Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1896-04-30

Il
days since, when some of the people
refused to get them to their labor, say.
| ing that the high priest alone had au.
| thoritY over them, and there was no
high priest in the city. Then in nv
perplexity took counsel with the lord
Natal, master of the stars, and he con-
suited with the stars on my behalf.
"All night long he searched the heav.
ems, and he read in them that Zibalbay,
who, led by n lying dream, broke
through the laws of the land and wan.
dered across the mountains. has paid
the price of his folly and is dead i'm the
wilderness, together with lbs daughter
that was my aflianced and the Lady of
the Heart. Is 1t not 50, MattG;?"
Now the person addressed, a stout
man with bald head and quick, shift
ing eyes and a thick and grizzlcd beard,
stepped forward and said, bowling:
IF my wisdom was not at fault. such
was the message Of the stars. q lord. -
Mobiles went on TiSal, ',you
have heard my testimony and
the testimony of Natal. whose
voice is the voice of truth. For these
reasons also. she to whom was am
anced being dead. have taken to wife
Nahua, the daughter of Natal. Say,
do You accept us?'
Now some few Of the company were
silent, hut the rest cried:
I'VE accept You, TilIal and Nahua.
and long may You rule over MS accord
ing to the ancient customs of the land. -
at is well, NV brethren answered
| Tilal. "And now. before we drink the
parting cup, have any Of you aught tn
say tn me?"
II have something to say" cried III
baibay in loud voice from the shad-
ows where we stood Mt the far erd of
the hall. At the sound of this voice,
the tones of which he seemed To know,
TilIal started and rose in fear, but re-
covering himself said:
Advance from the shadow, whoever
Won are, and say your say where men
may see YOU"
Turning To his daughter and To MS,
ZibalbaN babe rs follow him and do as
he did. T5sN, yelling his face with 2
corner Il his robe. he walked up the
hall, tbs cSowd of mobiles and ladies
opening a path. till we stood before the
throne. Here he uncovered himself, rs
we did also. and. standing sideways. so
that he should be seen both by Tilal
and all that company, he opened his
lips To speak. Before word could pass
them a cry of establishment broke from
the mobiles. and of a sudden the sccpter
fell from the hand Of Tikal and rolled
along the floor.
'Zibalbay!" said the cry. 1T is III
balbay come back, or the ghost of him.
and with him the Lady of the Heart
"Ay, MOBILES" he said in quiet voice,
although his hand shook with rage, lit
Is /, Zibalbay, your lord. come home,
and not too soon, as it would seem.
What, my nephew, were you 81 hungry
for my place and power that You must
break the oath You swore upon the
Heart and seize them before the ap-
pointed time? And you, Natal, have
you lost your skill, or have the gods
smitten You with a curse. that you
prophesy falsely, saying that il was
written in the stars that we who are
alive were dead, and thereby lifting up
your daughter TO the seat of the Lady
of the Heart.
''Nay. do not answer me. Standing
yonder | have heard all Your story.
And | say to You. Tillal. that You are n
foresworn traitor, and To you. Natal,
that you are q charlatan and liar, who
have dared to use the holy art for Your
own ends and the advancement of your
house. On both of YOU l will be
avenged, ay, and on all these who have
abetted YOU in your crimes. Guards,
seize that man, and the lord Natal
with him, and let them be held fast till
i shall judge them"
The soldiers that stood on either side
of the thrones hesitated for a moment,
then advanced toward TilSal. as though
to lay hands upon him in obedience to
Zibalbayls order. But Nahua rose and
waved them off, saying:
"Whatl you dare to touch your
anointed lordf Back. say to you, IL
you would save yourself from the doom
OF sacrilege. Living or dead, the day
of Zibalbay is done. for the Council of
the Heart has set his crown upon the
brow of Tikaf, and, whether for good
or i'll, their decree cannot be changed"
"Ayl" said Tilxal, whose courage had
come back To him. The lady Nahua
speaks truth. Touch me not il you
would live to look upon the SUM-"
But all the while he spoke his eyes
were fixed upon Maya, whose beauti-
full face he watched as though it were
that of some lost love risen from the
dead
Now, as Zibalbay was about to speak
again, Natal, the astronomer, bowed
before him and said:
BE not wroth, but hear me, my lord
You have travelled far and you are
weary, and a weary man is apt at wrath.
You think that You have been wronged,
and doubtless all this that has CHANGED
is strange to You, bnt now is not the
time for us to give count of our acts and
stewardship, or for you to hearken.
Rest this night, and tomorrow on the
pyramid, in the presence of the people,
oil 1x.alI h 10 a.
and justice done to all"
Now Zibalbay paused awhile, look
ing round out of the corner of his eyes
like a wolf in a trap, for he sought to
discover the temper of the mobiles. Then
finding that there were few present
whom he could trust to help him, he
lifted his head and answered.:
"You are right, Natal, / am weary,
for age, travel, and the faithlessness of
men have worn me out. Tomorrow
these matters shall be dealt with in the
presence of the people, and there before
the altar it shall be made known
whether / am their lord, or You, Tilxal
There, too, i will tell You who these
strangers are, and why have brought
them across the mountains. Until then
leave them in your keeping, for your
own salzes charging you to keep them
well. Nay, here i will neither eat nor
drink. Do You come with me-" and he
called to certain lords by name, whom
he knew to be faithful to him.
Then without more words he turned
and left the hall, followed by a number
of mobiles.
ut seems that my father has for
gotten me-" said Maya, with a laugh,
when he had gone. 'Greeting to you
all, friends, and to you, my cousin
Tixal, and TO your wife Nahua, who,
once my waiting lady. has now by the
gift of fortune been lifted up to take
my place and title, greeting. What
ever may be the issue of these broils,
may you be happy in each others love,
Tikai and Nahua."
Now Tikal came down from the
throne and bowed before her, saying:
II swear to you, Maya"
mo, do not swear" she broke in,
but give me and my friends here cup
of wine and some fragments from your
wedding feast, for we are hungry. /
thank you. How beautiful is that
brides robe which Nahua wears, and
surely those emeralds were once my own.
Well, let her take them from me as a
wedding gift. Make room, l pray you,
Tilkal, and suffer these ladies to tell me
of their tidings, for remember that
have wandered far, and it is pleasant to
see faces that are dear to me-" -
There were two wn@-'s~ sr--1 lvJe
the seoes or of me, and these were
Tikal, who gazed at Maya as he stood