The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, October 10, 1894, Image 1
atdmi?tt an?
outljron
TSIK 8DMTEB WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850.
'Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's.land Truth's."
THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established Jane, 12 66
Consolidated Aug. 2,1881.
SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1894.
|New Series-Vol. XIV. . No. II.
Cjrt S8ta?t|iicnt at? ^ou?|r0iL
Published Every Wednesday,
3>J. C3r. Osteen,
SUMTER, S. C.
TERMS :
Two Dollars per annum-in advance.
ADVERTISEMENT:
One Square first insertion.......$1 00
Svery subsequent insertion-. . 50
Contracts for three months, or longer will
be made at reduced rates. * -
Ail commnnicarioos which subserve private
interests wiU becharged foras advertisements.
Obituaries and tributes of respect will be
charged for.
COPY Kl GMT. KM, BX TM? AUTHOR.
CHAPTER^ XSLVIL
THE ESCAPE.
Now Otomie put the rope off her neck,
and descending from the stool stood be?
fore Marina.
"Yon are Marina," she said coldly and
proudly, "and you come to save us, you
who have brought ruin on the land that
bore yon and have given thousands of her
children to death and shame and torment?
Now, if I had my way, I would have none
of your salvation-nay, I would rather
save myself as I was about to do."
Thus Otomie spoke, and never had she
looked more royal than in this moment
when she risked her last chance of life
that she might pour out her scorn upon
one whom she deemed a traitress-no, one
who was a traitress, for had it not been
for Marina's wit andr aid Cortes would
never have conquered Anahuac- I trem?
bled as I heard her angry words, for, all I
suffered notwithstanding, life still seemed
sweet to me, who, 10 seconds ago, had stood
upon the verge of death.
Surely Marina would depart and leave
us to our doom. But it was not so. In?
deed she shrank and trembled before
Otomie's contempt. They were a strange
contrast in their different loveliness as they
stood face to face in the torture den, and it
was strange also to see the spirit of the lady
of royal blood, threatened as she was with a
shameful death, or still more shameful life,
triumph over the Indian girl whom today
fortune had set far above her as the stars.
"Say, royal lady," asked Marina in her
gentle voice, "for what cause did you, if
tales are true, lie by the side of yonder
white man upon the stone of sacrifice? "
"Because I love him, Marina. "
"And for this same cause" have I, Ma?
rina, laid my honor upon a different altar;
for this same cause I have striven against
the children of my people, because I love
another such as he. It is for love of Cortes
that I have aided Cortes; therefore despise
me not, but >t your love plead for mine,
seeing that, to us women, love is all. I
season my sin shall find a fitting punish?
ment.*'
"It had need be sharp," answered
Otomie. "My love has harmed none. See
before you but one grain of the countless
harvest of your own. In yonder chair
Guatemoc, your king, was this day tor?
tured by your master, Cortes, who swore to
treat him with all honor. By his side sat
Teule, my husband and your friend. Him
Cortes gave over to his private enemy, De
Garcia, whom you name Sarceda. See how
he has left him. Nay, do not shudder,
gentle lady. Look now at his wounds!
Consider to what a pass we are driven
when yon find us about to die thus like
dogs, he, my husband, that he may not
live to see me handled as he has been, and
I with him because a princess of the
Otomie and of Montezuma's blood cannot
submit to such a shamo while death has
one door through which to creep. It is but
a single grain-of your harvest, outcast and
trai toreas, the harvest of misery and death
that is stored yonder in the ruins of Te
noctitlan. Had I my will I tell you
that I had sooner die a score of times than
take help from a hand so stained with the
blood of my people and of yours-I"
"Oh, cease, lady, cease," groaned Ma?
rina, covering her eyes with her hand, as
though the-sight of Otomie were dreadful
to her. "What is done is done. Do not
add to my remorse. What did you say
that you, the Lady Otomie, were brought
here to be tortured?"
