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ftp If? "Coming tb TIio templo, 1 and t?ose i mo told tho good tidings to om: com lons, "who received it silently. Men whitb raco would havo rejoiced thu? ti cape, for when death ls near all other seems as nothing. But with these Zni peoplo H is not so, since when for! frowns upon them they do not clin lifo. Theso men of the Otoniic had their country, their wives, their WO their brethren nml their homes. There life, with freedom to wander whither ! would, seemed no great thing to them they met thc boon that I hud won from mercy of our foe?, as had matters { otherwiso they would have met tho b In sullen silence. I came to Otcmic, and to her I also tho news. "I had hoped to die where lam," answered. "But so he it. Death is alu to bo found." Only my son rejoiced, because he kl that G id had saved us all from deatl sword or hunger. "Father," ho said, 1 Spaniards have given us life, but they t our country and drive us out of Where, then, shall we go?" "I do not know, my son," I answer? "Father," the lad said again, ''lol leave this land of Anahuac, where thet nothing but Spaniards and sorrow. Lc find a ship and sail across the seas to E land, our own country." Tho boy spoko my very thought, ; my heart leaped at his words, thoug had no plan to bring thc mutter about, pondered a moment, looking at Otomii "Tho thought is geed, Teulc, " she S? answering my unspoken question. '\ you and for your son there is no bettor, for myself I will answer in tho proverl my people, "Tho earth that bears us lightest on our bones. ' " Then she turned, making ready to q the storehouso of tho temple, where we I been lodged during thc siege, and no m was said about the matter. Before tho sun set a weary throng men, with some few women and childr were marching across the courtyard ti surrounded the pyramid, for u bridge timbers taken from tho temple had bi made over the breach in thc roadway tl wound about its sido. At the ge.tcs the Spaniards were wi ing to receive us. Wo were sorted out. 1 men of small condition, together with I children, were taken from the ruined c by an escort and turned loose upon I mountains, while those of noto W' brought to the Spanish camp, to be qu tioncd there before t hey were set free, with my wife and son, was lcd to the p ace, our old home, ?bero to learn the v. of the Captain Diaz. It is but a little way to go, and J there was something to bu seen in t path, for as we wal ?ced I looked up, a before me, standing with folded arms a apart from all Tuen, was Dc Garcia. I h scarcely thought of him for some days, full had my mind been of other matte but at the sisht of his evil face I rome: beredthat while this man lived sorrow a: danger must be my bedfellows. Ho watched us pass, taking note of a Then ho called to me, who walked last: ''Farewell, Cousin Wingfield. You ha lived through this bout also and won free pardon, you, your woman and yo brat together. If the old warhorse who Ect over us asa captain Lad listened tom you should have bumed at the stake, eve ono of you, but so it is. Farewell f awhile^ friend. I am away to Mexico report these matters to tho viceroy, w] may havo a word to sa j*. " I made no answer, but asked of our co ductor-that same Spaniard whom I hi saved from the sacrifice-what the sen meant by his words. "This, Tcule: That there has been quarrel between our comrade Sarceda an our captain. Tho former Avould bave gran ed you no terms, or failing this would hai decoyed you from your stronghold wit false promises und then havo put you 1 the sword as infidels with whom no O?U ls binding. But tho captain would ni have it so, for he said that fuith must I kept even with the heathen, and wewhoi you hud saved cried shume on him. All 60 words ran high, and in the end the S nor Sarceda, who is third in comm a ti among ns, declared that he would bo u party to this peacemaking, but would t gone to Mexico with his servants, there I report to the viceroy. Then the Captai Diaz hado him begone to hell if he wishe and report to tho devil, saying that he ha always believed that he had escaped theut by mistake, and they parted in wrath whe since tho day of noche triste, never love each other much, the end of it being tba Sarceda rides for Mexico within an hon to make what mischief he can at the vice roy's court, und I think thut you are wei rid of him." .'Father," said my son to me, ''who i that Spaniard who looks so cruelly upoi us?" "That Ls he of whom I huvo told you 6on, De Garcia, who hus been tho curse o our race for two generations, who botraye? your grandfather to the holy office anc murdered your grandmother, who put mi to torture, und whoso ill deeds aro no dono with yet. Beware of him, son, nov and over, I beseech you. ' ' Now we were como to the palace, almost the only house that wus left standing ir tho City of Pines. Here an apartment wa? given