The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-01-04

this .
'sYou think so now" she answered,
meaningly, sbut when you have been
awhile IN the city yond er you will think
otherwise. Oh!'' she went on passion
ately, 'sif indeed you care for me we
should never have crossed that noun
tain behind us.
Here am great lady, and you will
see the people in the streets bow them
selves to the ground before me; and If |
say that man shall die, you will see
that. man killed Also here / have
wealth more than any white woman,
and you will be fond Of me for
that
"You are very UNJUST" he brooks in,
angrily; cit is shameful that you should
speak to me thus for no cause
"Perhaps am unjust, she answered
with a sob, ''but there are so many
troubles before US. First there is
THAI
What does Tiaal want?" asked the
senior.
"He wants to marry ME, or to become
cacique of the city in ray right, which
is the same thing; at least ne will not
give me up without a struggle. Then
there is my father, who serves two mas
tiers only, his gods and his country, and
who will use me like piece ia a game
If it suits his purpose; yes, and you, too,
Our good days are done with. the evil
ones have to come, nd after them--the
night. Henceforward we shall find few
opportunities Of speaking even. for I
shall be surrounded by officers and
waiting ladies, who will watch my
every action and hear my every word,
and my father will watch me ALSO
Now I begin to be SORRY that / did
not take your advice and stop on the
further side of the mountain, answered
the senior. "Do you think we can
escape there?"
''No, 1t is too late; they would track
us down. We must go on now and meet
our fate, whatever it may he. Only
swear to me by my gods or your own, or
whatever you hold dear, that You will
cleave to me till I ain dead as l will
c1esve to you," and taking his hand in
hers she looked up appealingly into his
face.
At this moment Zibalbay, who was
walking In front, lost in his own
thoughts, CHANGED to turn and see
them.
''Come hither, daughter, and you,
white man" he said In stern voice.
Listen, both of you. am old, but my
sight and hearing are still keen, though
yonder in the wilderness took no heed
of much that saw and heard. Here in
my own land it is otherwise. Learn,
white man, that the Lady Of tho Heart
is set far above you and there I think
she will remain. Do you understand
my meaning?"
'lPerfectly," answered the senior,
striving to control his anger, sbut.
chief, it is a pity that you did not see
we'll to tell me this before. Had it not
been for what we and one dead we're
able to do to save you, to-day your
bones would have been whitening in
the forest. Why did you not tell me
there that I WAS no fit company for
your daughter?"
because You were sent by the gods
to do me service, and because there
had need of you, white man." answered
Zibalbay, quietly, ''as maybe I shall
have need Of you again. Had it not
been for that chance we should have
parted company on the further side of
the mountain"
t.In truth wish we had!'' exclaimed
the senior.
AS i walked on side by side with Ii
balbay [ spoke to him. saying: "You
USE S1dIp "cAuS CO"dIu IilA Wlo 40 LILY
brother, chief, and therefore toward
me-"
II speak as I must" he answered
coldly. 'sAlany troubles await me at
the city. Did you not hear what that
knave said last night, that TiAal, my
nephew, whom / left in charge, rules
in my stead? Well. this girl of mine,
who is afianced to him. and through
whom he hopes to govern in after years,
NAV be the only bait that will tempt
him from his place, for he looks upon
me as one dead. and it will not please
him to lay down, the rod of power. How
should it please him, then. and those
who follow him, to see white stranger
holding that daughters hand and whis-
pering in her ear? ....
I made no answer. for at that mo-
ment we turned corner and came face
to face with the bearers Of the litters
whom Zibalbay had summoned to meet
us.
There were forty of these men or
more; for the most part they were tall
and we'll shaped. with regular features
and like Zibalbay and Maya, very fair
for Indians, but the look upon their
faces was different from any that I
have seen among my people. 1t was
not stupid or brutal, or even empty,
rather did it suggest great WEAKNESS.
WEAKNESS was the master not of their
bodies. but of their minds, and looking
at them could understand what Ziloal-
bay meant when he said that his race
was outworn.
Summoning the captain of the bear
ers Zibalbay talked to him while his
companions ate food that they had
brought with them, and / noted that
what he heard seemed to give him little
pleasure. Next he ordered us to enter
the litters.
We started forward down the noun
tain, and in an hour we had left the re-
pion of snow behind and entered the
cedar forests.
At length, as the evening began to
fall. we entered the village of corn
growers, half-ruined place, of which
the houses were for the most part built
of adobe or mud bricks and rooted
with concrete of white lime.
When Zibalbay descended from his
litter all those present Frustrated them
selves and remained thus, till, followed
by some of the head men, he had passed
into house, which was made ready for
his use, leaving us without.
Presently e messenger came from Iii
balbay to summon us into the house,
where we found an ample meal pre-
pared, consisting chiefly of fish from
the lake, baked wild fowl, and many
sorts of fruit. BY the time we had
finished eating and had drunk the
chocolate that was served to us in cups
Of hammered silver, the night had fallen
completely. I asked Zibalbay if we
should sleep there; to which he replied