Abilene weekly reflector., 1896-04-09
HEART OF THE WORLD.
BY II. RIDER HACGARD.
Strange Story Taken From Manuscript Bequeathed BY 0M
Mexican Indian to Ills Friend and comrade, a,
Engishman Named Jones.
COPYRIGHTED. lsp4. By H Rider Hase.rd

ohSns no Aoi 10 Jul ooil anu ltJ yOul
breast harbor neither guile nor evil, fol
of all these things in a day to come YOU
must surely give account"
AS he spoke he drew from the case
that hid it nothing less than that awfu
eye which we had seen within the hol
low OF the heart when with unhallowed
hands we robbed 1t, substituting the
false for the true. Now It had been sci
in band Of gold and hung to a golden
chain which he placed about her neck
so that the red and cruel-looling ger
lay cleaning on her naked breast
Maya bowed and mnttered some word.
OF thanks, but | saw that her spirit
failed her at the touch Of the ominous
thing, for she turned faint and would
have fallen had not her husband caught
her by the arm.
While the senor and his wife were re.
ceiving gifts and listening to pretty
speeches, a number OF attendants had
brought tables laden with every sort OF
food from behind the pillars, where
they had been prepared, and at signal
the feast began. 1t was long and 10y
Gus, though Joy seemed to have faded
from the face Of Maya, who sat at the
head Of 1t, neither eating nor drinking,
but from time to time lifting the red
eye from her breast, as though 1t
scorched her skin.
At length she rose, and, accompanied
by her husband, walked bowling down
the hall to the courtyard, where bear
ers waited for them with CARRYING
chairs. In these they seated them
selves, and a procession having been
formed, very long and splendid, though
! will not stay to describe it, we started
to march round the great square to the
sound Of music and singing, our path
being lit by the light Of the moon and
hundreds Of torches. Here in this
square were gathered all the population
OF the City Of the Heart, men, women
and children, to greet the bride, each Of
them bearing flowers and flaming
torch, and never have l seen any sight
more beautiful than this Of their vel
come. The circuit Of the square being
accomplished the procession halted at
the palace gates, and many hands were
stretched out TO help the bride and
from their litters.
1t was at this moment that |, who
was standing near, felta man who was
wrapped In large feather cloak push
past me, and saw that he held some
hing which cleaned like q knife. BY
instinct, as It were, cried: Beware,
ny friend!" in Spanish, and in so pierc.
ng voice that It caught the senor's
'ar. He swung round, for already he
vas standing on his feet, and as he
urned the man In the cloak rushed at
lin and stabbed with the knife. But
,eing warned the senior was too quick
or him. Springing to one side with
he same movement he dealt the would.
'e murderer great buffet, that caused
lin to drop the knife and sent him
taggering into the dense shadow Of |
he archway. For some seconds no one
eemed to understand what had hap
'ened, and when they did and began to |
earch for the man, he was not to be
ound. Who he was or why he had at
empted this cowardly deed, was never
discovered, but for my part | have little |
oubt but that either Tikal himself or
ONE creature Of his was wrapped in
he dark feather cloak, and thought
hus to rid him Of his rival. Indeed,
s time went on, this belief took firm
old OF the mind Of the people, and
'as one Of the causes that led to the
lpping Of Tikal's power and populari-
Y. Very hastily the senior assured the
,rds in attendance, who crowded
round him, that he had received no
lanner of hurt, and then, after speak
lg few brief words of thanks he
'ithdrew into the palace with his wife
nd | saw him no more that night.
Within few days of the senor's mar
age we heard that Natal had been
sized with sickness, a kind of palsy,
'gether with u leprous condition Of the
rms that baifled all skill. For months
lay in his house, growing gradually
orse, SO SAID the physicians; but one
lght-l remember 1t was three days
revious to the birth Of Maya's child
appeared before Maya, the senior
Id myself, as we sat together in the
llace looking out upon the moonlit
arden. At first we did not know him,
r never before had | seen sight SO
'eadful. His body was bloated, one
m, his left, was swathed in bandages,
s head shook incessantly, and the lep-
,sy had seized his face, which was Of
livid hue.
do not shrink from me-" he began
. low, quivering voice, as he gazed
,on us with his whitening eye; ''surely
~ should not shrink, seeing that ali
you are partners In the crime that
Is made OF me the loathsome thing |
n Ayel deny it, If you will, but |
low it. The vengeance Of the god has
lien upon me, his false servant, and it
IS fallen justly. Moreover, be assured
at on you also shall that vengeance
so fall, for the Eye has seen, the
outh has told, and the Heart has
ought upon your doom.
"Look upon me and learn how rich
Q the wages Of HIM who works in
uity, and by my sufferings strive to
unit the measure Of your own. Per-
ance your cup is not yet full, per-
ance you have still greater sins to |
Drk, but vengeance shall come, tell {
u that vengeance shall come here and
,reafter.
" did this thing for my daughters {