Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-04-30
HEART OF THE WORLD.
by II. RIDER HAG0ARD.
Strange Story Taken From Manuscript Bsqueathed by al Oh
Mexican Indian to Ills Friend and com'ade. az
Engshman Named Jones.
op,riyh.sd. ie4, BY Il Rider Hastsrd

As she spoke, followed by the senior
and myself, who think alone OF all the
company guessed her mad purpose
Maya ran round the altar, and with
both her hands graspcd the symbol Of
the Heart which lay upon it.
"Forbear!" cried the voice Of Dimas,
but she did not heed him, and before
he or any Of us could reach her, drag
ging at It with desperate strength, she
had torn the ancient symbol from Its
bed, and, with q loud and hooking
laugh, east 1t down upon the marble
floor, where 1t shattered into frag.
ments.
From the altar there came sound as
Of harp strings breaking, that was fol.
lowed by another and more awful
sound, the sound Of the roar Of many
waters.
Ely! ny.' cried voice. THE foods
are loosed and destruction Is upon us
and upon the People OF the Heart"
Now the Council rushed one and all
toward the door Of the sanctuary, but
/, Ignatio, by the grace Of Heaven, re.
membered the other door, the secret
door through which we had entered,
that the priest had left ajar.
"This way cried in Spanish to the
senior, and Selling Maya by the arm |
dragged her with me into the passage.
When all three Of us were through
turned to close the door, and as | did so
saw an awful sight. Out Of the
mouth Of the pit before the altar
sprang vast column OF water,
which struck the roof Of the sane
tuary with such fearful force that
already the massive marble blocks be-
gan to rain down upon the crowd Of
fugitives, who struggled and In vain to
open the door and escape into the Hall
Of the Dead.
On we fed before the advancing food,
and well was 1t for us that our course
lay upward forotherwise we must have
been drowned as we searched for the
keys to open the different gates and
doors. But now fortune, which for so
long had been our foe, befriended us,
and the end Of it was that we reached
the summit Of the pyramid just as the
dawn began to break.
The dawn was breaking, and seldom,
perhaps, has the light of day revealed
q more wonderful or terrible sight to
the eyes of man. Outside the gates Of
the courtyard of the pyramid were
gathered great multitude Of people
waiting to be admitted to celebrate the
feast thnt on this day of the year was
to be held, according to custom, upon
the summit Of the pyramid. Indeed,
they should have already been as
sembled there, but 1t was the rule that
the gates could not be opened until the
council had left the sanctuary, and this
night the Council sat late.
As we looked at them cry OF fear
and wonder rose from the multitude,
and this was the cause Of it; Along
that street which ran from the landing
place to the great square rushed vast
wall Of water twenty feet or more Ia
depth by one hundred broad. Now we
learned the truth. The symbol on the
altar, know not how, was connected
with secret sluice gates which fol
many generations had protected the
City Of the Heart from food. When II
was torn from It's bed these sluice gates
were opened, and, the waters rushing
In, sought their natural level, which
was higher than the housetops Of the
city. On the summit Of the pyramid
were two priests, who tended the So.
cred fire and made ready for the service
to be celebrated. Seeing us emerge
from the watch house, they ran toward
us, wringing their hands and asking
what dreadful thing had come TO pass
| replied that we did not know, but
that, seeing the water gather In oul
prison, we had fled from 1t. How We
had fed they never stopped to ask, but
ran down the stairway of the pyramid
only to return again presently, for be
fore they reached its base their escape
was cut off,
Meanwhile the terror thicliened and
the doom began. Everywhere the
waters spread and gathered, replen
ished from the inexhaustible reservoir
Of the lake, Whole streets went dowr
before them to vanish suddenly be
meath their foamine face, whilc from
the crowd bclow rose one continuous
Shrek Of agony, Maya heard Il, and
casting herself face downward upor
the surface Of the pyramid, that She
might not see her handiwork, thrust
her fingers into her ears, while the
senior and | watched, fascinated.
Now the food struck the people
some thousands Of them, who were
gathered on the rising ground at thu
gates Of the iaclosurc of the temple
and, 10. in an instant they were gone
borne away as withered leaves are
borne before gale. Ere man might
count ten the most Of the population
of the City Of the Heart had perishedl
For a little while some Of the more
massive houses stood, only to vanish
one by one, in silence, as 1t seemed, fol
now the roar Of the waters covered al
other sounds, Before the sun was wei
up 1t was finished, and on the ancient
and beautiful city, Heart Of the World
there remained nothing to be seen ex
cept the tops Of the trees and the upper
parts Of the pyramids Of worship rising
hova tho laval NJ tina luka
The Golden city was no more.
Presently Maya rose to her knees ant
looked out from beneath the hollow O.