The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-02-17
HEART OF TIE WORLD.
BY II. RIDER HAGGARD.
Strange Story Manuscript Bequeathed by
o His Friend


As we draw ncarto il. however. three
mcl rDpearo upon the platform, in one
OF vh9 ! lsnew Tilsal. Seeing Ma
he g lvaaee { ward her, bowling as he
.c..ic.
Lad" he sal learning that vou
we've here with these strangers, / have
iJ.lowcl yol to beg that you viii
spcals with me alone for some few min
utcsH
"That cannot do. cousin" she an
swcrcd. colllT ''for who knows what
golov might ufterward be put upon my
word. II you have anything to say to
iao sny It bsfore us all"
! "That / cannot do he answered,
for wha, ! have - say is secret. Still,
~ vc-e f.- '4o. = 41lsc, an perhaps for
your o'r.i, you VIII do well TO hear it. D"
without witness | will not listen
to YOU. Tilsal.-
"Tbs , Lazy, farewell" he said. and
trrnod to TO-
stay. cousin. If you fear to sneak
before or own people let this stranger
--nnl 4h pointed 10 mo. Ignatiol'.be
present Mt orr talk. He is of our blood
AMI CO. un,lcrsfln1 onr tongue, dis
rect laan. aud. moreover, one of the
Dr'. h9eN O. no II ~n~t.'
"0lc Of the Brethren of the Heartl
lofY IN @ s.r1nger be Brother Of the
IIcar'p Provo It TO me. wanderer.''
And driwin. me aside he said GER
tin .ycr which | answered, giving
him The oirns.
20 yoa agree?r asked MAYA.
"Ne1 iGsiq. since | must. though it
plca9cS inHlttle to open my mind be-
fore stranger. Let us step apart, "
and l." llsc1l TO tho ccntor Of the plat
form. followed by MAYA and myself
lazy, hc bcgaa. my l,isinrs3 with
yon Is no. casy TO tell. For r,anv wears
We were aiiianced. and both YOU and
yonr father promised that VIC should be
wed when yon returned from this jour
neyz-'
'Surcly. as things are. cousin, it is
needless to discuss the matter OF our
betrothal," She broke in with sarcasm.
Not altogether needless. LADY, he
answered. II have much to ask your
pardon for, and yet make bold to ask
it Maya, you know we'll that / have
Lived, and love you dearly, and that no
other woman has ever been near my
heart
Surely" she said with laugh.
these words sound strange in the
mouth OF the new-made husband of
Nahua.n
Perhaps, lady, and yet are true.
am married to Nahua. but l do not love
her, though she loves me. 1t is you
whom | love, and when | saw you yes
terday all my heart went out to YOU, SO
that | almost hated the fair bride at my
side
why, then, did you marry her?"
"Because | must and because ! be-
lieved You dead, and your father with
YOU. as did every man in the city. You,
Zioalby being dead. as / though. was ii
wonderful that | should wish to keep
cne pace tiat many were ls.O..l.i4
tnkc from me? This could be done in
one way only, By To kc,D Of Natal.
the most clever and TIE most powerful
man n the city; and this W. Nattai'I
price, that his daughter should become
Lady OF the Heart.
"Wcl, size loved ne, she Is beautiful
and she has her fathers stren rth una
foresight, so tlat among ali the latlie
IN the land there was mono more Cites
to be my wife,
well, and You married her. atd
there's The end. You ask my forgive
ness and you have K, seeing that IL does
nos beiit me TO play the-pvrt of a ieal-
Gus woman. Doubtless time V i'll soften
the blow to me, Tillal,' she added
moclSingly.
rs that your last word, lady?~
why do you asls?"
Because more hangs on it than Won
know. Listenl very soon all tho mon
IN the city will be gathered on this
place to hear your fathers words. and
to decide whether he or | shall rule.
Sec, already they assemble in the tom
pie square. Promise to be my wife. and
IN return will yield to yoar fathsr.
ana ~ *l..'l f,,.e sor his life'j lars and
have his way in all things. Refuse, and
VIII cling to power, and matters may
go badly for him, for YOU, and" lie add
cd threateningly, for these strnng
your fri0-i5
"a th:s rsusa befall as &c CHI. nces.
she answered, proudly. - 10 not med
die " "a aneh quS ions, " do vour
threats move re. l you are so rase rs
70 plot VS. hicf against an Id man who
has pc tc>l benefits upon yon, Ilot on.
ana II d.o IN, meet with yc-r i's.-ard.
put i9r i2y Elf l tell Won that | Lave
done VIII rou. AMI that, come what
NAV, | gill II vcr be ~our wife,
Perhaps you may vet live to take back
those words. ledy,' he lail in n quiet
voice, and then with low obeisan.e
he turnc arl won't
You have made a dangerous cne,av.
lady, | sa'-' when he was out of ear
shot.
II do not fear him. 1gnc.io"
"Tl.at is VIC L." r.a.vc-el. s.hus fo,
ny part - tcnr him. thiris that his
plans Gro alv. c-,1 t',at before this
day Is done t1crc >sui be trouble. In
deed, ahali bc thankful ii we live To
see tomorrow 3 lirht"
BY this time we had reached the
others.
Are you weary OF waiting, she said
To the senior. giving him q sweet lool-
as she spoke. ''Wcu. / should have
been happier here than l was wonder.
GIVE me your hand and lead me down
the stairs. for aint,red All. friend. did
you bu. know it. | have iurt dared
moro for your salSc than | should have
dared for iny own"
What have Won dared?" he asked.
THAT yes Will learn in dce time. If
we live long enough friend" She an
swere l; 'bat. Oil would that we had
never Get foo. within this CITY,"
Two hoars he'd passed. and following
in the train Of s.i.aibay and MAYA. who
walked he ilc him, once more We found
ourselves upon The summit of the pvra-
md. Now, however, il was no loperer
empty. for on It were collected lncn 70
the number OF some thousands. indeed.
all the adult male population.
OF the city On one side az
the altar were seated Tilxal
and his bride, Nahua, who was the ONLY
woman there. and some hundreds %
mobiles, all of whom noted were armed
and guarded by a body of soldiers thar