The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-02-07

| 1T was quite Impossible Tor anyone TO
keep footing on it.
The ancient had overcome the
trouble by means of wooden stair
case, as was evident from the places
followed in the rock to receive the up
rights, but this structure had long since
rotted away. At the head of where
this staircase had stood hole was
bored in the rock, doubtless to receive
a rope by which the water bearers sup
ported themselves while they filed
their jars, and the sight of this hole
gave Maya an idea.
Untying the cord which she had
brought with her, she made it fast
through the hole, and having fixed the
torch into one of the spaces followed to
hold the timbers of the stairway, she
slid down the bank till she stood breast
high in the water. For a minute or
more she remained thus drinking her
fill and enjoying the GOODNESS of her
bath. then. first having taken care to
remove the finder that was tied to it,
she slipped the water skin from her
shoulder. washed it out. filed and re-
placed it.
Next she dragged herself up the bank,
and by the light of new torch started
for the foot of the shaft. Here Maya
rested awhile. gathering up her ener-
| Cies. then she commenced the ascent.
There were 1O1 of the notches, for she
| had counted them as she came down,
and now again she began to count SO
that she might know her exact position
in the shaft. of which she could see
nothing because of the intense dark
ness. Before she had assembled fifty
steps she was dismayed to find a feeling
of WEAKNESS taking possession of her,
which forced her to pause awhile, hang
| ing to the face of the shaft. Then she
went on again, and with great efforts
reached the seventy-fifth step.
Then it seemed that voice called
| her. and she struggled, writhing forward
| like wounded snake, till darkness
closed in upon her mind
When MAYA recovered a few minutes
| later she found that she was lying upon
the edge of the pit, over which her feet
still hung. Instantly she remembered
all. and with a little scream of terror
wriggled forward along the floor. Then
she rose to her feet, and picking up her
| linen robe, crept toward the entrance
to the cave, where she put on her gar
ments and walked slowly toward the
camp. bearing the precious water with
| her.
Meanwhile. knowing nothing of all
this. also had been thinking. | re-
membered how, when lay crushed be-
meath the rocks, the senior had ven
tured his life to save me. Should | not,
then, venture mine to save his? 1t
seemed so. Without water he would
certainly die, and greatly as | dreaded
| to attempt the descent of the cucva, yet
it must be done. Leaving the hammock,
| searched for the Lady Maya, but could
not find her, so called aloud: "Senora,
senoral Where are you, senpra?"
Here" she answered What is it?
| Is he dead?"
mo; but am sure that unless he has
water he will die within little more
than an hour. Therefore l have made
up my mind to try todescend the cueva.
Will you be so good as to watch the
senior till return, and if l return no
more. as is probable, tell your father
what has happened?"
stop, Don Ignatio," said Maya in a
hoarse voice. There is no need for
you to descend the cueva."
"Why not, lady? / should be glad to
escape the task, but this is a question
of life and DEATH"
yes" she answered, land because it
is question of life and death, Don Ig-
natio, have already climbed that hide
Gus place, and-here is the water"
And once more she fell forward and
swooned upon the ground. | said moth
ing. was too much amazed, and, in
deed, too much ashamed. to speak.
Lifting Maya's senseless form from the
ground, placed her in a hammock that
was slung close by. Then l took the
water skin and leather cup and ran
with them to my friends side.
But now the senior was in state OF
collapse and lay still, moaning from
time to time. Undoing the mouth OF
the skin, poured out a cupful of water
with which l began to sprinkle his
brow and to moisten his cracked lips.
At the touch and smell of the fluid a
singular change came over the sailors
face; the empty look left it and the
eyes opened.
THAT was water" he muttered. II
can taste it." Then he saw the cup,
and the sight seemed to give him a sud
den strength, for suddenly he stretched
out his arms, and snatching it from my
hand, he drained it in three gulps.
More" he gasped; ''morer'
But as yet l would give him no more,
though he prayed for it piteously, and
when did allow him to drink again il
was in sips only. For an hour he
slipped thus, till at length even his
thirst was partially satisfied, and the
shrunken cheeks began to fill out and
the dull eyes to brighten.
THAT water has saved my life" he
whispered. where did it come from?'
Il will tell you tomorrow" / an.
swered. ''Sleep now, if you can"
How to Keep Cider Sweet.