Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-01-30

nc eohoOhtSu w NY kViik, vi w ivdS
| think so.
"Sirs, ! learn now that you are TO ac
company us to the City Of the Heart
should we live to reach it.
Come If you will, but be warned, m,
people are jealous people, and The
name Of q stranger Is hateful to them
Few such have ever reached the City o
the Heart for many generations, and o
these, save one or two, none have eS
capped from it alive. They do not de
sire new things, they have little knowl
edge Of the world beyond their walls
and seek for none.
"Now, sirs, choose whether you will
accompany us in our march toward th,
City Of Waters, or whether you will sci
your face to the sea again and forget
that you CHANGED to hear q certain story
from wandering doctor, whose mis-
fortunes had made him mad, and an In
dian girl who tended him."
Now listened to these words which
the lady Maya spoke very earnestly and
with power, and understood that tn, y
meant much; they meant that in going
to the City Of the Heart we were, as she
believed, going to our doom.
Lady said, 1T may well chance
that death waits me y1ndcr, but
thithcr shall 60 if my strength does
not fail rae and death will suffer it.
For the senior here it is different. He
has heard your words, and II he will
harken to them and to mine, he will
b q Us farewell tomorrow and go his
@1vs, leaving MS to 80 ours
She listened, and turning toward him,
said: "You hear. What say you,
white man?' And it seemed to me
that she awaited his answer anxiously.
YES, lady, hear" he replied, with
q laugh, 'and doubtless it IS all true
enough, and shall leave my bones
yonder among your countrymen. Well,
SO be it; have determined to go, and
go | will. since am too idle to change
my mind. Also, it seems to me that
after this days business there is more
danger in staying here than in pushing
forward"
81 am glad that you are going, since
you 20 Of your own free will" she said,
smiling. "May our fears be COMPOUNDED
and your journey and ours prove pros
porous. And now let us rest, for you
must be very weary, as | am, and we
should be stirring before the dawn"
Next morning at the first break OF
light we started on our journey, riding
on three Of the mules that
we had captured, and leading
the fourth laden with our goods
and water skins. Very glad were
all Of us to see the last OF that ruined
temple, and yet it was sad to me to
leave it, for there, hidden beneath some
Of the masses Of the fallen masonry, lay
all that was left Of my friend and fos-
ter brother, Molas, he whose bravery
and wit had saved our lives at the cost
Of his own.
Our plan was to avoid villages where
we might be seen by men, and keep our
selves hidden In the forest, for we
feared lest we should be followed and
brought to account because of the
death Of Don Pedro and his companions
and this we were able to do since hay.
ing guns and ammunition in plenty we
shot birds and deer for our daily food.
Travelling thus on mule back soon
our strength returned tous, even to the
old man Zilbalbay, who had suffered
the most from fatigue and from i'll
treatment at the hands Of the white
men. In something less than week
we had passed through the inhabited
districts of Yucatan and far out of the
reach of the white man, and now were
journeying through the forest toward
the great sierra that lies beyond.
The senior was never weary Of ques-
tioning the silent zilbalbay as to the
history or rather the legend Of the land
through which we iourneyed, or Of lis
tening to the lady Maya's description of
the City Of the Heart, till even she
grew tired and begged him to speak in
stead of the country across the water
where he was born. Of the ceaseless
busy life, and the wonders OF civiliza-
ton.
Strange as 1t may seem, l,who watched
them both from day to day, know it to
be true that she was In mind the more
modern Of the two. SO much so indeed
that in listening to their talk | might
have fancied that she was the child Of
the new world, filled with the spirit OF
to-day, aud he the heir Of proud and
secret race dying beneath its weight of
years.
81 cannot understand you, she would
say to him. "Why do you so love his
tories and ruins and stories Of people
that have long been dead? hate them.
Once they lived, and doubtless were
well enough In their place and time,
but now they are past and done with,
and it Is we who live, live, live," and |
she stretched out her arms as though |
she would clasp the sunshine to her
breast.
81 tell you" she went on, "that this
home Of mine Of which you are so fond
If talking Is nothing but a great bury
ng place, and those who dwell in It are
ike ghosts who wander to and fro
linking Of the things that they did, or
lid not do, thousand years before.
"Did my father but know II, he wastes
line AMI trouble in making plans for
he redemption OF the People of the
Ieart, who think him mad for his
,ains. They cannot be redeemed. II
could have my will while am still
'oung, ! would turn my back upon this
ityswhlch you 80 desired 10 see, taking
With me the wealth that Is useless there,
nut which 1t seems would bring me
many good things in other lands, and
i've out my time among people who
AVE a present and future as well as
past"
Then the senior would lauoh, and
rgue tnar tne past Is more IMAM tine
resent, and that 1t Is better to be dead
han alive, and many other such folies;
nd ] would grow angry and reprove
er for her words which shocked me,
Thereat she would yawn and talk Of
else, for | and my discourses
Fearied her. Only Zibalbay took no
eed, for his mind was set upon other
hings, even II he heard US, which |
oubt.
ITO BE CONTINUED
Not a few who read what Mr.,