"Even so, and before my husband's
eyes. Why should Montezuma's daughter
and the princess of the Otomie escape the
fate of the emperor of the Aztecs? If her
womanhood does not protect her, has she
anything to hope of her lost rank?' '
"Cortes knows nothip^ of this; I swear
it," said Marina. "TO the rest he has been
driven by the clamor of the soldiers, who
taunt him with stealing treasure that he
has never found. But of this last wicked?
ness he is innocent."
"Then let him ask his tool Sarceda of
it."
"As" fear Sarceda, I promise you, prin?
cess, that if I can I will avenge this threat
upon him. But time is short. I am come
here with the knowledge of Cortes, to see
if I can win the secret of the treasure from *
Teule, your husband, and for niy-friend
ship's sake I am about to betray my trust
and help him and you to fly. Do you re?
fuse my aid?"
Otomie said nothing, but I spoke for
the first time.
"Nay, Marinaj I have no love for this
thief's fate if I can escaper it, but how is it
to be done?"
"The chance is poor enough, Teule, but
I bethought me that once out of this
prison you might slip away disguised.
Few will be stirring at dawn, and of them
the most will not be keen to notice men j
or things. See, I have brought you the
dress of a Spanish soldier. Your skin is
dark, and in the half light you might pass
as one, and for the princess your wife I
have brought another dress. Indeed I am
ashamed to offer it, but it is the only one
that will not be noted at this hour; also,
Teule, I bring you a sword, that which
was taken from you, though I think that
once it had another owner. "
Now while she spoke Marina undid her
bundle, and there in it were the dresses
and the sword, the same that I had taken
from the Spaniard Diaz in the massacre
of the noche triste. First she drew out tho
wpmanls robe and hauded it to Otomie,
and 1 saw that it was such a robe
among the Indians is worn by the wo:
who follow camps, a robe with red
yellow in it. Otomie saw it also and d
back.
"Surely, girl, you have brought a {
ment of your own in error, ' ' she said qn
ly, but in such a fashion as showed ic
of the savage heart that is native to
race than she often suffered to be S?
" At the least I cannot wear such robes
"It seems that I must bear too muc
answered Marina, growing wroth at 1
and striving to keep back thc tears t
started to her eyes. "I will away and le
you, " and she began to roll up her bun<
"Forgive her, Marina," I said hast
for the desire to escape grew on me ev
minute. ''Sorrow has set an edge uj
her tongue." Then, turning to Oton
I added: "I pray you be more gentle, -. T.
for my sake if not for your own. Mar
is our only hope."
"Would that she had left us to die
peace, husband. Well, so be it, for y<
sake I will put on these garments o:
drab. But how shall we escape out of t
place and the camp? Will the door
opened to us and the guards removed, a
if we pass them can you walk, hus bane
"The doors will not be opened, ladj
said Marina, "for those wait without w
will see that they are locked when I hi
passed them. But there will be nothing
fear from the guard-trust to me for
See, the bars of this window are but
wood. That sword will soon sever the
and if you are seen you must play the pw
of a drunken soldier being guided to ]
quarters by a woman. For the rest I kn<
nothing, save that I run great risk for ye
sakes, since, if it is discovered that I h
aided you, then I shall find it hard to &
ten the rage of Cortes, who, the war bei
won," and she sighed, "dges not need i
now so much as once he did. "
"I can make shit lio hop on my rig
foot," I said, "and for the rest we mt
! trust to fortune. It can give us no woi
gifts than those we have already. "
i "So be it, Teule, and now farewell, i
I dare stay no longer. I can do nothij
more. May your good star shine on y<
I and lead you hence in safety, and, Teu?
j if we never meet again, I pray you th ii
j of me kindly, fur there are many in tl
world who will do otherwise in the da
! toc?me."
j "Farewell, Marina," I said, and s]
was gone.
We heard the doors close behind her ai
the distant voices of those who bore h
j litter; then all was silence. Otomie liste:
i ed at the window for awhile, but tl
guards seemed to be gone, where or why
do not know to this hour, and the on
sound was that of distant revelry from tl
camp.
'And now to the work," I said to Ot
mie.
