The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-04-15
"what could force US to fly the sane

went on. We passed down many stairs, !
along passages, and through secret
doors, each of which Natal left open
behind us, till at length we came to the
sanctuary of the nameless god and stood
on the further side of the wall hnddled
together and clasping each others
hands, for the place was awesome, and
its utter silence and solemnity filed us
with fear.
The roof of the sanctuary, which
was of no great size, was vault-shaped,
in imitation of the arching sky, and in
it appeared a golden sun, silver cres-
cent moon, and the stars of heaven. Its
walls were lined throughout with pol
ished blocks of the beautiful stone
known as Mexican onyx, fretted over
to the height of man with border OF
hieroglyphics and efiigies of the lesser
gods in attitudes of alteration, cast in |
gold and set flush with the face Of the |
wall.
The furniture was very simple, con-
sisting only of stools cut from rich
woods, heavily gilded in quaint designs,
and small table, whereon lay sheets
of paper made of bark, together with
brushes of reed fiber and pots Of pig
ment, such as were used in the picture
writing of this people. At that end by
which we had entered the chamber was
an altar Of black marble, written round
with letters shaped in gold, and upon
this altar lay something covered with
silken cloth.
For minute or more we stood silent,
contemplating these wonders, then with,
u gesture of impatience Natal spoke in
a whisper, saying
"Let that be done which we have
come to do, for now the sacrilege is
committed, and it is too late to hesi-
tate"
Speaking thus, he stepped to the
altar and lifted the silken cloth thatla
over the object which was upon it, re-
vealing the image of human heart,
fashioned in bloodstone, with veins OF
gold. In the center of this heart ap-
peared small and shallow hole that
had been followed in its substance. .
This is the tradition" said Natal,
still speaking in whisper, "that when
the two halves of certain talisman are
placed in this hollow, the symbol will
open and reveal that which has been
set within it since it was fashioned
thousands of years ago, and there is
this in favor of the truth of this tale,
that golden hinges appear upon the
sides of the symbol.
''In this matter, however, there is
something more to fear than the ven
geance of the gods, for, an ancient ira
dition tells us that if the symbol be
stirred from the place where it has lain
for so many years, the foodgate will
roll back and the waters of the lake
will pour in upon the city, destroying
it and its inhabitants"
"Yet the foodgate cannot roll back
when it is not shut, nor can the waters
flow in during the dry season when
they are not on level with the walls, v
answered Maya.
"They cannot, lady; and yet other
things may happen. And now to our
task Stranger, give to the Lady Maya
your half Of the ancient talisman, that
she may set it together with the hall
, she bears in the place prepared in the
, symbol"
Now, with sigh seeing that it was
+ too late to draw back / undld the emer
, aid from my neck and gave it to Maya
/ who laid it side by side with it's count
; erpart, upon the palm of her trembling
4 hand, and stepped with it to the altar
| Here she stood for moment, theI
Q whispered in faint voice:
"Terror has taken holo Of me, and
v fear to do this thing"
!. "Yet, it must be done, and not b,
l. me-" said Natal, 'or we shall hav,
r come on FOOLS errand, and 60 back
4 some of us, to FOOLS death" and h
s looked toward me.
h II will not do it," said, answering
4 his look, mot because fear your gods
q but my own conscience do fear"
"Then WILL" said the senior, boldly
d ''for l fear neither. Give me tina
n trinket, Maya"
l. She obeycd, and he had let the tw
n halves of the talisman fall into thei
h place in the symbol.
d For some seconds, we stood still
~ watching the altar with eager eyes
: but the symbol never stirred. Then
10 said:
d 1T seems, Natal, that you mus
lie hide your lying writing elsewhere
,e since yonder heart will not open; or
" it will, we have not found the key"
d "Wait little" broke in the senol
is "Perhaps the springs are rusted." An
a he placed his thumb upon the halves {
m the emerald and pressed so hard tha
is the symbol trembled ON its marbl
bed.
II "Bcware!" cried Natal. and befol
e. the echoes of his voice had died ava
all of us started in astonishmcnt, fC
of 10! the heart was opening like fiowe
at Slowly it opened, till the severe
~ talisman fell from it as its two halv'
5 lay back on the marble of the alta
Sc revealing something hidden in i
or center that shone like an ember in tt
be lamplight,
In the hollow of the heart laid upc
70 square plate of gold, which was co
av cred with writing, glared a red jew
shaped like human eye, that seem'
IT. to answer stare with stare.
lv eff we stand like this we shall gro
y frightened" said the senor roughl
nt glancing round him he spoke; "the
he is nothing to fear In red stone C
al like an eye"
is IF you think so, white man." a
ro- swered Natal, in voice that shook
re little. strive as he would to commal
it; lift up the holy thing and give I
,at the writing that is beneath it. Sta
first take this, and set it in the symb
I replacing the eye upon it," and
his handed him the forged tablet.
tn. The senior obeyed, nor did anythi
m. happen when he lifted that dreadf
/ is looking jewel and changed the true
lis the false.
"Read it," said Maya, as the tab
The was passed to Natal; ''you ha
knowledge of the ancient writings"
ldy Perhaps it were best left unrea,
he said, doubtfully.
May" she answered; "let us KIN
the worst. Read it."
Then he read these strange words
her a slow and solemn voice:
"The eye that has slept and is avn
\ r | nnnh secs the heart and nI1rnnsa of