Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 189, No. 4 — page 96: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

566 height and the stream rushes down the ar- royo, it is the Mayan custom for the mothers to take their young children to the edge of the water, and to throw them in. If ‘they are strong, they swim and live, reach- ing the bank safely. Thus they grow up to be good Mayans. “Tf they are weak, they die, drowned in the swift waters. It is good for the tribe to be spared caring for lives that are not intended to be fit. This is the water test performed by the great handmaiden of the Sun each spring. ‘“‘ That spring in the water test, Huasco was thrown into the raging stream in the arroyo by the chief of the council himself. He had no father, no mother. It was ex- pected that he would sink and be at once drowned, and that thus the tribe would be spared the ignominy of raising to manhood one who had come into life in defiance of its laws. “But no. The tiny Huasco no sooner hit the freshet than his lusty arms and legs struck out like a bullfrog under a whip. He spurned the rushing waters. He swam them as steadily and easily as a kingfish. “Soon he scrambled up the bank and began crowing lustily, as though to an- nounce to the council that he was a Mayan, true and tried. There was nothing to do under the law but to accept him, to raise him, and to take him into the tribe as a member with all privileges and powers.” “ A sturdy physique and a strong heart,” said Tench. “I thought for a moment yes- terday in the race that he had me. He was not easy to defeat.” The old eyes of Xlaco glowed feelingly. “Tt was the fear of all that Huasco would win the short race yesterday,” he contin- ued. ‘“ Among the juniors there is none to equal him. He wanted to enter the long race, but the members of the council ruled that his age fortunately did not permit that for another year. “ As the winner of the long race would be the successor of the Xtla, just dead, and as he would doubtless live for at least an- other year, thus the tribe would be spared having Huasco as its Xtla. So, you see, my son, what a blessing your coming has proved to be to the Mayans. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “It is believed among the women that Huasco was sired by the spirit of the evil one himself. Others among us believe that his mother was seized by a wandering Aztec from the tribe which lives far beyond the hills on the other side of the great mesas, and that he was the father of her child. If you will observe, you will see that he has a very high cheekbone, which is not like a Mayan. “You must know that the Mayans are of the pure strain, the ancient lineage going back to the origin of the Sun himself. Count- less generations before the coming of the Aztecs, the Mayans inhabited this land. They owned it and loved it, and dwelled here in peace. “Then came the savage conqueror, the Aztec, who seized our lands and destroyed our temples, drove us from the cities, and dispersed us into the wilds, until this small, select remnant of the Mayans found shel- ter under this rocky cliff in the presence of the steam baths. Here we have lived un- molested by the Aztecs because they do not know where to find us. “In time the Aztec also was conquered and destroyed. It is the law of life. Those who live by conquest shall perish by con- quest. The Aztecs, too, are now hunted and hidden, but of a race not as old as the Mayans, and not blessed by the Sun, a savage race.” “They are what we call Indians,” Tench observed. “ They have red skin and came, perhaps, originally from lands far across the western ocean.” “Aye,” said Xlaco, “ while the Mayans are white, coming very far from the south, out of the finest lands of the Sun god.” As Tench reflected on the story of Huasco, he perceived that in this active tribesman he must solve his chief menace. He felt something in the attitude and in the glance of the virile, dark young man that was not as respectful toward Za as was the reverence felt by all the other Mayans. He realized that it was different even from his own attitude. His, indeed, was human in its longing, but still respectful, hallowed by love. In the mere glance of Huasco to- ward her there was something sinister, and savage. (EON AME .OOKS (E@)