"As you wish, husband, but I fear
will be profitless. I do not trust that w<
man. Faithless in all, without doubt si
betrays us. Still at the worst you ha^
the sword and can use it. "
"it matters little, " I answered. "Ot
plight cannot be worse than it is nov
Life has no greater evils than torment an
death, and they are with us already."
Then I sat upon thc stool, and my arm
being left sound and strong I hacked wit
the sharp sword at the wooden bass of th
window, severing them one by ene ti]
there was a space big enough for us t
*creep throngfe.- This being done and- u
one having appeared to disturb us, O tomi
clad me in the clothes of a Spanish so]
dier which Marina had brought, for
j could not dress myself. What I suffere?
In the donning of those garments an<
more especially in pulling of the long boo
on to my burned foot can never be told
but more than once I stopped, ponderinj
whether it would not be better to die rath
er than to endure such agonies. At las
it was done, and Otomie must put on th
red and yellow robe, a garb of shame sud
. aa many an honest Indian woman wnnh
tile- sooner tuan be seen in, and I thin!
that as she did this her agony was greata
than mine, though of another sort, for U
her proud heart that dress was a very shirl
of Nesaus. Presently she was clad ant
minced before me with ? savage mockery,
saying! a
?'Prithee, soldier, do I look my part?"
"A peace to such fooling," I answered.
"Our lives are at stake. How does it mat
ter how wc disguise ourselves?"
"It matters much, husband* but how
can yon understand, who are a man and a
foreigner? Now I will clamber through
the window, and yon must follow me ii
you can. If not, I will return to you, and
we will end this masquerade.'"' -
Then she passed through the hole swift?
ly, for Otomie was agile and strong as an
ocelot, and mounting the stool .1 made
shift to follow her as well as my hurts
would allow. In the end I was able to
throw myself upon the sill of the window,
and there I was stretched out' like a dead
cat till she drew me across it, and I fell
with her to the ground on the farther side
and lay groaning. She lifted me to my
feet, or rather to my foot, for I could usc
but one of them, and we stared round us.
No one was to be seen, and the sound of
revelry had died away, for the crest of Po?
po was already red with the sunlight, and
the dawn grew in the valley.
"Where to?" I sadd.
Now, Otomie had been allowed to walk
in t the camp with her sister, the wife of
Guatenioc, and other Aztec- ladies, and
she had. this gift in -common with most
Indians-that where she had once passed
there she could pass again, even in the
darkest night.
"To the south gate," she whispered.
"Perhaps it is unguarded now that thc
war is done. At the least, I know tho road
thither."
So we started, I leaning on her shoulder
and hopping on my right foot, and thus
very painfully we traversed some 300 yards,
meeting nobody. But now our good lur %
failed us, for passing round the corner of
some buildings we carno face to face with
three soldiers returning to their huts from
a midnight revel and with them some na?
tive servants.
"Whom have we here?" said the first of
these. ''Your name, comrade.''
"Good night, brother, good night," I
answered in Spanish, speaking with the
thick voice of drunkenness.
"Good morning, yt?u mean," he said,
for the dawn was breaking. "Your name'''
I don't know your face, though it seems
that you have been in the wars. ' ' And he
laughed.
"You mustn't ask a comrade his name, "
I said solemnly and swinging to and fro.
''The captain might send for me, and he's
a temperate man. Your ann, girl. It is
time to go to sloe;.. Thc-sun sets. "
They laughed, but one of them address?
ed Otomie, saying:
"Leave the sot, my pretty, and come
and walk?with us." And he caught her
by the arm. But she turned on him with
so fierce a look that he let her go again,
astonished, and we staggered on till the
corner of another house hid us from their
view. Here I sank to the ground over?
come with pain, for while thc soldiers were
in sight I was obliged to use my wounded
foot lest they should suspect. But Oto?
mie pulled me up, saying:
"Alas, beloved, we must pass on or per?
ish."
I rose, groaning, and by what efforts I
reached the south gate I cannot describe,
though I thought that I must die before I
came there. At last it was before us, and,
as chance would have it, the Spanish
guard were asleep in the guardhouse.
Three Tlascalans only were crouched over
a little fire, their serapes or blankets about
their heads, for the dawn was chilly.