to us at the end of the long building, and presently a command was Drought tc us thut I and my wife should walt upon the Spanish Captain Diaz. So wo went, though Otomie desired mc to stay behind, leaving our son alono in the chamber where food had been brought to him. I remember that I kissed bim be fore I left, though I do not know what moved mo to do so, unless it was because I thought that he might be asleep when I returned. Tho Captain Diaz had his quar ters at the other end of tho palace, some 200 paces away. Presently we stood before him. Ho was a rough looking, thickset mun well in years, with bright eyes and au honest face, like the faco of u peasant who has toiled a lifetime in ?di weathers, only the fields that Diuz tilled wero fields of war, und his harvest had been tho lives of men. Just thou ho wus joking with some common soldiers in a strain scarcely suited to nice eats, but so eoon as ho saw us he ceased and came forward. I saluted him, after the Indian fashion, by touching tho earth with my hand, for what was I but an Indian cuptive? "Your sword," ho said briefly as he scanned mo with his quick eyes. I unbuckled it from my side and handed it to him, saying in Spanish: ''Tako it, captain, for you havo con quered; alio lt does but come back to Its owner." For this was the same sword that I had captured from one Bernai Diaz in tho fray of the noche triste. Ho looked at it; then swore a great oath and said: "I thought that it. could l>e no other' man. And so we meet again thus after so many years. Weli, yon gave mo my life once, and I am glad that I have lived to pay the debt. Hadji not been sure it was you, you had not won such easy tenus, friend. How are you named? Nay, I know what the Indi ins cell yon." "I ara named Wingfield." "Friend Wingfield, then, fur I tell you that I would have eat beneath yonder devil's house," and lie nodded toward tho teocali!, "till you starred upon its top. Nay/ friend Wingfield, take back tho 6word. I suited myself with another many years ago, and you have used this one gal lantly. Nev?r h ive I a en Indians make abettor light. And so that is Otoinio, Montezuma'* daughter and your wife? Still ha.'id.-.i mn and royal, 1 Lord, Lord, it is many years ago, and yet it seems but yesterday that 1 saw her father die, a Christian hearted man. though no Christian, and ono whom we dealt ill with. May (Jod forgive us all! Well, madam, none can say that you have a Christian heart If a certain t ale that I have heard of what passed .vomier some three nichts < ?opY^?5MT.'703a.BrTflEAVTHOR.. ) ?jj sinco"isTr?e. ' Bat wo wlll'spcuik'no": of it, for tho savage blood will show, you aro pardoned for your husband's i who saved my comrades from tho s fleo." To all this Otomlo listoned, stan still like a statuo, but sho never anew a word. Indeed sho had spoken very ri since that dreadful night of her unst ablo shame. ?'And now, friend Wingfield, " wei the? Captain Diaz, "what ls your pur] You are free to go whero you will. WI er, thgn, will you go?" "I do not know, " I answered. "*S ago, when tho Aztec emperor gave m< lifo and this princess, my wife, in j rlage, I sworo to be faithful to him his auiso and to fight for them till 1 ceased to vomit smoke, till there wai king in TenoctitlaD and tho peopl Anahuac wero no mero a peoplo." "Than you aro quit of your oath, fri for all theso things have como about, thero has boen no smoko on Popo for t two years. Now, if you will be advise mo, you will turn Christian again and terthe servioo of Spain. But como, le to supper. We can talk of these mal afterward." So wo sat down to eat by tho ligl terrobes in the banqueting hall with '. nal Diaz and some other of tho Spanio Otomie would have left us, and though captain bade her stay she ate nothing presently slipped away from the cham CHAPTER XXXrV. VENGEANCE. During that meal Bernai Diaz spok our first meeting on tho causeway, an how I had gone near to killing him in ros, thinking that he was Sarceda, then he asked mo what was my qua with Sarceda. In as few words as possible I told ] tho story of my life, of all the evil that Garcia, or Sarceda, had worked upon and mino, and of how it was through 1 that I was in this land that day. He toned amazed. "Holy Mother!" he said at length, always knew him for a villain, but tl if you do not lie, friend Wingfield, could bo such a man as this I did know. Now, by my word, had I he this- tale an hour ago Sarceda should have left this camp till be had answerci or cleared himself by combat with y But I iear ic is too late. Ho was to lo for Mexico at the rising of tho moon stix up mischief against me because granted you terms-not that I fear h chere, where his repute is small." "I do not lie indeed," I answci "Much of this talc I can prove if need and I tell you that I would give half Ufo that is left to me to stand face to f in opon fight with him again. Ever has