The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-04-07

| VI ilt-t tilllN.
Tally he said. ''you were wise,
wife, When you urged us not to enter
this Country Of the Heart. Still, what
is done cannot be undone, and, having
been happy together for little space.
! let us die together as bravely as we
| may, hoping that still together we may
awake presently in some new world of
| peace"
While he spoke the door was opened
and the priests. with drawn swords,
led us back into the sanctuary. As
Maya crossed the threshold first Of the
three OF us, she was met by Tilsal, who,
with sudden movement, but without
roughness, took the child from her
arms.
Now we saw what was prepared for
us, for the stone in front of the altar
had been lifted, and at our feet the
black shaft ynwned, from which ascend
ed a sound OF waters. They placed us
with our baclss resting against the
altar, but 11lsal stood in front, and be-
tween him and us Jay the mouth of the
pit.
Maya, daughter of Zibalbay, white
man, Son OF the Sea. Ignatio the Wan
dcrer, and Natal the Priest, whom
being dead in the body, we summon in
the spirit" began Dimas, in a cold and
terrible voice, you, by your own con-
fession, are proved guilty of the Ercat-
est crimes that can be dreamed of in
the wicked brain Of man, and executed
by his inpious hands.
This is the sentence Of the Council
Of the Heart: Tint your name, Natal,
be erased from the list of the officers of
the Heart; that your memory be pro-
claimed accursed; that your dwelling
place be burned with fire, and the site of
1t strcwn with salt; that your corpse
be torn from its grave and laid upon the
summit OF the pyramid till the birds of
the air dcyour it, md that your soul be
handed over TO the tormcntors OF the
lower world to deal with according to
their pleasure forever and for aye.
This is the sentence of the Council
OF the Heart upon you, Maya, daughter
OF Zibnlbay, white man, Son Of the Sea,
and Ignatio, thczWandcrcr: That your
names be erased from the roll of the
Brethren of the Heart, and proclaimed
accurscd in the streets of the city: that
you be gagged, bound hand and foot,
and chaincd living to the walls of the
sanctuary, and there be left before the
altar of the god which you have
violated, till death from thirst and
hunger shall overtakc you; that your
corpscs be laid upon the pyramid us Il
prey TO the birds of the air, and that
your souls be handed over TO the tor
mentors of the under world to deal
with according to their pleasure forever
and for aye.
ut is spoken. Let tho sentence of
the council be done. But first, since
this bastard babe is too young to sin
and suffer punishment, let him be
handed into the keeping of the god,
That the god may deal with him accord
ing TO his pleasure"
AS the words passed his lips, and be-
fore we fully understood them, dazed
as we were with the terror Of our aw-
full doom, TilSal stepped forward, and
even now l shuddcr when | write of it
holding the poor, infant, which at
this instant began to vail as though
with pain or fear, over the mouth of
the pit. suddenly let it fall into the
depths beneath.
The shrek Of the agonized mother
ran round the walls of the holy place.
and before it had died AWAY the senior
had leaped forward, leaped like a puma
across the open we'll, and gripped Tisal
by the throat and waist. He gripped
him, and, rage giving him strength, he
lifted him high above his head and
hurled him down the dreadful place,
f'hSiN tiiO SlAlti httt KOIc DcIOTC.
With boarse scream Tilsal vanished.
and for moment there was silence. IL
was broken by the voice of MAYA CRYING
aloud in accents of madness and de-
spair:
Not all the waters of the Holy Lake
shall wash away our sin, yet may they
serve to avenge us upon You, O, YOU
murderers of helpless child"
As she spoke, followed by the senior
and myself, who think alone of all the
company guessed her mad purpose.
Maya ran round the altar and with
both her hands grasped the symbol of
the Heart which lay upon it.
"ForbcarP' cried the voice of Dimas,
but she did not heed him, and before
he or any OF us could reach her, drag
ging at it with desperate strength, she
had torn the ancient symbol from its
bed, and, with loud and moclsing
laugh, cast it down upon the marble
floor, where it shattered into frag-
ments.
From the altar there came sound as
OF harp strings breaking, that was fol-
lowed by another and more awful
sound, the sound of the roar of many
waters
Ply! hy!' cried voice. THE floods
are loosed and destruction is upon us
and upon the People OF the Heart!"
Now the Council rushed one and all
toward the door of the sanctuary. but
l. lgnntio. by the grace of Heaven, re-
mombered the other door, the secret
door through which we had entered.
that the priest had left ajar.
This way,"1 cried in Spanish to the
senior. and seizing Maya by the arm |
dragged her with me into the passage.
When all three of us were through |
turned to close the door, and as | did so
| saw an awful sight. Out of the
mouth of the pit before the altar
sprang vast column of water, |
which struck the roof of the sane, |
tuury with such fearful force that |
the massive marble blocks be- |
gan to rain down upon the crowd of |
tuyltives, who struggled and in vain to |
open the door and escape into the Hall |
of the Dead
On we fed before the advancing flood. |
and well was it for us that our course |
lay upward, for otherwise we must have |
been drowned as we searched for the
keys to open the different gates and |
doors. But now fortune, which for so |
long had been our foe. befricnded us. |
and the end of it was that we reached |
the summit of the pyramid Just as the
dawn began to break
The dawn was breaking, and seldom.
perhaps. has the light OF day revealed
a more wonderful or terrible sight to |
the eyes of man. Outside the gates of
the. courtyard of the pyramid were
gathered a great multitude of people
waiting to be admitted To celohrat re- tho