"Open the gates, dogs!" ! said in a
proud voice.
Seeing a Spanish soldier, one of them
rose to obey, then paused and said:
"Why and by whose orders?"
I could not see the man's face because
of the blanket, but his voice sounded fa?
miliar to me, and I grew afraid Still I
must speak. .
"Why? Because I am drunk and wish
to lie without till I grow sober. By whose
orders? . By mine. I am an officer of the
day, and if you disobey I'll have you flog?
ged till you never ask another question."
"Shall I call the Teules within?" said
the man sulkily to his companion.
"No," he answered. "The Lord Sarce?
da is weary and gave orders that he should
not be awakened without good cause.
Keep them in or let them through, as you
will, but do not wake him. "
I trembled in every limb. De Garcia
was m the guardhouse! What if he awoke?
What if he came out and saw me? More,
now I guessed whose voice it was that I
knew again. It was that of one of those
Tlascalans who had aided in tormenting
me. What if he should see my face? He
could scarcely fail to know that on which
he had left his mark so recently. I was
dumb with fear and could say nothir..;,
and had it not been for the wit of Otomie
there my story would haye ended. But
now she played her part and played it well,
plying the man with the coarse raillery of
the camp till at length she put him in a
good humor, and he opened the gate, bid
**J am spent, I can do no more."
ding her begone and me with her. Already
we had parsed the gato when a sudden
faintness seized me, and I stumbled and
fell, rolling over on my back as I touched
the earth.
"Up, friend, up," said Otomie, with a
harsh laugh. "If you must sleep, wait till
you find some friendly bush," and she
dragged at me to lift me. The Tlascalan,
still laughing, came forward to help her,
and between them I gained my feet again,
but as I rose my cap, which fitted me but
UL fell off. He picked it up and gave it
to me, and our eyes met, my face being,
somewhat in the shadow. Next instant I
was hobbling on, but looking back I saw
the Tlascalan staring after us with a puz?
zled air, like that of a man who is not
sure of the witness of his senses.
"He knows me," I said to Otomie, "and
presently, when he has found his wits, he
will follow us."
"On, on!" answered Otomie. "Round
yonder corner are aloe bushes where we
may hide."
"lam spent I can do no more," and
again I began to fall.
Then Otomie caught me as I fell, and
of a sudden she put out her strength, and
lifting me from the ground as a mother
lifts her child staggered forward, holding
me to her breast. For 60 paces or more
.he carried me thus, love and despair giv?
ing her strength, till at last we reached
the edge of the aloe plants, and there we
sank together to the earth. I cast my eyes
back over the path which we had traveled
Round the corner came the Tlascalan, a
spiked club in his hand, seeking us to
solve his doubts.
"It is finished," I gasped. "The man
comes."
For answer Otomie drew my sword from
its scabbard and hid it in the grass. "Now
feign sleep," she said. "It is our last
chance."
I cast my arm over my face and pretend?
ed to be asleep. Presently I heard the
sound of a man passing through the bushes,
and the Tlascalan stood over me.
"What would you?" asked Otomie.
"Can you not see that he sleeps? Let him
sleep."
"I must look on his face first, woman,"
he answered, dragging aside my arm. 41 By
the gods, I thought so! This is that Teule
whom we dealt with yesterday and who
escapes."
"You are mad," ste said, laughing.
"He has escaped from nowhere, save from
a brawl and a drinking bout. "
"You lie, woman, or if you do not lie
you know nothing. This man has the se?
cret of Montezuma's treasure and is worth
a king's ransom. " And he lifted his club.
"And yet you wish to slay him! Well, I
know nothing of him. Take him back
whence he came. He is but a drunken
ot, and I shall be well rid of him. "
"Well said. It would be foolish to kill
him, but by bearing him alive to the Lord
Sarceda I shall win honor and reward.
Come, help me."
"Help yourself, " she answered sullenly.
"But first search his pouch. There may
be some triflo there which we can divide. ' '
"Well said again," he answered, and
kneeling down he bent over me and began
to fumble at the fastenings of the pouch.
