Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-08-20

y
ay. and higher in rank than any pres
ent here. unless it be you, 0 Keeper of
the Heart On my own behalf. on be-
half of my brother, who also is of our
company, and on behalf of Maya, the
Lady of the Heart, daughter of him
who ruled you, and heiress to his pow
er, speak and make my prayer to you.
1T would seem that we three, to-
gether with Ziba1bay, who is dead, and
therefore beyond your Judgment. have
| violated the laws of this city. we by
daring to enter its gates, and Zibalbay
| and the Lady Maya by leading US to
those gates. For this crime we should
have been put to death eight days ago
upon the pyramid had not the Lady
Maya claimed a right to have our cause
laid before this high tribunal. In her
case, and in that of her father, this was
conceded, and 1 pray now that the
same clemency may be extended to me
and to my brother
Upon what grounds do you claim
this, Stranger" asked Tilkal.
Upon the ground that we are breth-
rem of the Utmost circle of the Heart,
and. therefore, have committed no
crime in visiting this city, which is free
to us by the right of our rank and
Office"
Now there was mur1nur of true
from the council behind me, and Tikal
also said true" but added: ''If you
are brethren of the inmost circle of the
Heart you are free from offenSe. but
first you must prove that this is so.
which as yet you have not done. A
brother Of the Utmost circle knows its
mysteries, and can answer the secret
questions. Come. let US put you to the
test, but first let the white man be re-
moved from the sanctuary. for in this
matter each must answer for himself
Accordingly the senior was led away.
and the doors having been closed and
the lamps shaded, the oldest and most
ward and put to me the test with many
questions, all of which I answered
readily. Then they commanded me to
stand before the altar, and, as Keeper
of the Heart, to open the Heart in the
highest degree. This did also, though
afterward they told me that my ritual
differed in some particulars from their
own.
After that>I took up my parable and
questioned them till at length none
could answer me, no, not even
the high priest or Natal. and they con-
fessed humbly that 1 was more in
structed than any one of them, and be-
cause of this from that day forward I
was held IN veneration in the City of
the Heart.
Now I was given a seat among the
brethren, the highest, indeed, after
those of the high priest and the great
officers, and the senior was sent for.
He entered with downcast look, and
while Maya and watched him sadly his
examination began. It was not long.
At the second question he became
Spanish and English, and broke down.
Brethren" said Tikal, and there was
Joy in his eye as he spoke, sit seems
that we need not trouble further with
this impostor. By daring to enter our
city he has earned the penalty of death,
moreover he has blackened his crime
by claiming to be one of our brother
hood, whereas he scarcely knows the
simplest password. Is it your will that
he should be taken to his fate? If so,
speak the word of DOOM"
Now Maya rose affrighted, and mo-
tioning to her to be silent, l spoke, say
ing:
Hear me before that fatal word is
spoken, which cannot be recalled! This
man is of our brotherhood, though he
has not been admitted to the inner cir
cles, and has forgotten those of the
mysteries which were taught to him at
his initiation. Listen and / will tell you
how he came to join the Order Of the
Heart And I told them all that tale
of my rescue by the senior, and told
them also all the story of our meeting
with Zibalbay, and Of our journey to
the City of the Heart, speaking to them
for an hour or more, while they listened
earnestly.
When I had done they debated as to
the fate of the senior, and, though by
only one vote, decided that if l had
nothing more to urge on his behalf, he
must straightway die.
81 have something more to urge" I
said, Though it has to do with the
mysteries of your religion rather than
with those of our order. It was the
belief of Zibalbay, who is dead, that
when the two halves of the ancient
talisman, the halves Night and Morn
ing, that together make the perfect
Day, are set in their place in the SYM
boil which once they filed before the
dividing OF the people, then it shall be
made clear what part must be played
by each of us wanderers in the fate that
is to be. To this end did Ziba1bay I'M
dertake his journey, and 10! here is that
which he went to seek" and drew
the talisman from my breast. Take it
Tikal, and lay it with its fellow in the
place that is prepared for them, SO that
we may learn, and all your people may
learn. what truth there is in the vi
sions of Zibalbay."
THAT is our DESIRE" answered Tikal.
taking the severed emerald and its
counterpart, which Maya gave to him.
Let the white man, Son OF the Sea.
be placed without the sanctuary and
guarded there awhile, for at least he
will gain time to prepare himself for