Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1896-04-15
CHAPTER XVIII.
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his arms and fell heavily to the floor.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE PLOT
Spriuging forward. but too late TO
| save him. the senior and | lifted Iibal-
bay from the ground and laid him on a
couch. Peeping over our shoulders
Maya caught sight OF his CHASTITY face
and the foam upon his lips.
20. he is dead!' She moaned: my
father is dead, and he died cursing
me-"
No" said the senior, .'he is not dead,
for his heart stirs. Bring wl--r,
Maya"
She obcycd. and for hard upon two
hours we struggled To restore his sense.
but in vain; life fingered. indeed. but
we could not stir him from his stupor.
/ At length, a. we were resting. wearied
with our fruitless labor, the gates
! opened and Tikal came again.
! hat now?' he asked. seeing the
form of Iibalbay stretched upon the
couch. Docs the old man Sleep"
Yes, he sleeps" answered the senior,
and L think that he will wake no
| more. The words he spoke to you to-
! day are coming true. and that which
! bc yours by right
No, answered TilSal, "by right, it
! viii be the Lady NIaya's yonder. though
| by force il may remain mine. unless. in
/ decd, she gives it me of her own free
viii. But, say, how did this come
/ about?"
Now broke in hastily, fearing lest
/ the senior should say too much. and
thus bring some swift and awful fate
upon himself.
He was worn out with the fatigue of
our journey and the cXcitements of
yesterday. After YOU had left he be-
gan to talk of your proposals, and sud
denly was taken with this fit These
| matters are not for me tospealx Of who
an, but IA prisoner in "A strange land,
still, lord, it will not look well if he
who once was cacique of this city dies
here and unattended. for then people
may say that you have murdered him.
Have you no doctors who can be sum
moned to attend him. for without drugs,
or even bleeding knife. we have done
all chat we can do?"
Murdered him! That they will say
in any case. Yes. there are doctors
here, and the best of them is Natal,
my father-in-law. l will send him.
But Maya, before go, have you no
word for me?r
Maya. who was seated Ly the table.
her face buried in her hands, looked up
and said
is your heart stone that YOU can
trouble me in such an hour? When nv
father is recovered, or dead, will an
swer you. and not before"
SO be it. lady" he said. Till then
| will wait. And now. | must get
hence, for there may be trouble in the
city when this news reaches it.
Awhile passed and Natal appeared
before us followed by one who carried
his scales and medicines. Without
speaking he came to where Zibalbay
lay and examined him by the light of a
lamp. Then he poured medicines down
his throat and waited as though he
expected To see him rise, but he neither
rose nor stirred.
"A bad case" he said, II fear that
he will awake no more. How came he
thus"
do You wish to know?" asked
Maya speaking for the first time
Then bid Your attendant stand back
and will tell you. My father yondcr
was smitten down while he cursed me
in his rage
And why did he curse you. ladv?"
For this reason: Tillal came To nv
father, and in the presence of us ali.
offered 10 set him in his lawful place
again and to suffer him to carry out
his schemes whatever they might be.
II would consent to become his wife"
ITO become his wife, said Natal in
amazement. How could You become
his wife when he is married? Can there
be two ladies Of the Hearth"
No. answered Maya quietly. but
the proposal of Tikal. my cousin. is that
he should either put away or kill your
daughter in order that he may set me
in her place"
When Natal heard this his eyes
flashed and his very beard seemed to
bristle with rage.
He proposed that, He dared to pro-
pose that! he gaspcd 20. let him
have care. | set him up, and percharce
can pull him down again. Continue,
lady"
He proposed it, and NV father
agreed to the offer. But if INV father
accepted ] refused, seeing that it is not
my wish 10 have more to 40 with Ii
kal. Then my father cursed me. and
while he cursed was stricken down"
on say it is not your wish to marry
Iikal.' lady. Is it then your wish to
marry any other man?"
Yes. She answered. letting her eyes
fall. Il love this white lord here.
whom you name Son of the Sea. and
would become Is wife. But. Malta;
likal l, very strong. and il may be. mn.
less ! can find help elsewhere that il
order 60 save the life Of the man love.
Of his friend and mine. Iguatio and NV
own. ! shall be forced into the arms of
Tilial.
But now Tihal has asked me for
my answer. and / have told him that
! viii give il when my father i recov.
cred on dead. Perhaps il WI be for
YOU TO say what that answer shall be.
for alone and in prison am rot strong
enough TO stand against Til,aI. Saw
now. do the people love me IS ell enough
10 dcpo-c Tikal. and set me i'm nv
fathers place. should nc die"
u cannot say, lady" he answered
shortly. but AZ the least you will
scarcely ask me thus TO bring !. bout my
own and my daughters ruin. will
bc open with you. ! gaincl over the
Council OF the Heart to Tilyal's cause.
and my price was that hc should marry
my daupi ter. thereby satisfying her
love and my ambition. Nc,. / have
plotted 20 set Nahua on high. both FOR
her axe and for my own. seeing that
after the caciquc ] would be the chief
man in thc city.
Can ] then turn rO md and dcDO-c
nm. and my daughter and myself with
him2 And IL did. what would bc my
late ai your hands in th, davs to c-ruep
No.. ] WOULD bc rcvcngsd on Tilsa. in
decd. who has offered SO dead. an
afrDn' iO mc and mine. but IT, must be
100 SOME other way thyn this. Tell inc
now. lady. what is that you desire
most: 90 hc 'hc caciglc OF this city bv
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