Otomie was behind Hm. I saw "her face
change, and a terrible light came into her
eyes-snch a light as shines in the eyes of
the priest at sacrifice. Quick as thought
she drew the sword from the grass and
smote with all her strength upon the
man's bent neck. Down he fell, making
no sound, and she also fell beside him. In
a moment she was on her feet again, star?
ing at him wildly, the naked sword in her
hand.
"Up," she said, "before others come to
seek him! Nay, you must!"
Now again we were struggling forward
through the bushes, my mind filled with
a great wonder that grew slowly to a
whirling nothingness. For awhile it seem?
ed to me as though I were lost in an evil
dream and walking on redhot irons in my
dream. Then came a vision of armed men
with lifted spears and of Otomie running
toward them with outstretched arms.
I knew no more.
CHAPTER XXVIIL
OTOMIE PLEADS WITH HER PEOPLE.
When I awoke, it was to find myself in
a cave, where the light shone very dimly
Otomie leaned over me, and not far away
a man was cooking a pot over a fire made
of dry aloe leaves.
"Where am I, and what has happened?
I asked.
44 You are safe, beloved, ' ' she answered,
"at least for awhile. When you have eat?
en, 1 will tell you more. "
She brought me broth and food, and
ate eagerly, and when I was satisfied she
spoke:
"You remember how the Tlascalan fol
lowed us and how-I was rid of him?"
'4I remember, Otomie, though how you
found strength to kill him I do not under
stand/'
"Love and despair gave it to mc, and
pray that I may never have such another
need. Do not speak of it, husband, for
this is more terrible to me than all that
When J awoke, it was to find myself in a
cave.
has been before. One thing comforts me,
however. I did not kill him; the sword
twisted in my hand, and I believe that he
was but stunned. Then we fled a little
way, and looking back I saw that two oth?
er Tlascalans. companions of the senseless
man, were following us and him. Pres?
ently they came up to where he lay and
stared at him. Then they started on our
tracks, running hard, and very soon they
must have caught us, for now you could
scarcely stir. Your mind was gone, and
I had no more strength to carry you.
4 'Still we stumbled on till presently, when
the pursuers were within 50 paces of us, I
saw armed men-eight of them-rushing
at us from the bushes. They were of my
own people, the Otomies, soldiers that
had served under you, who watched the
Spanish camp, and seeing a Spaniard
alone they came to slay him. They very
nearly did so indeed, for at first I was so
breathless I could scarcely speak, but at
last in a few words I made shift to declare
my name and rank and your, sad plight.
But now the two Tlascalans were upon
us, and I called to the men of the Otomie
to protect us, and falling on the Tlasca?
lans before they knew that enemies were
there they killed one of them and took the
other prisoner. Then they made a litter,
and placing you on it bore you without
rest 20 leagues into the mountains till
they reached this secret hiding place, and
here you have lain three days and nights.
The Teules have searched for you far and
wide, but they have searched in vain. Only
yesterday two of them, with 10 Tlascalans,
passed within 100 paces of this cave, and
I had much ado to prevent our people from
attacking them. Now they are gone
whence they came, and I think that we
are safe for a time. Soon you will be bet?
ter, and we can go hence. "
"Where can we go to, Otomie? We are
birds without a nest."
"We must seek shelter in the City of
Pines or fly across tho water. There is no
other choice, husband."
"We cannot try the sea, Otomie, for all
the ships that come here are Spanish, and
I do not know how they will greet us in
the City of Pines now that our cause is
lost, and with it so many thousands of
their warriors."
' ' Wc must take the risk, husband. There
are still true hearts in Anahuac who will
stand by us in our sorrow and their own.
At the least we have escaped from greater
dangers. Now let me dress your wounds
and rest awhile."
So for three more days I lay in the cave
of the mountains, and Otomie tended me,
and at the end of that time my state was
such that I could travel in a litter, though
for some weeks I was unable to set foot to
the ground. On the fourth day we started
by night, and I was carried on men's shoul?
ders till at length we passed up the gorge
that leads to the City of Pines. Here we
were stopped by sentries, to whom Otomie
told our tale, bidding some of them go for?
ward and repeat it to the captains of the
city. We followed the messengers slowly,
for my bearers were weary, and came to
the gates of thc beautiful town just as thc
red rays of sunset struck upon the 6nowy
pinnacle of Xaca that towers behind it.
turning her cap of smoke to a sullen red,
like that of molten iron.
