The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-02-28
CHAPTER XIV.
ITo BE CONTINUED
HOW z1BAI.BAT CANE HOME.

shadow or the doorway, observing InlS
strange and beautiful scene, till, as III
balbay was about to advance to the
throne, the lord Tikal held up his scep-
ter as signal, and suddenly the women
ceased from their dance and song. At
the sight of the uplifted scepter Zibal-
bay halted again, and drew back
further into the shadow, motioning us
to do likewise. Then Tikal began to
speak in rich, deep voice that filed
the hall:
councillors and mobiles of the
Heart" he said, land you high-born
ladies, wives, and daughters of the
mobiles, hear me. But yesterday, as you
know, took upon myself the place and
power of my forefathers, and by your
wish and will was proclaimed the sole
chief ruler of the people of the Heart.
Now, have hidden you to my mar
riage feast, that you may grace my
nuptials and share my Joy. For be it
known to you that tonight / have
taken in marriage Nahua the Beauti-
full, daughter of the high Lord Natal,
chief of the astronomers, keeper of the
sanctuary, and president of the Council
of the Heart, and her, in the presence
of you all, l name as my first and law
full wife, the sharer of my power and
your ruler under me, who, whatever be-
tide, cannot be put away from my bed
and throne, and as such l call upon you
to salute her"
Thereupon the whole company bowed
themselves before Nahua, who flushed
with pride and joy, and repeated, as
with one voice:
Hail to thee, Lady of the Heart,
whom it has pleased the gods to lift up
h1aSo Nov obi1Iran Ia ciuaY, 20
you and with them happiness and power
for many years.
Mobiles" went on Tilxal. when this
ceremony was finished, Tomorrow a
year will have gone by since .Zibalbay,
my uncle, who was cacique before me,
and the Lady Maya, my aff1anced bride,
left the city upon a certain mission.
Before they departed it was agreed
that l should rule as next heir during
the absence of Zibalbay and his daugh=
ter, and that if they should not return
within two years then their heritage
should be mine forever
ITO this agreement / set my name
with sorrow, for then, as now, held
that my uncle was mad, and in his mad
ness went to doom, taking with him his
daughter, whom ] loved. Yet when
they were gone fulfilled it to the let
ter, but trouble arose among the peo-
pie, for they will not listen to the voice
of one who is not their anointed lord,
but say: We will wait until Zibalbay
comes again, and hear his command
upon these matters
$50 it came about that many pressed
1t on me that for the sake of the people
and the welfare of the place, 1 should
shorten the period of my regency and
suffer myself to be anointed. But re-
Numbering my promise l answered
them sharply, saying that come what
might, two full years must be COM
place of my fathers
ITO this mind then | held till three
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 my
perplexity l 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 Zibalbav,
who, led by a 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 in the
wilderness, together with his daughter
that was my affianced and the Lady of
the Heart. Is it not so, Mattai?"
81 Now the person addressed, a stout
man with bald head and quick, shift
ing eyes and thick and grizzled beard,
stepped forward and said, bowling:
''lf my wisdom was not at fault, such
was the message of the stars, o lord"
MOBILES" went on Tikal, 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 aft
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, but the rest cried:
I'VE accept you, TiSal and Nahua,
and long may you rule over us accord
ing to the ancient customs of the land"
1T is well, nv brethren" answered
Tikal. "And now, before we drink the
parting cup, have any of you aught to
say to me?'
Il have something to say" cried III
balbay in loud voice from the shad-
ows where we stood at the far end of
the hall. At the sound of this voice,
the tones of which he seemed to know,
Tikal started and rose in fear, but re-
covering himself said:
Advance from the shadow, whoever
You are, and say your say where men
may see you"
Turning to his daughter and TO us,
Zibalbay babe us follow him and do as
he did. Then, yelling his face with a
corner of his robe, he walked up the
hall, the crowd of mobiles and ladies
opening path, till we stood before the
throne. Here he uncovered himself, as
we did also, and, standing sideways, so
that he should be seen both by Tikal
and all that company, he opened his
lips to speak. Before a word could pass
them cry of establishment broke from
the mobiles. and of a sudden the scepter
fell from the hand of Tikal and rolled
along the floor.
''Zibalbay!" said the cry. at 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, sit
is l, Zibalbay, your lord, come home,
and not too soon, as it would seem.
What, my nephew, were you so hungry
for my place and power that you must
break the oath you swore upon the
Heart and seize them before the APP
pointed time? And Won Natal have