The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-10-03
At his side 4oos MnrEa,a.


you joined the Aztecs and took part in the
attack and slaughter Of the noche triste.
You were aftery ard the friend and cour-
selor of Guatemoc and assisted in his de
fense Of Tenoctitlan. Is this true, pris-
oner?''
.sIt is all true, general, answered.
stGood You are now our prisoner, and
had you a thousand lives you have forfeited
them all because Of your treachery to youz
race and blood Into the circumstances
that led you to commit this horrible trea-
son I cannot enter. The fact remains
you have slain many of the Spaniards and
their allies-that is, being in state OF
treason, you have murdered them. Wing
field, your life is forfeit, and I condemn
you to die by hanging as traitor and an
apostate- v
s'Then there is nothing more to be said .
I answered quietly, though cold feal
froze my blood.
tsThere is something, answered Cortes.
Though your crimes have been many,
am ready to give you your life and free
dom upon condition. am ready to dc
more-te find you passage to Europe on
chance escape the echoes Of, your infamy il
God is good to you. The condition is this:
We have reason to believe that you are &C
quainted with the hiding place Of the gold
of Montezuma, which was unlawfu2ly
stolen from us on the nighto of the noche
triste-nay, we know that this is SO, fol-
you were seen to 60 with the canoes that
we've laden with it. Choose now, apos-
tate, between shameful death and the
revealing to us of the secret Of this treas
ure" +"
Fora moment wavered. On the one
hand was the loss Of honor, with life and
liberty and the hope of home; on the other
a dreadful end. Then remembered my
oath and Otomie, and what she would
think Of me, living or dead, If did this
thing, and wavered no more.
81 know nothing Of the treasure, gen
eral, - Unanswered coldly. ''Send me to my
death %
"You mean that you will say nothing OF
it, traitor. Think again. If you have
sworn any oaths, they are broken by God.
The empire of the Aztecs is at an end;
their king is my prisoner, their great city
is ruin. The true Ged has triumphed
over these devils by my hand. Their
wealth is my lawful spoil, and I must
have it to pay my gallant comrades, VINO
cannot grow rich on desolation. Think
again.
IT know nothing of this treasure, gen.
erA. -
.tYet memory sometimes wakens, tra5-
tor. I have said that you shall die if yours
should fail you, and SO you shall, to be
sure. But death is not always swift
There are me MS. Doubtless you who have
lived in Spain have heard Of them, I" and
he arched his brows and glared at me
meaningly, 'sby which man may die and
vet live for many weeks Now, loath as
am to do it, it seems to me that, If your
memory still sleeps, must find some
such means to rouse it-before you die. -
Il am in your power, general, " an
swered. ''You call me traitor again and
again. am no traitor. am subject Of
the king OF England-not Of the king OF
Spain. I came hither, following villain
who has wrought me and mine bitter
wrong-one of your company named De
Garcia or Sarceda To find him and for
other reasons I joined the Aztecs. They
are conquered, and am your prisoner.
At the least, deal with me as brave man
deals with fallen enemy. know moth
ing of the treasure Kill me and make an
end''
"As a man I might wish to do this.
Wingield. but am moro than a man. l
am the hand of the church here in Ana
huac You have partakcn with the wor-
Slippers of idols; you have seen your fei-
low Christians sacrificed and devoured by
YOUR brute comrades. For this alone you
deserve to be tortured cternally, and doubt
less that will be so after we have done
with you AS for the hidalgo Don Sar-
ceda, l know him only as a brave compan-
ion in arms, and certainly shall not lis