Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-02-27
HEART OF TIE WORLD.
by II. RIDER HAGGHRD.
Strange Story, Taken FROM Mar script Bequeated BY - Cd
Mexican Indian to His Friend and comradc,
Englshman Named Jones.
Copyrighted 1894, by II. Rider Baggsrd

for it is my business to watch the stars
especially my own star, which Just now
is somewhat obscured, and he smiled
IF you have finished your meal, my
comrades are to lead you to the apart
ments of the Lady Maya, who wishes to
show You something Of our city, which
being strangers, may interest you. BY
the way. ii | do not ask too much, per.
haps you will tell me to what race you
belong" and he bowed toward the
senior. 1--WE have heard of white men
here, though we have learned no good
of them, and tradition tell us that our
first ruler, Cucumatz, was one. Are
You of his blood strangely"
II do not know answered the senior,
laughing. 81 come from a cold coun-
try far beyond the sea, where all
men are as | am"
"Then the inhabitants of that coun-
try must be goodly to behold, answered
Natal gavcIy. ~ thank you for your
courtesy, Son Of the Sea. in answering
my question so readily. did not asl,
1t from curiosity alone. since the people
in this city are terrified of strangers
and clumor for some account of you"
doubtless orr friend Zibalbay will
satisfy them" said.
Good. And now follow me-
And he led us across courts and
through passages till he reacheda little
antcroom filled with ancient carvings
and decorated with flowers, where some
girls stood chatting.
"Tell the Lady Maya that her guests
await her." said Natal, then turned to
take his departure, addinT, in low
voice. Doubtless we shall meetat noon
upon the pyramid and there you will
see know not what. but whate'cr be-
falls, be sure Of this, strangers, that
will protect you If can. Farewell !"
Presently the door opened and
through it came Maya, and looking
very sweet and beautiful in the shaded
light of the room.
Correcting, friends she said, as we
bowed before her; q have my fathers
leave to show you something Of this
city that you longcd SO much to see
These ladies' here will accompany us
and a guard, but we shall want no lit
tiers until we have assembled the great
temple, for desire that you should see
the view from thence before the place
is numbered with the multitude. Come
If you are ready"
Accordingly we set out, Maya walk.
ing between us, while her guards and
ladies followed after. Crossing the
square we came to the pyramid.
at is IL great building" said Maya,
noting our establishment, land one
that could not be reared in these days,
Tradition says that five and twenty
thousand men worked on it tor fifty
years, twenty thousand of them cut.
ting and carrying the stone and five
thousand laying the blocks"
where did the material come from
then?" asked The seaor
"Some of It was cut from beneath the
base OF the temple itself" she answered
but the most was borne in big canoes
from quarrics on the mainland, for
these q,arrics can still be seen"
as the pyramid hollow, them"
asked.
Yes; in il are many chambers, for
The most part store and treasure houses,
and beneath its base lie crypts, the bury
ing places Of the caciques, their wives
and children. There also is the holy
sanctuary Of the Heart, which you, be-
ing of the Brotherhood, may, perhaps,
be permitted to visit. Come, let us
climb the stair"
And she led us across the courtyard
to the foot of a stairway forty feet or
more in BREADTH which ran TO the plat.
form of the pyramid in six flights, each
of fifty steps linked together by resting
places
Up these flights we toiled slowly, fol.
lowed by the ladies' and the guard, till
at length our labor was rewarded and
we stood upon the dizzy edge Of the
pyramid.
"Loolsm said Maya
The city beneath us was built upon a
low. hcart-shaped island, 50 hollow In
its center that it might have been the
crater OF some volcano, or, perhaps, a
mere ridge of land inclosing lagoon.
This island measured some ten miles in
length by six across at its widest.
Following the lines OF the land upon
which it stood the city was heart.
shaped, heart Of cold white marble
lying within q heart Of glowing green.
All about it ran y moat filed with
water from the lake, and on the hither
side of this moat stood a wall fifty feet
or more in height, bull of great blocks
of the white limestone chat formed the
bedrock OF the island.
Within the oblong OF this wall lay
the city, city OF palaces, pyramids,
and temples, or, rather, the remains OF
it, for VIC could see at a glance that the
population was unable to keep so many
streets and edi0ces In repair,
Even in the great square beneath us
the signs of traffic were rare, and there
was little of the hustle of people en-
gagged In the business of life, although
this very place hal been the scene Of
last nights fcastiNg, and would again
soon be filled with men and women
hoclsing TO the pyramid.
CuaPTER XVI.