escaped me, and tho score between is long." Now as I spoke thus it seemed to : that a cold and dreadful air played uf my hands and brow and a warning sei of present evil crept into my soul, ov coming mo so that I could not stir speak for awhile. i4Let us go and sec if be has gone, ' ' SJ Diaz presently, and summoning a gui he was about to leave the chamber. It v at thia moment that I chanced to look and see a woman standing in thedoorwi Her hand rested on the doorpost; her he?' j from which thc long hair streamed, w thrown back, and on her face was a lo of such anguish that at first, so much \v she changed, I did not know her for Ol mle. When I knew her, I knew aU. O thing only could conjure up the terror'a agony that shone in hex deep eyes. , ' 'What has chanced to our son" I askc "Dead, dead!" she answered in a wh: per that seemed to pierce my marrow. I said nothing, for my hean told i what had happened, but Diaz asked, "Dei -why, what has killed him?" "Do Garcia! I saw him go," replii Otomic. Then sho tossed her arms big and without another sound fell bookwa to tho earth. In thac moment I think that my bea broke-ac least I know nothing has lu tho power to move me greatly since, thoUf I ibis memory moves mo day by day ai ' hour by ?hour, till I die and go to seek n son. "Say, Bernai Diaz," I cried, with hoarse laugh, "did I lie to you concernin this comxado of yours?" Then, springing over Otomie's body, left tho chamber, followed by Bernai Du and the others. Without tho door I turned to the left t< ward the camp. I had not gono 100 pace when, in the moonlight, I saw a sma troop of horsemen riding toward ns. 1 was Do Garcia and his servants, and the headed toward tho mountain pass on the! road to Mexico. I was not too late. "Haiti" cried Bernai Diaz. "Who commands mo to hale?" cried th voice of Do Garcia. "I, your captain, " roared Diaz. "Halt you devil, you murderer, or you shall b cut down." I saw him start and turn pale. "These are strange manners, senor," hi said. "Of your grace I ask" At this moment De Garcia caught sigh of mo for tho first time, for I had brokoi from tho hold of Diaz, who clutch*,? mi ann, and was moving toward him. I s_v nothing, but there was something iu m j faco which told him that I knew aU am warned him of his doom. He looked pas me, but the narrow road was blocked witl men. I drew near, but he did not wait foj me. Once he put his hand on tho hUt ol his sword; then suddenly he wheeled hit horso and fled down the street of X&ca. De Garcia fled, and I followed after him, running fast and low, like a hound. Al first he gained on mo, but soon tho road grew rough, and he could not gallop ovei it. Wo wero clear of. the town now, oi rather of its mains, and traveling along a little path which the Indians used to bring down snow frc tm Xaea In the hot weather. Perhaps there are some flvo miles of this path before tho snow lino ls reached, be yond which no Indian dared to set hi6 foot, for tho ground abovo was holy. Along this path ho went, and I was con tent to seo ic, for I know well that the traveler cannot leave it, since on either aldo lio watercourses ?ind cliffs. Milo after rollo ^Do Garcia followed lt, looking now to tho left, now to tho right and now nhead at tho great dome of snow crowned with fire that towered above him. He know what was then -death in tho shape of a mau! I carno on doggedly, saving my strength. I was eure that I must catch him ac last, it did not matter when. At lcng>h ho roached tho snow lino where tho pal h ended, and for the first time he looked back. Thora I was some 200 pa^os behind him. 1, his death, was behind him, and in front of hun shone thc snow. For a moment be IKS'.Lated, and 1 heard thc heavy breathing of his horse in tho great stillness. Then ho turned and faced tlie slope, driving Iiis spurs into thu brute's sides. The snow was hard, for here tho frost bit sharply, and for awhile, though lt was so steep, thc horse traveled over it better than ho lind done along tho pathway. Now, ns before, there was only one road thar he could take, for wo passed up tho rcsl of a ridge, n plait, as it were, In the garment of a mountain, and on either side were steeps of snow on which neither horse nor man might keep his foot ing. For two hours or more wc followed that ridge, and ns wc went through thc silence of the haunted volcano and tho lone liness of ?ts ntl mn! .