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

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stared at me, rubbed his eyes with his
hand and stared again. Now at length he
knew me through my paint.
Mother Of Godp' he gasped, ''it is the
knave Thomas Wi1gield, and I have saved
his lifep'
BY this time my senses had come back
to me, and knowing9all my folly / turned,
seeking escape. But De Garcia had no
mind to suffer this. Lifting his sword, he
sprang at me with q beastlike scream OF
rage and hate. Swiftly as thought I slipped
round the stone of sacrifice, and after me
came the uplifted sword Of my enemy. 1t
would have overtaken me soon enough, for
I was weak with fear and fasting, and my
limbs were cramped with bonds, but at
that moment q cavalier, whom by his dress
and port guessed to be none other than
Cortes himself, struck up De Garcla's
sword, saying:
..How now, Sarcedas Are you mad
with the lust of blood that you would take
to sacrificing victims like an Indian priest?
Let the poor devil go.
.sHe is no Indian. He is an English
spy," cried De Garcia and once more
struggled to get at me.
Decidedly our friend is mad" said
Cortes, scanning me. He says that this
wretched creature is an Englishman.
Come, be off, both Of you, or somebody else
may make the same mistake" and he
waved his sword in token to US to go,
deeming that T could not understand his
words, then added angrily as De Garcia,
10 NH
to get at me:
.sNo, by heaven! I will not suffer it.
We are Christians and come to save VIC
TINS, not to slay them. Here, comrades,
hold this fool who would stain his soul
with murder.
Now the Spaniards clutched De Garcia
BY the arms, and he cursed and raved at
them, for, as have said, his rage was
that Of beast rather than Of man.
But stood bewildered, not knowing
whittier to fly. Fortunate it was for me
indeed that one was BY who, though She
understood no Spanish, yet had quicker
wit, for while I stood thus Otomie
clasped my hand and whispering, Fly, fly
swiftly!'' led me away from the stone Of
sacrifice.
'sWhither shall We go?'' said at length.
..Were it not better to trust to the mercy
Of the Spaniards?"
s:.To the mercy Of that man devil with
the sword?' she answered. peace, Teu1e,
and follow me-
Now she led me on, and the Spaniards
let us by unharmed-aye, and even spoke
words Of pity as we passed, for they knew
that We were victims snatched from sacri-
flee. Indeed, when certain brute, a
Tlascalan Indian, rushed at us, purposing
to slay us with club, one Of the Span.
iards ran him through the shoulder, 80
that he fell wounded to the pavement
So we went on, and at the edge of the
pyramid we glanced back and saw that
De Garcia had broken from those who
held him, or perhaps he found his tongue
and explained the truth to them At the
least he was bounding from the altar Of
sacrifice, nearly SO yards away, and COM
ing toward us with uplifted sword. Then
fear gave us strength, and we fed like the
wind. Along the steep path we rushed,
side by side, leaping down the steps and
over the hundreds of dead and dying, only
pausing now and again to save ourselves
from being smitten into space by the
bodies of the priests whom the Spaniards
were hurling from the crest Of the teocalli
Once, looking up, caught sight of De
Garcia pursuing far above us, but after
that we saw him no more. Doubtless he
wearied of the chase or feared to fall into
the hands of such Of the Aztec warriors as
still clustered round the foot OF the pyra-
mid
After that I remember nothing till 1
found myself once more in my apartments
in Montezuma's palace, which / never
hoped to see again. Otomie was by me,
and she brought me water to wash the
paint of from my body and the blood from
my wound, which, leaving her own un-
tended, she dressed skillfully, for the cut
Of the priests knife was deep, and had
bled much; also she clothed herself afresh
in white robe and brought mc raimcnt
to wear, with food and drink, and I par
took of them. Then bade her eat some
thing herself, and when she had done so l
gathered my wits together and spoke to
her.
.sWhat next?" I said. Presently the
priests will be on us, and we shall be drag
3, boy, for