The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-02-14

| be DOSSlOl6 WlU0OuO WHY'S. 1HCIC ID q
secret way through it,"
Are you glad to see the gateway OF
YOUR home, Maya" asked the senior.
mo" she answered, almost fiercely,
''for here in the wilderness l have been
happy, but there sorrow awaits me and
YOU. Oh! if indeed l am dear to you,
! let us turn even now aud fly together
back to the lands where your people
live" and she claspSd his hand and
looked earnestly into his eyes.
What" he answered, land leave
your father and Ignatio to finish the
Journey by themselves"
You are more to me than my father,
James,"
But, Maya, having come so far 1
wish to see the sacred city"
"As you will" she said, letting fall
his hand. ''See, my father has found
the place and calls u.s."
We walked on to where the old man
stood.
Although trust you," said the old
man, ''yet / must obey the oath, to
suffer no stranger to see the entrance
| to the mountain gate. Come hither,
daughter, and blindfold these foreign
ers."
! She obeyed, and as she tied the
heard her whisper: Fear not, will be
your eyes"
Then we were taken by the hand and
! led some PAGES; then, as we judged
from the sounds, our guides moved
something heavy. Next we were con-
Quoted down a steep incline through a
narrow passage. At length, after TAX
/ ing many sharp turns, the passage
grew wider and the path smooth and
| level.
Loose the bandages, said the voice
of Zibalbay.
MAYA did so, and we looked round us
curiously to find that we stood at the
bottom of a deep cleft or volcanic rift
in the rock. This cleft was still easily
passable after centuries of disuse, and
| did not measure more than forty PAGES
| from wall to wall. On either side of it
lowered sheer black cliffs.
BY degrees the cleft narrowed until
| it ended in tunnel.
We followed through the gloom till
presently spot of light appeared be-
| fore us, and in another minute we
stood on the further side of the noun
! tain.
Without pausing Zibalbay pushed on
down the hill, and suddenly turning to
|
house built of hewn stone.
Enter" he said. land welcome to
the country of the People of the
| Heart"
As the door was thrown open, light
| from the fire within streamed through
it. and mans voice was heard asking:
"Who is there?'
Without answering Zibalbay walked
into the room. AT a table placed be-
| fore the fire sat a man and
woman eating. is this the way
that you watch for my return?" he
asked in a stern voice. Haste now
and make food ready for us, for we are
starved with cold and hunger"
! The man, who had risen, stood hest
tating, but the woman, whose position
enabled her to see the face of the speak
er, caught him by the arm, saying:
Down to your knees, husband. 1t
is the cacique come back"
Pardon" cried the man, taking the
hint, but to be frank, o lord, it has
been so dinned into my ears down in
the city yonder that neither you nor the
Lady of the Heart would ever return
again that l thought you must be
ghosts. Yes, and so they will think in
the city, where l have heard that Tikal
rules in your place"
Peace" said Zibalbay, frowning
heavily. 1--WE left robes here, did we
not? Go, lay them out in the sleeping
these my guests, while the woman
makes food ready"
When they were gone on their err
rands we gathered round the hearth to
bask in the luxury of its warmth.
Soon the Indian returned and an
nounced that our rooms were ready.
Accordingly we followed him to small
sleeping room. Laid upon the beds
were linen robes and serapes made in
alternate bands of gray and black
feathers worked on to a foundation of
stout linen. Standing upon wooden
stools in q corner of the room, half
filed with steaning water, were two
basins, which the senior noticed with
establishment were made of hammered
silver.
We put on the robes that had been
provided and returned to the eating
room. Presently the curtain was drawn
and the Lady Maya joined us, but so
changed that we started in astonish-
ment.
Different indeed was she to the i'll
clad and travel-stained girl who had
/ bee2 our companion Tor so many weeks.
Now she was dressed in a robe of snowy
white hordered with embroidery of the
royal green and having the image of
the heart traced in. gold thread on the
breast On her feet were sandals, also
worked IN green, while round her
throat. wrists. waist, and ankles
shone circlets of dead gold. Her dark
hair no longer fell loose about her, but
was twisted into a simple knot and con-
fined in little golden net, and from
her shoulders hung a cloak of pure
white feathers.
Zibalbay entered soon after followed
by the two Indians bearing food. He
was simply dressed in a white toga-
like robe. similar to that which had
been given to the senior and myself, a
cloak of black feathers, his shoulders
covered. and round his neck was hung a
massive gold chain, to which was at
tached the emblem of the heart also
fashioned in plain gold.
The food is ready" said Zibalbay,
''such as it is. Be seated. Nay, daugh-
ter, you need not stand before me. We
are still fellow wanderers, all of US, and
ceremony can wait till we are come to
| the CITY of the Heart ="