Tho news of our coming had spread
about, and here and there knots of people
were gathered to watch us pass. For thc
most part they stood silent, but now and
again some woman whose husband or son
had perished in the siege would hiss a curse
at us.
Alas, how different was our state this
day to what it had been when not a year
before we entered tho City of Pines for the
first time! Then we were escorted by an
army 10,000 strong; then musicians had
sung before us, and our path was strewn
with flowers. And now! Now we came
two fugitives from thc vengeance of the
Teules-I borne in a litter by four tired
soldiers, while Otomie, the princess of this
people, "stfi? cT?? In her wai 1 to r?^sr?Le, at ?
which the women mocked, for she had
been able to come by no other, tramped at i
my side, since there was none to carry her, j
and the inhabitants of the place cursed us
as the authors of their woes. Nor did wc
know if they would stop at words.
At length we crossed thc square beneath
the shadow of the teocalli and reached the
ancient and sculptured palace as thc light
failed and the smoke on Xaca, the holy
hill, began to glow with the fire in its
heart. Herc small preparation had been
made to receive us, and that night we sup?
ped by the light of a torch upon tortillas,
or meal cakes, and water, like the humblest
in the land. Then we crept to our rest,
and as I lay awake because of the pain of
my hurts I heard Otomie, who thought
that I slept, break into low sobbing at my
side. Her proud spirit was humbled at
last, and she, whom I had never known
to weep except once, when our firstborn
died in the siege, wept bitterly.
44 Why do you sorrow thus, Otomie?" I
asked at length.
"Idid not know that you wero awake,
husband," she sobbed in answer, "or I
would have checked my grief. Husband,
I sorrow over all that has befallen us and
our people; also, though these are but lit?
tle things, because you are brought low
and treated as a man of no estate, and of
the cold comfort that we find here. "
"You have cause, wife," I answered
14 Say, what will these Otomies do with us
-kill us or give us up to the Teules?"
k4I do not know; tomorrow we shall
learn. But for my part I will not be sur?
rendered living."
"Nor I, wife. Death is better than the
tender mercies of Cortes and his minister,
De Garcia. Is there any hope?"
4 4 Yes, there is hope, beloved. Now the
Otomies are cast down, and they remem?
ber that we led the flower of their land to
death. But they arc brave and generous
at heart, and if I can touch them there all
may yet be well. Weariness, pain and
memory make us weak, who should be
full of courage, having escaped so many
ills. Sleep, my husband, and leave me to
think. AU shall yet go well, for even
misfortune has an end"
So I slept and woke in the morning
somewhat refreshed and with a happier
mind, for who is there that is not bolder
when the light shines on him and he is
renewed by rest?
When I opened my eyes, the sun was al?
ready high, but Otomie had risen with the
dawn, and she had not been idle during
those three hours. For one thing she had
contrived to obtain food and raiment more
befitting to our rank than the rags In
which we were clothed; also she had
' brought together certain men of condition
who were friendly and loyal to her in mis?
fortune, and these she sent about the city,
letting it be known that she would address
the people at midday from the steps of the
palace, for, as Otomie well knew, the heart?
strings of a crowd aro touched more easily
than those of cold and ancient counselors.
44 Will they come to listen?" I asked
"Have no fear," she answered. "The
desire to look upon us who have survived
the siege and to know the truth of what
has happened will bring them. Moreover, |
some will be there seeking vengeance on j
us."
