The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-03-31
CHAPTER XIV.
NAHUA BEARS WIrsrsa

NAhpA BEARS WITNESS
ZONE hours passed and apain III.
t sa.es were were opened; and through then
Tho ,,, .hai ana guard of five men
in~ s sInra nc lcit by the gates, advanc,
near the far end of the hall 'ea'co'
what wonld you of us ?- asl.ad No..
IAN you not leave me in peace eye !"
mere In my dungeon?r pee even
Mo-, oesire to speak with you alone
Then. Tilxal, | tell you no,y !, ~.
have told you before, that | will not
listen to your words alone. II you have
anything to say, say It in the presence
" my husband and my friend, or go and
iodvc it unsaid."
You speak roughly to one who comes
here in the hope of saving the lives of
Ill Of you" he answered.; ''still | will
'car with You in this as / have borne
With you in much else. Listen: All
your crimes are known to me, for
Snhua. my wife, has revealed them to
ne. | know how you and that dead
'oguc. Natal, on whom the curse of
Heaven has most justly fallen, forged
he prophecy and violated the sanct-
.larv, for have held the proofs of it in
ny hand
''Do you know that we did this to
sc had not done it Natal would
ave murdered us in order that by re-
moving me he might assure his daugh-
er in her placer
81 do not know why You did it, nor
+ 10 | care. seeing that nothing can
iEhtcn such n crime, but | think that
fou did it in order that you might win
.ondcr white man rs a husband. Atthe
east the thing is done, and vengeance
waits you, vengeance from which there
is but one escape
What escape?" asked MAYA, quiclSly
Tor when She learned that Tilsnl knew
everything all hope had faded from her
heart. MS from ours.
Maya, two people live. and two
ilune, who know this tale. NAHUM. nv
wife, and myself. Till this morning
here WINS but one, for Nahua only told
me of it when she found that yon had
not escaped and this she has done that
she may be rid of YOU. whom she hates
rs her rival. Therefore it. was that she
would have held me back frora pur suing
you, and therefore it Is that She will
ippcar before the Council Of the Heart
this night, so that her evidence may in
sure your instant death in the Pit of
Waters. But as il chances least of any
thing on the earth do desire that my
eyes should lose sight of you. whom
now ns ever love better than anything
On the earth"
Now the senior grew white with rage,
and he broke in
You will do well to keep such words
to yourself, Tilsal, for of this be sure, if
rou do not, viii add to my crimes,
md you shall not leave this place alive
No need to look Mt your guards What
10 care for your guards, who have
but one life TO lose? Speak thus again,
ind before they reach you you shall be
lead"
Let him go on. husband" said Maya;
what can n few insults more or less
matter TO uS now? Continue. most no.
bic Tilsal, but for your own sake, re-
strain yourself and say nothing that a
husband should not hear
sit is for this reason, he went on,
taking no notice of the scnor's anger,
that I have come here with plan to
save you all, yes, even this braggart
white man who has robbed me of YOU.
II Nahua and | are silent, who will
know of your crimes? And if the evil
iencc OF them is destroyed before your
eyes, who is there who can prove them?
Now, viii be silent--at a price l will
even bring the true tablet of the proph-
ecy and the roll of Mattai's confession
and destroy them with fire before you.
you will be silent said Maya. but
what of NAHUM? win she be silent nlso?'
Now TRIALS dark face grew evil with
some purpose of his own though
whether it were of murder, or of what,
do not know.
''Lcavc Nahua to me, :" he said "With-
draw the charge you made against her
IF attempting to kill Wonder child, and
free her thus of the need of appearing
this night in the sanctuary and swear
To you that no word of hcr dreadful
secret shall ever pass her lips. Then
YOU will be tried upon one issue only,
that of having broken your oaths by
dying the city, a crime that is not be-
yond forgiveness
You spoke OF price, Tikal; tell us,
what is that price we must pay?"
Tho price is yourself, Maya. Nav,
hear me out, and you, white man, keep
silent. II you will swear upon the
Heart to become my wife within six
months from this day, then | on nv
,art will swear that the white man,
gour husband, who is not your husband.
for he won the consent OF the council
o his marriage by q trick, shall tc suf-
fcrcd to escape the land unframed.
taking with him his friend and so much
IT our treasure ard things ueedful for
their journey es he may desire.
II will swear, also, and by this you
may see how deep and honcStis my love
Tor you, that your son shall not he ,lia-
'osscssed Of the place and rank which
he holds in the eyes of the people Us Il
Hcavcn-sent dclivercr whose comine
'yns foretold by prophecy. My child
'liall give place to yours. Mavn.
Once before held out the hand
VI peace to you, Maya, but YOU refused
il nna triclSed me. and from that refusal
''as sprung the death Of your father and
many other sorrows.
"Do not refuse me again. lest these
sorrows should he increased aud multi.
picd upon you and upon MS all. 1t Is
no strange or unnatural thing ask of
you that You should wed the man to
whom for many years Won were
and take your place rs the
irst lady in Gaia city, instead of irving
Yourself over with Your accomplices To
he most infamous OF deaths"
''Ict IL Is the most s.ranrc md nm
NATURAL. Til<al, that wife should be
islscd to part thus from her husband.
But stay; il is for him to speak, not me.
for he may be glad to buy safety at
ibis cost. First, what do You saw. Ir-
natio? Tell me, though fear Your an
swer. for 1t is easy to guess, secinr that
rilsal offers all that you can desire.
freedom and treasure, to enable YOU to
execute your plans"
at is true, lady" replied. that he
offers me these things, though whether
hal Oh Il I