Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1896-05-13

said MAYA, cOldly, that il we would
save our own lives we must rob this
woman of hers Such a doom she has
richly earned, nor will any blame us
when they learn what was her errand
here"
1T seems that IL is So" 1 answered,
sadly, land yet the thing is awful" !
1T Is awful, but il must be done"
said the senior, land il falls on me TO do
1t for the sake of my wife and child"
Now he stepped TO where Nahus lay
and knelt beside her, and we two drew
aside, sick at heart, and hid our faces
In our hands. Presently he was with
us again.
is it done?" asked Maya. hoarscly
No, nor will it be by me-" he an
swercd, in fierce voice; sooner would
choke the breath out of NV own body
than strangle this defenseicss woman,
cruel-hearted murderess though she is
III she is to be killed, some other man
must do the deed"
Then IL will remain undonc," said
Maya. And now, since we have thus
determined, let us think of flight, for
the night draws on, and in flight is our
only hope"
What, then, is to be done with this
woman?' L asked. We cannot take
her with us"
No, but we can leave her here,
gagged and bound, till they chance to
lind her" answered the senior
"HearlSen, Nahua, we spare you. and
To do ii go forth TO our own deaths
May your fierce heart learn lesson of
mercy from the deed. Farewell"
Two hours had gone by and three fig
ures wrapped in rough serapes, such
as the common people wore, one of
whom, woman, carried an infant i'm
her arms. might have been seen eau
tiously descending the city wall by
means of n wooden ladder that ran from
its summit to the jetty built upon piers
at the foot of it. which was used as a
mooring place for boats during the
months of inundation.
As was common at this season of the
year, the lake was already rising. and
floating in the shallow water at the
end OF the jetty lay a pleasure skiff
which the senior and | were accustomed
TO use for the purpose OF fishing when
ever we could escape for n few hours
from our wearisome life in the city.
Into this sllitf we entered, and having
hoistcd the sail, set our course by the
stars, steering for that village whence
a year before we had embarked for the
City of the Heart
The wind being favorable to us our
progress was rapid, and by the first
gray light of dawn we caught sight of
IL V.
however, we did not dare to land, for
we should be seen and recognized.
therefore we beached our boat behind
the shelter of some dwarf water palms
three furlongS or more below the viii
lagc, and, having hidden her as well as
we were able, set out at once toward
the mountains
At length the evening fell, and we
camped for the night if camping it can
~ to- 81 H.,
OF cedar tree without fire and with
little, food having no covering except
our ScrapeS.
toward morning the air grew cold,
for already we were at some height
above the lake. and the tender infant
began to wall pitcously. a wall that
wrung our hearts. Still we rose with
the sun and went on our way, for it
seemed that there was nothing else to
do. Throughout that day, with ever
wearylng footsteps, we journeyed, till
at sunset we reached the snow line,
and saw before US that hunters rest
house where we had slept when first
we entered the Country of the Heart
Let Us 60 in" said Maya, and find
food and shelter for the night
Now, our plan had been to avoid this
house and gain the pass, where we pro-
posed to stay till daybrcalz and then
travel down the mountain slopes into
the wilderness.
IF we enter there, Maya, we shall be
trapped" said the senior. Our only
safety lies i'll travelling through the
pass before we are ovcrtaken. for it is
against the law that any of your people
should follow us into the Wilderness"
=" II we do not enter my child will die
In the cold, she answered.
You were too tender to secure orr
S1fGfE
dercrs to death. Have YOU, then. the
heart, husband, to kill your own child?"
Now, at these words, | saw the Sc
nors eyes fill with tears, but he said
only:
BE it as you will"
by now, indeed, we understood, all
three OF US. that if we would save our
selves we must suffer the child to die,
and, however great our necessity, this
we could not do. So we went up to the
house and entered, and there by the
ire sat the same man and his wife
whom we had found in this room a
year ago.
Who are you?" he cried. sprinpinp
up; Pardon, lady, but in that garb /
did not know you"
. 1t is best that you should not know
us, said Maya. 1--WE are wanderers
who have lost our way out hunting:
Give us food, as you are bound to do"
Then the man and his wife. who were
Kindly people, made obcisance to us.
and set off the best they had before us.
We ate, and after eating slept. for we
were very weary, bidding the man
watch and tell W. if saw any stranger
approaching the house. Before dawn
&c woke Us and we rose. a few min
utes later he came into my room and
told me that a large body Of men were
IN sight Of the house. Then I knew
that IL was finished and called the
others
Now, there arc three things that we
can do ! said. Fly toward the pass.
defend this house, or surrender our
selves
There is no time 10 Nv" answered
the senior, thereto G IL is my counsel
that wc fight"
This is folly. broke in Mava.
There is but one thing 20 90: vicl,
ourselves and trust 90 fortune. H. i'm
decd, fortune has any good i'm store foi
US Only wish that SIC Trad done il hc.
fore we undertook this weary Journey
Now, as She spoke by the light II tho
rising sun we saw great number II
men forming circle round the house.
With them were several captains and
lords. and among these / recognized
DimaS and Tikal.
Let MS put a bold face on it," said
Maya. So we opened the door. walked
out, and came into the presence OF