The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-03-31
HEART OFTHE WORLD.
ny II. RIDER r1AoGARD.
Strange Story. Bequeahed Old
Mexican India to and


suits. II you bid me go to save you, per
haps | might think about it. but ccr-
tainly will not stir one pace from Your
side to save myself from any DEATH
1T seems that have got my answer, "
said TilSal. May none of you regret it
tonight when you come to look down
into the Pit of Waters Well, time
presses, and 1 have much to do before
Te meet again." and he turned to
leave u.s.
IL might be thought that after Iisal
was gone we should have spoken to-
gether of what had passed, and of the
dangers that lay before us. But this
was not SO; l think we felt, all of us
that there was nothing more to be said
1t IS useless to fight against Fate, ano
it is still more useless to be afraid OF
him, seeing that whatever we do Oh
leave undone, he has his will of us al
last.
So we sat and chatted of Indifferent
things, our life at the mine at Cumarvo
that night which we spent in the
hacienda of Santa Cruz, the death OF
our brave companion, Molas, and
know not what besides. Presently tho
child awolSe, and its parents occupied
themselves with It, finding rescm
blances to each other in its tiny fca
lures. while l walked up and down the
hail. counting the lamps, smoking and
wondering where / should be by this
time on The morrow.
AZ length the gates opened, for now
It was almost the middle of the night
and there came through them Dimas
and II guard OF priests. The old man
bowed before us and said that the time
had come to lead us before the council
in the sanctuary, but that we were tc
anx-s. f,o,. ~ I.
he had been able To learn our oifensc
would be lcnicntly dealt with
Maya asked what was to become OF
the infant, which could not be left
alone, and he replied that she mus;
bring it with her, whereon She began
to wrap it in n serape.
Your care is needless, said Dimas
There is II secret way to the sanctu.
AIRY from this place, by which | pro
pose to lead YOU in order that the child
our lord shall not be exposed to the
raw cold of the night
Then he took bunch of keys from
his girdl;. ard, handing them to one
who accompanied him, a fellow priest
ana a member of the council. he com
ilandsa hiin to go forward with several
Of the escort to open the doors and
light lamps in the passage that lay be-
priest went. and, having waited awhile
we followed him. 10 lind him standing
by the marble wall which separated
the passages from the sanctuary.
On seeing us approaching he gave the
signs, which wore answered from with
in; next he opened the false door with
silver key. ienvirg the key and the
bunch to which it was attached Fixed in
the lock. for Dlmas to take rs he passed.
This. however. the old priest did not
To- for he thought that we should all
return by the passage, and rs we
stepped into the sanctuary he con
scnied himscif with closing the door
without locking it.
We took seats that had been prepared
Tor us in the open space before the altar.
MaNa being placed in the center and
.hcacnor and myself on either side OF
her. Next the priest of the Record
rose and announced that the business
before the council was the trial oi
three of its members. Maya, Lady o!
Che Heart. the white man, son of the
sea, and ignatio, the Wnnderer. Lord
of the Heart from beyond the mountains.
upon the charge of having broken their
oGths, which they took as members OF
the council. Having read this formal
accusation the priest set out the case
against us, clearly but briefly:
"On this very night of the festival of
tie Rising Waters II year ago" he
began, you strangers, among other
things. swore upon the altar, setting
in pledge your souls and bodies for the
fuifillment of the oath, that without
the consent of this high brotherhood
you would not attempt to leave the
gates of the City of the Heart. Yet but
the Other day you were ovcrtalzen and
scized in the act of flying across the
mountains to the wilderness beyond.
Nor is this all of your crime, for with
You was that infant, born of the white
man and the Lady of the Heart, the
hcaven-scnt child of prophecy, of
whom you wickedly sought to rob us
and the people. Say now, how do YOU
plead 70 these charges?"
I'VE plead guilty" answered Maya,
but we ask to he heard in our own de
Tense. Listen, lords: since that night
when we were married by your com
mand my husband and myself have
been doggcd by murder, and wonder,
as High Priest Of the Heart and prcsi-
dent OF your councils, he sits who
would have murdered us.
Il sec among you this night some of
those who waited on me upon the dav
of our escape. having tho Lord Dimns
ae the head of them. What did they
tell nc? That plot had been discoy-
cred. MAIDS by this Til1al. to murder
my husband. my child and my friend.
lynH.io. the. Wandcrcr. They told me
also that Tii,al would be dcposcd be-
cuusA Of This and his other crimes. and
that tho infant in my arms would this
very night be anointcd cacioue of the
People Of the Heart, Is 1t not SO,
DiIaaa?r
1T il so. Indy he answered. '.and
learn tliat you are not The only ones
who aIc on trial this night Though
your casc Is taken FIRST. that OF Tillal.
The high priest. and others viii follow:
out III thsn. IN vir. ne of lis rank and OF
j ;. he ,iis Us president OF our council. :"
Now Tus.l s9rarF from his seat. but
pirias turned upon him and said,
s,crrly:
keep silent. lord. or speak oaly 70
fulail the duties &C your place. Your
rial @h:l hc just. bat know that there
: no hone % escape for yon till It j.
done. seem, that your guard. are Dis
arilcl and al the paths are wat .,ied. .
Iii;ai seated himself again and ia r
wcnt on;
'0n that very nig;,s of the cotning of
Lord Diinns. when ! was alone in nv
Number, Lady Nahua, the wife OF
Iikai, crcpt upon me and ntrove to
murder this lny child" and She set ont
the story telling how the senior anl |.
hearing her cries for help. had entered
the chamber and seized and bound
Nahua.
Then it was. brethren. thai t,rro,.