The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-09-12
CHAPTER XIX


s:When the point Of light lies within the
ring that is painted over your heart, : she
answered
Now I turned my head from her and
looked at the sunbeam which pierced the
shadow above us like golden pencil 1t
rested at my side about SIX inches from
me. and I reckoned that it would de In
the scarlet ring painted upon my breast
Within some Is minutes. Meanwhile the
cfaruor Of battle grew louder and nearer.
Shifting myself so far as the cords would
allow, strained my head upward and
saw that the Spaniards had gained the
crest Of the pyramid, since the battle now
FACED upon it's edge, and I have rarely
aeen 80 terrible fight, for the AZtecs
fought with the fury Of despair, thinking
little of their own lives If they could only
bring Spaniard to his death. But Tor
the most part their rude weapons would
not pierce the costs Of mail, SO that there
remained only one way to compass their
destre-namely, by casting the white men
over the edge Of the teocalh to be crushed
like eggshells upon the pavement 200 feet
below. Thus the fray Eroke itself up into
ooups Of foes, who rent and tore at each
other upon the brink of the pyramid, now
and AGAIN to vanish down its side, 10 or
70 of Them together. Some Of the priests
also Joined I'm the fight, thinking less OF
their own deaths than of the desecrat1on
of their temples, for saw one Of them,
man Of huge strength and stature, seize
Spanish soldier round the middle and leap
with him into space. Still, though very
slowly, the Spaniards and Tlascalans
forced their way toward the center OF the
platform, and as they came the danger OF
this dreadful end grew less, for the Aztecs
must drag them farther.
Now, the fight drew near to the stone OF
sacrifice, and all who remained alive OF
the Aztecs, perhaps some $50 Of them, be-
sides the priests, ranged themselves round
us and it in circle; also the outer rim
of the sunbeam that fell through the gold
en- funnel, creeping on remorselessly,
touched my painted side, which it seemed
to burn as hot iron might, for, alas, could
not command the sun to stand still while
the battle ragged, as did Joshua in the val
ley of Ajalon. When it touched me, five
priests seized my limbs and head, and the
father Of them, he who had conducted me
from the palace, clasped his flint knife In
both hands. Now deathly sickness took
me, and shut my eyes, dreaming that all
was done, but at that moment heard
wild eyed man, whom had noted stand
ing BY, call out to the minister Of death:
.sNot yet, o priest Of Tezcat! IF you
smite before the sunbeam lies upon the
victims heart, your gods are doomed, and
doomed are the people of ADahuac.
The priest gnashed his teeth with rage
and glared first at the creeping point of
lixht and then over his shoulder at the ad-
vancing battle Slowly the ring OF war-
nors closed in upon us, slowly the golden
ray crept up my breast till its outer rim
touched the red circle painted upon my
heart. Again the priest heaved up his
awful knife, again shut my eyes, and
again heard the shri1l scream Of the as
tfonomer: Not yet, not yet, or your
gods are doomed!''
Then heard another sound. It was
the voice of Otomie crying for help.
.sSaye us, Teules! They murder us!"
she shrieked in so piercing q note that it
reached the ears of the Spaniards, for one
shouted In answer and in the Castillan
tongue: ION, my comrades, on! The dogs
do murder on their altars!
Then there was mighty rush, and the
defending Aztecs were swept in upon the
altar, lifting the priest Of sacrifice from
his feet and throwing him across my body.
Thrice that rush came, like rush Of the
sea, and each time the stand Of the Aztecs
weakened. Now their circle was broken,
and the swords Of the Spaniards flashed
up on every side, and now the red ray Lay
within the ring upon my heart.
"Smite, priest of Tezcat, " screamed the
voice Of the astronomer. "Smite home
for the glory Of your god!'
With fearful yell, the priest lifted the
knife. / saw the golden sunbeam that
rested full upon my heart shine on it.
Then as it was descending saw the same
sunbeam shine upon yard Of steel that
flashed across me and lost itself in the
breast az the murderer priest. Down came
the great flint knife, but its aim was lost.
It struck indeed, but not upon my bosom,
though did not escape 1t altogether.
Full upon the altar Of sacrifice it fell and
was shattered there, piercing between my
side and that Of Oto1nie and gashing the
flesh Of both so that our blood was min
R1ed upon the stone, making US one IN
deed. Down, too, came the priest across
our bodies for the second time, but to rise
no more, for he writhed dying on those
whom he would have slain Then, as IN
a dream, I heard the vail Of the astron-
omer singing the dirge Of the gods OF Ana
huac.
1.-THE priest is dead, and his gods are
fallen" " he cried '>Tezcat has rejected
his victim and is fallen. Doomed are the
gods of Anahuac! Victory is to the cross
of the Christians1
Thus he walled. Then came the sound
of sword blows, and knew that this proph-
ct was dead also.
Now strong arm pulled the dying
priest from off US, and he staggered back