Otomie was right, for as the morning
drew on toward midday I saw the dwellers
in the City of Pines gathering in thousands
till the space between the steps of the
palace and the face of the pyramid was
i black with thom. Now Otomie combed
her curling hair and placed flowers in it
and set a gleaming feather cloak about
her shoulders, so that it hung down over
her white robes, and on her breast that
splendid necklace of emeralds, which Gua
temoc had given to me in the treasure
chamber and which she had preserved safe?
ly through all our evil fortune, and a gold?
en girdle about her waist. In her hand
also she took a little scepter of ebony tip?
ped with gold that was in the palace, with
other ornaments and emblems of rank, and
thus attired, though she was worn with
traveling and suffering and grief had dim?
med her beauty for awhile, she seemed the
queenliest woman that my eyes have seen.
Next she caused me to be laid upon my
rude litter, and when the hour of noon
was come she. commanded those soldiers
who had borne me across the mountains
to carry me by her 6ide. Thus we issued
from the wide doorway of the palace and
took our stand upon the platform at the
head of the steps. As we came a great cry
rose from the thousands of the people, a
fierce cry, like that of wild beasts howling
for their prey. Higher and higher it rose,
a sound to strike terror into the bravest
heart, and by degrees I caught its purport.
"Kill them!" said the cry. "Give the
liar to the Teules!"
Otomie stepped forward to the edge of the
platform, and lifting the ebony scepter she
stood silent, the sunlight beating on her
lovely face and form. But the multitude
screamed a thousand taunts and threats at
us, and still the tumult grew. Once they
rushed toward her, as though to tearher to
pieces, but fell back at tho last stair, as a
wave falls from a rock, and once a spear
was thrown that passed between her neck
and shoulder.
Now the soldiers who had carried me,
making certain that our death was at
hand, and having no wish to share it, set
my litter down upon tho stones and slip?
ped back into the palace, but all this while
Otomie never so much as moved-no, not
even when the spear hissed past her. She
stood, before them stately and scornful, a
very queen among women, and little by
little the majesty of her presence and the
greatness of her courage hushed them to
silence. When there was quiet at length,
she spoke in a clear voice that carried far.
4 4Am I among my own people of the
Otomie," she asked bitterly, "or have we I
lost our path and wandered perchance j
among some savage Tlascalan tribe? Lis?
ten, people of the Otomie. I have but one
voice, and none can reason with a multi?
tude. Choose you a tongue to speak for
you and let him set out the desire of your
hearts."
Now the tumult began again, for some
shouted one name and some another, but
in the end a priest and noble named Max
tla stepped forward, a man of great power
Highest of all in Leavening Poi
ABSOLV?
among the O tom ie, wHo, abo ve an, l??tl Ta:
vored an alliance with thc Spaniards and
opposed the sending of an army to aid
Guatemoc in the defense of Tenoctitlan.
Nor did he'come alone, for with him were
four chiefs, whom by their dress I knew to
be Tlascalans and envoys from Cortes.
Then my heart sank, for it was not diffi?
cult to guess thc object of their coming.
"Speak on, Maxtla," said Otomie, "fer
we must hear what there is for us to an?
swer, and you, people of the Otomie, I
pray you keep silence, that you may judge
between us when there is an end of talk?
ing."
Now a great silence fell upon the multi?
tude, who pressed together like sheep ia a
pen and strained their ears to catch the
words of Maxtla.
"My speech with you, princess, and the
Teule, your outlawed husband, shall be
short and sharp, " he began roughly. "A
while hence you came hither to seek an
army to aid Cuitlahua, emperor of thc Az?
tecs, in his struggle with thc Teules, the
sons of Quetzal. That army was given
you against the wishes of many of us, for
you won over the council by the honey of
your words, and we who urged caution or
even an alliance with the white men, the
children of God, were overruled. You went
hence, and 20,000 men, the flower of our
people, followed you to Tenoctitlan. Where
are they now? I will tell you. Some
200 of them have crept back home, the rest
fly to and fro through the air in the giz?
zards of the zaphilotes or crouch on the ?
earth in the bellies of jackals. Death has
them all, and you led them to their deaths.
