The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-01-27
She looked at me reproachfuily, but

went without answering and sat down
behind Il bush about thirty yards away.
Here, it sccms--for all this story she
told me aftcrward, and for the most
part ] do but repeat her words-she be-
gan to think.
Only one thing could save him
water. in the depths of yonder hill,
within few PAGES of her, doubtless it
lay in plenty. but who would dare to
seek IL thercY And yet the descent of
the cucva must be possible, since the
ancielts used It daily, and why could
she not do what they had done? Yes,
She would try i'll When once she had
made up her mind, Maya set about the
task swiftly.
She provided herself with flint, steel,
timber. rope, and a small water-slSin
of untanned hide, which she strapped
upon her shoulder. In another minute
She was running across the desert like
deer. At the entrance to the cueva
she paused to gather up the aloe torches
which had been thrown down there,
and also TO look for one moment at the
familiar face of night--the night that
she might never Sc again. Then she
lit u tor Ii and crcpt through the narrow
opening.
Thc place had been awful in The
evening when she visited il in the COM
pany Of the rest of us. Now, alone
and at night. Il appalled, her.
She halted on the brink to strip her.
self SO that there might be as little as
possible to impede her movements in
climbing the stair, and twisted her
hair into a knot. Next she tied the
ord about her middle and the water
skin, to which She fastened the flint
nj rt... 81. III. ...l.4
ing two Of the largest torches she fixed
them slantingwisc in crcvices of the
rock, SO that their flames shone over
the mouth Of the shaft, down which she
threw, first n bundle of unlit torches,
and lastly one on fire. This torch did
not go out, rs she had expected that it
would, for presently looking down the
pit she saw a spark of light shining
one hundred and fifty feet or more be-
meath her.
Now all her preparations were com
plctc, and nothing remained to be done
except to descend and search for the
water.
by the time that she was n third of
the way down the shaft her courage re-
turned to her, and the only fear she
felt was lest some of the inches should
be broken Fortunately this was not
the case, although one of them was 50
much worn that her toes slipped out of
It, and for second or two she hung by
her hands Recovering herself. she
went on from step TO step till at length
she stood ut the bottom of the shaft.
After few minutes pause to get her
breath, Maya found one of the dry aloe
stems and lit it at the cmbers of the
torch, which she had thrown down the
pit. Then she looked round her to find
herself in Il large, natural cavern of no
great height, which slopcd gently
downward frrthe; than she could see
Turning her eyes to the floor She
searched for and found the pat that
Lad been followed out by the feet of
the ancicnts, but now was half hidden
in sand and dust.
1t ran straight down the cave and she
followed it for fifty PAGES or more,
holding the light in one hand and
some spare torches under her arm.
Suddenly the passage took turn,
and there in the center of wonderful
place, such as she had never seen be-
fore, CLEANED the water which she had
rislSed her life to reach.
This water, though clear MS crystal,
was not still, for once in every two see
onds a great bubble rose in the center of
the pool to burst on its surface and send
a ring of ripples to the rocky sides. So
beautiful was this bubble, and so regu-
lar its appearance, that for some min
utes Maya watched it, then, remember
ing that she had no time to spare, set
herself TO get to the water, only to find
that she was confronted by new diff
Guilty, and one that but for her fore
sight might have proved insuperablc.
The rock bank of the pool was so smooth
and sloped SO steeply to the water that
it was quite impossible for anyone to
keep footing on it.
The ancient had overcome the
trouble by means of wooden stair
case, as was evident from the places
followed in the rock to receive the up
rights, but this structure had long since
rotted away. AT the head of where
this staircase had stood n hole was
bored in the rock, doubtless to receive
a rope by which the water bearers sun
ported themselves while they filed
their jars, and the sight of this hole
gave Maya an idea.
Untying the cord which she had
brought with her, she made it fast
through the hole, and having fixed the
torch into one of the spaces followed to
hold the timbers of the stairway. she
slid down the bank till she stood breast
high in the water For minute or
more she remained thus drinking her
gill and enjoying the GOODNESS of her
bath, then, first having taken care to
remove the finder that was tied to it.
she slipped the water skin from her
shoulder, washed it out, filed and re-
placed il.
Next she dragged herself up the bank.
md by the light of new torch started
'or the foot of the shaft Here Mava
'ested awhile, gathering up her ener-
yics, then she commenced the ascent.
There were 101 of the notches. for she
iad counted them as she came down,
md now again she began to count so
hat she might know her exact position
n the shaft, of which she could see
nothing because of the intense dark
less. Before she had ascendcd fifty /
teps she was dismayed to find feeling |
II wearincss taking possession Of her. I
which forced her to pause awhile. hang |
ng To the face Of the shaft. Then She /
vent ON again. and with great efforts
cached the soventy-iifth step.
Then IL seemed that voice called I
.cr. and she struggled. writhing forward 4
Ike wounded snake. till darkness .
loaed in upon her mind.
When Maya recovered few minutes
alter she found that she was living upon
he edge of the pit, over which her. feet
till hung. Instantly she remembered
il, and with Il little scream of terror
vrigglcd forward along the floor. Then
he rose TO her feet, and picking up her
men robe, eropt toward the entrance
the cave where she put on her gar