San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-02-02

arougnJ win ner, sne nruuo 40 ss--
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 1t,
she slipped the water skin from her
shoulder, washed 1t out, filed and re-
placed it.
Next she dragged herself up the bank,
and by the light of a new torch started
for the foot of the shaft. Here Maya
rested awhile, gathering up her ener-
gies, 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
r...l- IG-...sc OF e." i0+"-~2 dark
ness. Before she had assembled fifty
steps she was dismayed to find 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-ffth step.
Then it seemed that a voice called
her, and she struggled, w-ithing forward
like a 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 cueva, yet
it must be done. Leaving the hammock,
l searched for the Lady Maya, but could
not find her, so called aloud: "Senora,
sonora! Where are you, senora?"
Here" she answered. What is it?
Is he dead?"
mo; but am sure that unless he has
water he will die within a little more
than an hour. Therefore l have made
up my mind to try todescend the cueva.
VIII you be SO good as to watch the
senior till return, and if 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? 1 should be glad to
escape the task, but this is question
of life and death"
YES" she answered, land because 1t
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. I 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 1 took the
water skin and leather cup and ran
with them to my friends side.
But now the senior was In q 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 I began to sprinkle his
brow and to moisten his cracked lips.
At the touch and smell Of the fluid
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 II from my
hand, he drained it In three gulps.
More" he gasped; "morep'
But as yet would give him no more,
though he prayed for it piteously, and
when did allow him to drink again II
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?"
II will tell you tomorrow" 1 an
swered. "Sleep now, If you can"