-nows it seemed to me that my spirit entered into tho spirit of] my quarry, ami that with its eyes I saw all thar was passing in his heart. Now tlie snow grew steeper, and thc horse was a!.'inist spent, for he could scarce ly breathe at so great a height. In vain did Dc Garcia dri vu his spurs into its Bides: tho gallant beast could do no more. Sud denly it fell down. Surely. I thought, he will awftir mc now. But even I had not fathomed thedopth of his terrors, for Dc garcia fli^'n" -'-'d himself froflithe,fallen horse, looked'toward mo, theil lied forward on his feet, casting away his armor ILS he wont that ho might travel more lightly. By this time we had passed the snow and were como to the edge of the ice cap that is made by the melting of the snow with tho heat of the inner Ares, or perhaps by that of tho sun in hot seasons, I know not, and its freezing in the winter months or in tho cold of the nights. At least there is ?ueh a cap on Xaca, measuring nearly a milo in depth, which lies between the snow and tho black rim of tho crater. Up this ico climbed De Garcia, and the task is not of tno easiest, even for ono of untroubled mind, for a man must step from crack to crack or needle to needle of rough Ice, that stand upon smooth surface Uko tho bristles on a hog's back, and woo to him if ono break or he slip, for then, as ho falls, very shortly thc flesh will l>e flied from his bones by the thousands of swordliko points over which he must pass in his descent to ward tho snow. Indeed many times I feared greatly lest this should chance to Do Garcia, for I did not desire to lose my vengeanco thus. Therefore twice when I saw him in danger I shouted to him, tell ing him where to put his feet, for now I was within 20 paces of him, and, stTango to say, he obeyed mo without question, for getting everything in his terror of instant death. But for myself I had no fear, for I knew (hat I should not fall, though th? placo was one which I had surely shrunk from climbing at any other time. All this while wo had boon traveling to ward Xaca1 . '?cry crest by the bright moon light, but 11%.w tho dawn broke suddonly on tho mountain top, and the flame died away in thc heart of tho pillar of smoke. It was wonderful to seo the red glory that shone upon tho ico cap and on us two men who crept like flies across it, while tho mountain's breast and thc world be low were plunged in the shadows of night. "Now we have a better light to climb by, comrade!" I Tailed to Dc Garcia, and my voico rang strangely among the ice cliffs, where never a man's voice had echoed be fore. Now, 1 thought, he will surely make a stand, for could he have found courage it had been easy for him to kill mo with his ?word, which he still wore, as I climbed from the ice to the hot lava. It seemed that he thought of it, for he turned and glared at me like a devil, then went on again, leaving mo wondering when he be lieved he would And refuge. Some DOO paces from the edge of the. icc the smoko and steam of the crater rose into the air, and between the two was lava so hot that in places it was difficult to walk upon it. Across this bed, that trembled as I passed over it, went Do Garcia somewhat slowly, for now he was weary, and I followed him at my ease, getting my breath again. "At length, De Garcia!" I said. "Now let us make an end. You have your sword. Use it if you can. It will be easier to dio fighting." "I cannot," he groaned. "My doom is upon mo." "As you will," and I came at him, sword up. Ho ran from before me, moving back ward and keeping his eyes fixed upon mine, as I have seen a rat do when a 6nako is about to swallow it. Now we were upon tho odgo of the crater, and looking over I saw an awful sight, for there, some 30 feet beneath us, thc rcdhot lava, glowing sullenly beneath a shifting pall of smoke, rolled and spouted like a thing ulive. .Tots of steam flew upward from it with a screaming sound; lines of noxious vapora, many colored, crept and twisted on its surface, and a hot and horrid stench poi soned thc heated air. Here indeed w:is such a gate as I could wish for De Garcia to pass through to his own abode. I looked, pointed with my sword and laughed. He looked and shrieked .aloud, for now all his manhood had left him, so His m<ord dropped from his hand, and he fell backward into thc pit. great was his terror of what lay beyond the end. Yes this proud and haughty Spaniard screamed and wept and prayed for mercy. He who had done so many vil lainies beyond forgiveness prayed for mercy that he might find time to repent. I stood ana watched him, and so dreadful was his aspect that horror struck mo oven through tho calm of my frozen heart. "Come, it is time to finish," I said, and again I lifted my sword, only to let it fall, for'suddenly his brain gave way, and De Garcia went mad before my eyes! Of all that followed 1 will not write. With his madness courage carno back to h roy and ho began to fight, but not with me. He seemed to perccivo me no more, but nevertheless ho fought, and desperately, thrusting at tho empty air. It was terri ble to see him thus doing battle with his invisible foes and to hear his screams and curses as inch by inch they drove him back to the edge of the crater. Herc ho etood awhile, like one who mukes a lust stand against overpowering strength, thrusting and striking furiously. 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