The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-07-11

What could force Nd 70 ny me nsn~
tuary?" asked.
Natal shrugged his shoulders and
went on. We passed down many stairs,
along passages, and through secret
doors, each OF which Natal left open
behind us, till at length we came TO the
sanctuary of the nameless god and stood
on the further side OF the wall huddled
together and clasping each others
hands, for the place was awesome, and
It's utter silence aud solemnity filled MS
with fear.
The roof OF the sanctuary, which
was of no great size, was vault-shaped,
In imitation Of the arching sky, and In
IL appeared a golden sun, silver cres-
cent moon, and the stars of heaven. Its
walls were lined throughout with pol
ished blocks of the beautiful stone
known as Mexican onyx. fretted over
TO the height of man with border OF
hieroglyphics and efiigies of the lesser
| gods in attitudes of alteration, cast in
gold and set flush with the face OF the
wall.
The furniture was very simple, con-
sisting only OF stools cut from rich
woods, heavily gilded in quaint designs,
and n small table, whereon lay sheets
| of paper made of bark, together with
brushes of reed fiber and pots OF pig
4 u
writing OF this people. At that end by
which we had entered the chamber was
an altar OF black marble, written round
with letters shaped In gold, and upon
| this altar lay something covered with
/, sillSen cloth.
| For minute or more we stood silent,
contemplating these wonders, then with
a gesture of impatience Mattai spoke In
whisper, saying:
LET that be done which we have
come 10 do, for now the sacrilcge Is
committed, and IL Is too late TO hesi-
tate"
Speaking thus, he stepped to the
| altar and lifted the sillsen cloth that lay
over the object which was upon 1t, re-
vealing the image of n human heart,
fashioned In bloodstone, with veins of
gold. In the center of this heart APP
peared small and shallow hole that
had been followed in its substance.
This Is the tradition" said Natal,
still speaking in whisper, that when
the two halves Of a certain talisman are
placed In this hollow, the symbol will
open and reveal that which has been
set within IL since IL was fashioned
thousands Of years ago, and there Is
this in favor OF the truth OF this tale,
that golden hinges appear upon the
sides Of the symbol.
"In this matter, however, there Is
something more 10 fear than the ven
geancc Of the gods, for, an ancient ira
dition tells us that IL the symbol be
stirred from the place where IL has lain
for so many years, the floodgate will
roll back and the waters of the lake
will pour in upon the city, destroying
1t and its inhabitants"
"Yet the floodgate cannot roll back
when IL is not shut, nor can the waters
flow In during the dry season when
they are not on "a level with the walls =
answered Maya.
"They cannot, lady; and yet other
things may happen. And now 20 our
task. Stranger, give to the Lady Maya
your half Of the ancient talisman, that
she may set II together with the half
she bears in the place prepared in the
symbol"
Now, with a sigh seeing that IL was
too late TO draw back undid the emer-
aid from my neck and gave IL to Maya,
who laid It side by side with its count
erpart, upon the palm OF her trembling
hand, and stepped with IL TO the altar.
Here she stood for moment, then
whispered in faint voice:
Terror has taken holo of me, and j
fear 10 do this thing"
yet, IL must DO done, and not by
me-" said Natal, "or we shall have
come on FOOLS GRAND. and go back,
some Of us, 10 FOOLS DEATH" and he
looked toward me.
II will not do IT," said, answering
his look, mot because fear your gods,
but my own conscience l do fear"
"Then will, said the senior, boldly,
"for l fear neither. Give me that
: trinlSet, Maya"
She obeyed, and he had let the two
halves of the talisman fall into their
place in the symbol.
For some seconds, we stood still
, watching the altar with eager eyes
but the symbol never stirred. Then
, said:
1T seems, Natal, that you must
} hide your lying writing elsewhere
} since yonder heart will not open; or il
: IL will. we have not found the key"
"Wait little" broke in the senior
: "Perhaps the springs are rusted." And
| he placed his thumb upon the halves Of
! tho emerald and pressed SO hard that
; the symbol trembled on its marble
bed.
( "Beware!' cried Mattai, and befor,
, | the echoes OF his voice had died away
all of us started in establishment, FOL
10! the heart was opening like a flower
I Slowly IL opened, till the severed
: talisman fell from It as its two halves
5 lay back on the marble OF the altar
, revealing something hidden in Ia
r center that shone like an ember in thu
2 lnmplight.
In the hollow Of the heart laid upor
, n square plate OF gold, which was GOV
y cred with writing, glared n red jcwe
shaped like human eye, that seemed
: TO answer stare with stare.
Y "If we stand like this we shall grow
frightened" said the senior, roughly
I CHANGING round him as he spoke; "ther'
Q Is nothing 20 fear IN n red stone Gu
: like an eye"
: If you think so, white man." an
, swcrcd Natal, in a voice that shook
Q little. strive as he would 10 comman,
Il; lift mp the holy thing and give IN
Z the writing that Is beneath It. Stay
first take this, and set II in the symbol
/ replacing the eye upon it," and h
. handed him the forged tablet.