The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-10-10

When I daUoke, it qDa8 to tlTld n1ysetf IN o.
c0Ue.
has been before. One thing comforts me,
however. did not kill him; the sword
twisted in my hand, and / believe that he
was but stunned. Then we fed little
way, and looking back saw that two 9TH
er Tlascalans. companions OF the senseless
man, were following US and him. Pres
entity 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
had no more strength to carry you
.sStilwe stumbled on till presently, when
the pursuers were within SO PAGES of US, I
saw armed men-eight Of them-rushing
at us from the bushes. They were OF nay
own people, the Otomies, soldiers that
had served under you, who watched the
Spanish camp, and seeing q Spanlard
alone they came to slay him. They very
nearly did so indeed, for at first was so
breathless I could scarcely speak, but at
last in q few words Imade shift to declare
my name anil rank and your sad plight
But now the two Tlascalans were upon
rs. and called to the men Of the Otonie
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 litter,
and placing you on it bore you without
rest 30 leagues into the mountains till
they reached this secret hiding place, aad
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 PAGES of this cave, and
I had much ado to prevent our people from
attacking them. Now they are gone
whence they came, and think that we
are safe for time Soon you will be bet-
ter, and we can 60 hence"
.'Where can we go to, Otomie? We are
birds without a nest. j."
I'VE must seek shelter in the City Of
Pines or fly across the water. There is no
other choice, husband. y
I'VE cannot try the sea, Otomie, for all
the ships that come here are Spanish, and
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. -
1--WE 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 lay in the cave
of the mountains, and Otomie tended me,
and at the end of that time my state was
such that could travel in litter, though
for some weeks was unable to set foot to
the ground. On the fourth day we started
by night, and Twas carried on mems 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 the beautiful town just as the
red rays of sunset struck upon the snowy
pinnacle Of Xaca that towers behind it..
turning her cap of smoke to sullen red,
like that Of molten iron.
The news Of our coming had spread
about. and here and there knots Of people
were gathered to watch us pass For the
most part they stood silent, but now and
again some woman whose husband OK son
had perished in the siege would hiss curse
at us.
Alas, how different was our state this
day to what it had been when not year
before we entered the City of Pines for the
first time! Then we were escorted by an
army 10000 strong; then musicians had
sung before us, and our path was strcwn
with flowers And now! Now we came
two fugitives from the vengeance of the
Teules-I borne in litter by four tired
soldiers while Otomie, the princess Of this