then,
lady, take TO myself as n husband a
man of the race OF the white god, a son
OF the sea foam, whom thou shalt lead
hither across the desert, for so my peo-
| pie shall once more prosper and grow
| strong, and the land shall be to thy
child and the child of the god, east and
west and north and south, further than
my eagles wing between sunrise and
| set"
| He finished reading, and there was
| silence as we looked on each other
| amazed at the holiness and the cum
| ming of this old priest and plotter. 1t
| was Maya who spoke first.
"You have forged this writing, Mat
tai she said, ''and now you desire that
| should set it in the symbol, for you
are mindful of that curse which is
written in the ritual. In short, IL you
do not fear the vengeance OF the god,
you fear the vengeance OF the order"
| II
both. Still, you must make your choice,
and swiftly"
Now she turned 10 us, saying:
advise me- friends, for | know not
| what 70 answer. In the faith OF my
people | have lost faith, and it Is 20
| yours that l look for comfort, and yet
the deed seems awful, for If we are not
worshipers Of the namcless god, still we
are all OF us brethren Of the ancient
mysteries of the Heart. and TO do this
thing would be TO break our solemn
oaths. Come, let us put IL 10 vote, and
do you. who are the oldest and the
wisest among us, vote first, lgnatio."
$50 be it," / answered. For my
part l give my voice against the trick.
OF the gods of your people know moth
ing and think less, but am the master
of our order i'm my own land, and / will
not offend against IL. Still, in this
matter your lives are at stake as well
as mine: therefore, IL of the three OF
us two are in favor OF the act l will be
bound by their decision"
Good, let IL be so,n said Maya. "And
now, beloved, speak and tell us whether
you choose death and n clean con
science, or life and my love 20 gladden.
it." and she looked into his face with
her beautiful eyes, and half stretched
out her arms as though she would CLASP
him TO her breast.
II have no choice" he said. ~ dc
not fear to die, IL need be; but L should
be no man were TO choose death while
IL Is your wish that I should live. Like
Ignatio, ! say that the gods of this city
arc 20 me nothing more than idols, and
TO deceive that which does not exist II
impossible. For the rest, L became 9
Brother of the Heart not by my owl
wish, but by accident; therefore, on thii
point, my conscience priclss me little.
II win do your wish, Maya, and 4
you think IL better that we should die
, why Let us die and make an end"
May" she answered with flash o
. reckless passion, II think IL better tina
we should live far from this unluclxl
, city, and there be happyin each other
! love. For your sake my fathers curs'
| has fallen on me, and after it all othe
! maledictions OF gods or men will b'
light as feathers"
, Little do | care for vengeance 4
r come IL for only one short year ma,
1 call you husband.
"Ill-omened words" muttered Mat
+. tai, shivering little; words that onl,
, n woman would utter, but so be It."
AS he spoke thought heard fain
{ groan come from the man upon TIL
: couch. glanced anxiously at Zabal
I bay TO find that must have been mis-
: taken, or, at least, that IL had not pro
4 ceeded from his lips, for he lay Their
rigid and senseless as a corpse.
" THE vote is talcn," / said. "Wha
| next Mattai?"
! Follow me-" he answered, land
5 will show you secret path from thu
chamber TO the sanctuary beneath
i Nay, you need not fear 20 leave him
| for II his life still burns within him II
q asleep. But stay, where is the talk
1 man? That will be necessary to u.s."