The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1897-12-30
HEART OF THE WORLD.
by II. RIDER HAoGARD.
Strange Story Bqueathed by Old
Mexlca ndian to Friend and Comrade,
Englishman Named jones'
copyrighted. 1894, BY H. Rider Hassard

lto.
Bv this hne Don jose was through
the door, which the draug,t pushed to
behind him. watched it close, then a
though, s.rucis re. for | Remembered
that ar,ong oar ord,r there are women.
associates of the outer circle, and |
whispered sDnc words in her car and
made q sirn with my hand. She started
and gave The ancient answer. which is
taught cvcn to children, whcrcto ] re-
piled with another sign, that of the
Presence Of The Heart.
'.Wherc?" she asked, glancing at each
OF us in turn.
"IIcrc," | answered, and. drawing out
the symbol, held it before her eyes.
She saw and made obeisancc, and at
that moment we heard Don Jose calling
her from the further side of the door.
81 come" she cried in answer, then
added in Il whisper: Lord, you are in
danger in this house. ! cannot tell You
now, but if possible | will return. The
wine is safe, but drink no COTE, and do
not sleep when you lie down. Search
the floor and you will understand the
reason. | come, senior, / comet" And
she fled from the room.
SO soon rs the girl was gone the senior
went to the door and locked it, then he
returned and said:
What does all this mean, Ignatio?"
l did not answer, but, pushing aside
one of the beds, ] searched the floor be-
meath it. 1t was discolorcd in several
places. Next | pulled the blankets off
the beds and examined the webbing
that formed the mattresses to discover
that this also was stained, though
slightly, for it had been washed Then
said:
Men have died in these beds. senior,
and the stains were made by their
blood. 1t would seem that the Cuests
of Don Pedro sleep well, first they arc
rugged. then they are murdered. and
it is for this purpose hat wc have been
lurcd to the house. Well, we expected
nothing else"
"Do not dcspond," answered. ''Wc
are warned in time and therefore, !
think. shall escape by the help OF that
girl and the other Indians in the pla Q
since III an hour every one of them will
l<nuY who we are. and be prepared t.
risk their lives to save rs. Now let us
make ready and 60 among these men
with IL bold face. forof this You may be
sure, that nothing win be attempted
till late at night, when they think US
sleeping. lave you understood, Mo.
las?"
"Ycs, answered the Indian.
Then watch here, or in the outer
room until we return, and should the
girl come, learn all you can from her as
to the whereabouts of the old doctor
and his daughter, and other matters.
for when she knows you To be of the
order she will speak Have you been
recognized by any onc?"
81 think not, senior. When we en-
tered it was too dark for them to sec. .
Good. Then keep out of their way
If possible, do the best you can with the
girl, and take note of all that passes
Farewell"
When we reached the end of the din
ing hall Don Pedro slid from his
hammock to the ground and, taking the
senior by the hand, said:
Let me introduce you to my over
seer, the Senior Smith FROM Texas. He
is an American, and will be glad to
meet one who can speak English, for,
Notwithstanding much practice, his
Spanish is none of the best"
The senior bowed and the American
desperate spoke to him in English,
wearing II grin on his face like a wicked
dog as he did SO, Though | do not know
what he said. Then Don rc,lro con
Quoted him to Il place of honor at the
head of the table, that beside bis own
seat. while | was led to another table n,
II little distance. where my meat was
served To me alone, since, as an Indian
of pure blood. | was not thought tit for
the company of these CT oss bre, ours.
Don Jose having taken his place at the
further end of the table with the
Americana, the meal began, and an ex-
cellelt one it was
II Al n. q.
said Don Pedro when the dishes had
been removed. filling his tuubIcr for
the seventh or eighth time: ''it is the
right stuff, straight from France,
though it never paid duty" and he
wiuhcd his lc;ldcn eye.
Your health, scItor, and NAV Won
live to do many such brave deeds as
that of yesterday, when you saved my
son from the sea. Ky the way, do You
know that on board that ship they said
that you had the evil eye and brought
her to wreck; yes, and your long faced
companion, the Indian. also
indeed, never heard of it before, g
answered the senior with laugh; but
II SO our evil eyes shah not trouble Won
for long, as we propose to continue our
journey tomorrow.
Nonsense, friend. nonsense: you
don't suppose that believe in
that sort of rubbish, do you?
We say many things that we
do not believe. just for Joke; thus, y
and he raised his voice SO that | could
hear him ut my table, your companion
thcle--is he not named lgnatio?-told a
'torv - my disadvantage on board the
ship, which am sure he did not be-
licve," and suddenly he stared at me
and added insolently: rs it not so.
lnlian?"
"lf you seek my opinion Don Pedro. =
answered, leaning forward AMI speak
ing very clearly, II can say that it il,
unproii able to repeat words HAT are
said, or TO remember deeds that arc
done with. If spoke certain words. or
if in the past You did certain deeds.
here beneath your hospi,ablc roof is
not the place to recall thcm."
Quite 81, Indian. quite So; van talk
like an oracle, as Montczuma uscd 10
talk to Corics, till the conqucror fnund
n way to teach hiri plain spclhinr-a
great man. C0rtcS. he understood how
To ical with the Indians" Then he
spat upon the floor. and. having looked
down the table. spoke to the ssr,or IN n
somewhat anxious voice, TELL me. -
he said, "for Your sight is better than
mine, how many there are present here
to night?'
Mounting my friend, thirteen he
answered
~ thought SO, " said our hos, with an
oath. "aud it is too late To mend mat
tiers now. Wen, may the saints. and
they should be thick about monastery
avert the omen. | see you think me n