The Portland daily press., 1893-08-28

upon his face IN that condition again
unless it be to incite me to his destruc-
ton.
An acute sensibility verges upon in
sanity. To save my mind I must take
his life. That was decided. He must
die! But how?
You would not have thought me mad
had you known the oily designing with
which I answered s'Eow?" Cool, keen
elaboration does not characterize a mad
man-not as you picture a mailman.
That look must be upon his face, and
no ono near.
But how? I had it. The plan was
clear enough, but difficult and very dan
gerous of execution. Others must inno-
Gently suffer, buh what weight has lie
to the ease of mailman? would bring
him into the presence Of death-his death
and would be alone with him. And
then thsst hook would surely appear. He
would DC aware that he was to die by
what taa Spaniards in Anahusc most
feared-shs sacrifcial stone. Yes, then
the look mast appear.
The sacriacial stone - in the bare
words even tneSe was fascination for
me; around this legalized and sanctified
agent of slaughter my plot centered.
The plan, briefly. was this: The Spanish
forces, in three divisions, were besieging
the City Of Mexico. We made sinlulta-
neous attacks, each time approaching
nearer our goal, the chief temple in the
center Of the city, and after each as
aault we withdrew to our respective
camps. Progress was slow; rnoats SUR
rounded the city, the streets were narrow,
and each house was fortifcation. The
besiegers could advance no step until
the preceding one was secured for re-
treat; each house must be RACED, each
moat filled. These were orders and
were obeyed, because capture. we knew,
meant the sacriicial stone, our hearts
symbolic food for pagan gods and our
bodies a material one for the religious
feast of cannibalism.
For tomorrow another attack was Or
dered-the last one, we hoped. The same
injunctions for security being repeated,
we advanced. He, as usual, was at my
side. The first resistance of the natives
was easily overcome, and we entered the
city. House after house was demolished.
The mass of Aztecs before us gave way
as of one accord and broke into retreat.
To me there was something uncanny
about their actions. If retreat at all, it
was premeditated. But to our followers
it meant only the victory SO long striven
and suffered for.
MY time had come. The eagerness of
our followers, which openly encour-
aged, isolated us from the main army.
Worse yet, had the bugle sounded and
ordered a charge. All-all but he-forgot
the caution Of Cortes and answered the
signal with an onset that his prudence
could not check. The force behind
pushed us both forward. He placed his
hand strongly upon my shoulder to
question my conduct and to demonstrate.
/ turned to answer, when there, upon
his face, was that picture Of the grave.
The ruse of the heather succeeded.
Seeing our position apart from the
others, they turned and came exultingly
toward us. The deafening reverberation
of the gong in the temple, a sound Of
woe to the Spaniards, sounded our DEATH
knell. Then it was | saw that look. l
lost myself, and leaning back in my sad
die yelled to him in 6endish merriment,
.'The sacrifcial stoner' He understood,
AS my atrocity dawned upon him the
look vanished for one of hatred and fury.
He raised his sword, Missed something
like ssTraitor!" and came at me.
The Spaniard is quick in anger, but
his stroke never fell. A score of barred
arms of the snakish color of copper en-
circled his body; another score bereft
him of the murderous weapon over
my head; myriad more dragged him
from his horse. The same fate befell the
rest of our band who survived, myself
included. That night we found our
selves in the dungeon where Montezu-
ma had languished. The next day we
all knew we should await our turn at
sacrifice before the dread stone. He
knew, it and l rejoiced. Even mad
man can feel the joy of triumph, can he
notp
But he should not die with the others.
That was not my plan. I CROPPED in the
dark to where he crouched and whis-
pered, ''Escape!" He jumped to his feet.
ssWhere? Howl" "Hush; not SO loud.
Follow me-" He hesitated. "But the
others?'' he asked. s'It is not possible for
more than two" answered. He said
no more, but followed in silence. In
this evidence of his selfshness felt a
sort of satisfaction. Though content
myself, cannot help but feel grateful
to anything that may aid in justifying
his death to normal minds.
During the unwelcome stay of the
Spaniards in the city before their ex-
pulsion they were given for residence
the place in which we were then col,-
fined. Being with Cortes at that time, l
therefore knew our prison house well.
For me escape was easy. Through
many rooms, corridors, passages and
stairs, some known not even to the ma
tives, we fed on tiptoe. His confidence
was regained, and he followed me closely.
Finally without hindrarca we reached