The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-05-13

here in the hope of saving the lives OF
all of you," he answered; "still | will +
bear with you in this as have borne
with you in much else. Listen: All
your crimes are known to me, for
Nahua, my wife, has revealed them to
me. l 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 it in
my hand"
''Do you know that we did this to
save our lives?" asked Maya, 'for II
we had not done it Natal would
have murdered us in order that by re-
moving me he might assure his daugh-
ter in her placer"
81 do not know why you did it, nor
do l care, seeing that nothing can
tighten such crime. but think that
you did ii. in order that you might win
yonder white man as 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 it 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 it was that she
would have held me back from pursuing
you, and therefore it 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 it 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 wiz do well to keep such words
to Yourself, Tikal, for of this be sure, If
you do not, will add to 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"
Let him go on, husband, said Maya;
"what can few insults more or less
matter to us now? Continue, most no.
BILE Tikal, but, for your own sake, re-
strain yourself and say nothing that q
husband should not hear"
''It is for this reason" he went on,
taking no notice of the senors anger,
"that | have come here with plan to
save YOU all, yes, even this braggart
white man who has robbed mo of you.
| If Nahua and | are silent, who will
know of your crimes? And if the evi-
dence of them is destroyed before your
eyes, who is there who can prove them:
Now, will be silent-at price. will
even bring the true tablet of the proph
ecy and the roll of Mattais confession
and destroy them with fire before you.
4. "You will be silent, said Maya, "but
what of Nahua? Win she be silent also?'
Now Tikal's dark face grew evil witt
some purpose of his own, though
whether it were of murder, or Of what
l do not know.
Leave Nahua to me, he said. with
draw the charge you made against he
of attempting to kill yonder child, ant
free her thus of the need of appearing
this night in the sanctuary, and swea
to YOU that no word of her dreadful
secret shall ever pass her lips. Thel
you will be tried upon one issue only
that of having broken your oaths b,
flying the city, crime that is not be
yond forgiveness.
"You spoke of price, Tikal; tell us
what is that price we must payY
1.-The price is yourself, Maya. Nay
hear me out, and you, white man, kee
silent. If you will swear upon tn
Heart to become my wife within si
months from this day, then | on m
part will swear that the white mar
your husband, who is not your husband
for he won the consent of the counc
to his marriage by trick, shall be su:
fered to escape the land unharmeo
taking with him his friend and so muc
of our treasure and things needful fc
, their journey as he may desire.
II will swear, also, and by this yo
, may see how deep and honestis my lov
, for you, that your son shall not be til
/ possessed of the place and rank whic
he holds in the eyes of the people as
, Heaven-sent deliverer whose comm
, was foretold by prophecy. My chill
shall give place to yours, May
Once before l held out the han
, of peace to you, Maya, but you refuse
it and tricked me, and from that refus;
{ has sprung the death Of your father an
r many other sorrows.
: "Do not refuse me again, lest the'
: sorrows should be increased and multi
/ piled upon you and upon us all. 1t
v no strange or unnatural thing l ask
| you that you should wed the man
I whom for many years you wel
t affianced, and take your place. as Il
first lady in this city, instead Of givir
c yourself over with your accomplices
a the most infamous of deaths"
n "Yet it is the most strange and u
Il natural, Tikal, that wife should
e asked to part thus from her husban
IS But stay; it is for him to speak, not m
r for he may be glad to buy safety
this cost. First, what do you say, l
> natiop Tell me, though fear your a
q swer, for it is easy to guess, seeing tn
Tikal offers all that you can desiI
|; freedom and treasure, to enable you
/ execute your plans"
>. ''It is true, lady" replied, "that
e offers me these things, though wheth
" or not he is able TO give them cam
say, and it is true, also, that ! have
s. wife here whom / must leave, and
,e prospect save that Of traitors deaf
E. Still, lady, remember certain prom
that made to you yonder in the Wild
ot ness when by your courage you say
ID your husbands life, and rememb
h, also, that it was through me that
al my friend, came to visit this accurs
city. Therefore l say let our fate
in one fate"
h. "Those are very noble words, frien
to she said, ''such as could have come OF
ce from your noble heart Now, husbaI