Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-01-14

the people, to rejoice with you In your
great happiness and to lay certain mat
tiers of the state before you. For some
months the people have grown weary
OF the expressions and cruelties Of
Tikal, who, in defiance of the laws of
the land, has put many to death on sus-
picion of their being concerned in plots
against his power. Further, but yes
terday it came to the ears of the coun-
Gil, through the confession of one
whom he had employed to execute his
wickedness, that a plan was laid to
murder your husband, your child and
the Lord Ignatio here"
Indeed" said Maya, land why was
my name omitted from this listP"
Lady, we do not know" he an
swered, "but it seems that the assas-
sins had orders to take YOU living and
to hide you away in secret part of
Tikal's house"
Now the senior sprang to his feet and
swore great oath to be avenged upon
Tikal.
NAY, lord" said Dimas, "his person
is holy, and must not be touched, nor
need You have any further fear Of him.
for those whom he corrupted await,
their trial, and he himself is watched
by day and night. Also not for long
will Til1al remain cacique of the City Of
the Heart, for the council have met in
secret session. to which you were not
summoned, and have decreed that he
shall be deposed because of his iniqui-
ties and in accordance with the desire
of the people"
"Can cacique be deposed9" asked
Maya.
for was not your father to be deposed
for this same reason? Also Tikal holds
his place not by right of birth but by
treaty. You are the rightful heir to
Zibalbay, Lady of the Heart"
ut may be so," she answered coldly,
"but have renowned my claim, and |
do not desire to go back upon my
word"
IF you have renowned it," said Di-
mas, 'yonder is one to whom it passes"
and he pointed to the sleeping infant.
"Yonder is the child of prophecy, hope
of the people, and he it is whom we
purpose to crown as our ruler, setting
you and your husband up to act for him
till he reaches his full age"
May" said Maya, ''for thus shall he
become the mark of Tikal's rage and be
put to death openly, or in secret, as it
may chance"
"Not so, lady, for in that hour when
he is proclaimed Tilsal will be taken
into safe keeping, where he shall abide
for so long as his life lasts"
''And when is this to be?" asked the
senior.
Tomorrow, at noon, upon the pyra-
MID f1,o% 1a l,o
anointed three days hence in the sane
tuary on the night of the Rising of
Waters"
ut is foolish to crown babe, and
neither l nor my husband seek this
greatness" said Maya. "If Tikal is to
be deposed because Of his crimes let one
of the great lords be set in his place un-
til the child is old enough to rule"
Although you and your husband are
to command us in the future, answered
Dimas, sternly, It'll then you must
obey, lady, for the voice of the council
is supreme, and it carries out the will
of its founder and invisible President,
the Heart of Heaven. The council has
determined that the Heaven-sent child
of whom you are the earthly parents
must take his own"
"As you will said Maya, with q
sigh, and presently they went.
That evening the senior and attend
ed a feast at the house of one of the
mobiles, whence we returned somewhat
late. Having dismissed those who had
escorted us, walked with him as far
as the door of his private chambers,
purposing to leave him there, but he
babe me enter, for he wished to talk
Tyith me about the events of the day
and this forthcoming ceremony of the
amounting of the child.
Accordingly did so, and passing
through the first chamber we came to
the second, beyond which lay his sleep
ing room. Here we halted by an open
window, and l approached lamp, for
wished to smoke and had no light.
AS l bent over it something caught
my ear and listened, since It seemed
to me that through the massive doors
OF the bedchamber heard the
sound of a woman's voice crying for
help. Instantly 1 flung them open
and rushed thither by way of an ante
room, calling to the senior as went. 1
did not arrive too soon, for in the bed
chamber itself a strange sight met my
eyes. AT the foot of the bed stood a
cradle in which lay the child, and near
it two women struggled. One of these,
in whom l knew Nahua, the wife of
Tikal, held a copper knife in her hand,
and the other, Maya, gripped her round
the body and arms from behind SO that,
strive as she would, she could not free
herself to use it. Still, of the two
women, Nahua was the heavier and,
though slowly, she dragged the other
closer to the cradle.
Indeed, as reached the room she
wrenched her right arm loose and
raised it to strike at the infant with the
knife. But there the matter ended,
for at that moment caught her round
the waist and threw her back SO that
she fell heavily on the floor, letting
drop the knife in her effort to save her
sely. She sprang to her feet and ran
toward the door, there to be met by the
senior, who seized her and held her fast.
(To be continued)