Is it. then, much that we should seek the
lives of you two in payment for those 20,
000 of our sons, our husbands and our fa?
thers? But we do even ask this. Here be?
side me stand ambassadors from Malinche,
the captain of the Teules, who reached our
city but an hour ago. This is thc demand
that they bring from Malinche, and in his
own words:
*. 'Deliver back to me Otomie, the
daughter of Montezuma, and thc renegade
of her paramour, who is known as Teule,
and who has fled from the justice due to
his crimes, and it shall be well with you,
people of the Otomie. Hide them or refuse
to deliver them, and the fate of the City of
Pines shall be as the fate of Tenoctitlan,
queen of the valley. Choose, then, between
my love and my wrath, people of the Oto?
mie. If you obey, the past shall be forgiven,
and my yoke will be light upon you. If
you refuse, your city shall be s tamped flat
and your very name wiped out >f the rec?
ords of the world. '
"Say, messengers of thc Malinche, are
not these the words of Malinche?"
"They are his very words, Maxtla," said
the spokesman of the embassy.
Now again there was a tumult among
the people, and voices cried, "Give them
up; give them to Malinche as a peace offer?
ing." Otomie stood forward to speak, and
it died away, for all desired to hear her
words.? Then she spoke:
"It seems, people of the Otomie, that I
am on trial before my own vassals, and
my husband with me. Well, I will plead
our cause as well as a woman may, and
having the power you shall judge between
us and Maxtla and his allies, Malinche and
the Tlascalans. What is our offense? It
is that we came hither by the command of
Cuitlahua to seek your aid in his war with
the Teules. What did I tell you then? I
told you that if the people of Anahuac
would not stand together against the white
men they must bc broken one by one, like
the sticks of an unbound fagot, and cast
into the flames. Did I speak lies? Nay,
I spoke the truth, for through the treason
of her tribes, and chiefly through thc trea
I son of the Tlascalans, Anahuac is fallen
and Tenoctitlan is a ruin sown with dead
like a field with corn."
"It is true, ' ' cried a voice.
"Yes, people of the Otomie, it is true,
but I say that had all thc warriors of the
nations of Anahuac played the part that
your sons played the tale had run other?
wise. They are dead, and because of their
death you would deliver us to our foes and
yours, but I, for one, do not mourn them,
though among their number are many of
my kin. Nay, be not wroth, but listen.
It is better that they should lie dead in
honor, having earned for themselves a
wreath of fame and an immortal dwelling
in the houses of the sun, than that they
should live to bc slaves, which, it seems,
is your desire, people of the Otomie. There
j ls no false word in what I said to you,
I Now the sticks that Malinche has used to
beat out the brains of Guatemoc shall be
broken and burned to cook the pot of the
Teules. Already these false children are
his slaves. Have you not heard his com?
mand, that the tribes, his allies, shall la?
bor in the quarries and the streets till the
glorious city he has burned rises afresh
upon the face of thc waters? Will you not
hasten to take your share in the work, peo?
ple of the Otomie, thc work that knows no
rest and no reward except the lash of the
overseer and the curse of the Teule? Sure?
ly you will hasten, people of the moun
! tains! Your hands are shaped to the spade
and the trowel, not to the bow and the
spear, and it will be sweeter to toil to do
j the will and swell the wealth of Malinche
I In the sun of the valley or the shadow of
the mine than to bide here free upon your
hills, where as yet no foo hasset his foot!"
j Again she paused, and a murmur of
doubt and unrest went through thc thou?
sands who listened. Maxtla stepped for?
ward and would have spoken, but the peo?
ple shouted him down, crying: "Otomie,
Otomie! Let us hear the words of Oto?
mie."
"I thank you, my people," she said,
"for I have still much to tell you. Our
crime is, then, that we drew an army after
us to fight against the Teules. And how
did wc draw this army? Did I command
you to muster your array? Nay, I set out
my case, and I said 'Nowchoose.' You
chose, and of your own free will you dis?
patched those glorious companies that now
are dead. My crime is, therefore, that you.
1 chose wrongly, as you say; but, as I still
hold, most rightly, and because of this
j crime I and my husband are to ne given as
a peace offering to the Teules. Listen. Les
me tell you something of those wars i&,
I which we have fought Ixtfore you give us
to the Teules and our mouths arc silent
ver.-Latest U. S. Gov't Report
I Baking
? Powder
EEV PURE