The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-09-19

brother, do not utter such i'll omened
words to me again, lest it should strain
our love. Do you, then, believe that the
Teules will return?"
"Aye, Guatemoc, so surely as tomor-
rows sun shall rise. When you held Cor
tes in your hand, you let him go, and
since then he has won victory at Otom
pan. Is he man, think you, to sheath
the sword that he has once drawn and go
down into darkness and dishonor? Be
fore year is past the Spaniards will be
back at the gates of Tenoctitlan. -
"You are no comforter tonight, my
brother,' said Guatemoc, land yet fear
that your words are true. Well, if we
must fight let us strive to win. Now, at
least, there is no Montezuma to take the
viper to his breast and nurse it till it
stings him. Then he rose and went In
silence, and saw his heart was heavy.
On the morrow of this talk could leave
my bed, and within a week was almost
we'll. Now it was that Guatemoc came to
mo again, saying that he had been bidden
by Cuitlahua, the emperor, to command
me to accompany him, Guatemoc, on a
service of trust and secrecy. And indeed
the nature Of the service showed how great
a confidence the leaders Of the Aztecs now
placed In me, for it was none other than
the hiding away of the treasure that had
been recaptured from the Spaniards on the
night of fear, and with it much more
from the secret stores Of the empire.
At the fall of darkness we started, some
Of the great lords, Guatemoc and /, and
coming to the waters edge we found 10
large canoes, each laden with something
that was hidden by cotton cloths. Into the
canoes we entered secretly, thinking that
none saw US, three to a canoe, for there
were 80 of us in all, and led by Guatemoc
we padded for two hours or more across
the Lake Tezcuco till we reached the far
ther shore at spot where this prince had
q fair estate. Here we landed, and the
cloths were withdrawn from the cargoes Of
the canoes, which were great jars and
sacks of gold and jewels, besides many
other precious objects, among them like
ness Of the head of Montezuma, fashioned
in solid gold, which was so heavy that it
was as much as Guatemoc and could do
to lift between us. As for the jars, Of
which, If my memory serves me, there
were II, six men must carry each Of them
by the help Of paddles lashed on either
side, and then the task was not light. All
this priceless stuff we bore in several jour
neys to the crest of a rise some hundred
PAGES distant from the water, setting it
down by the mouth Of shaft behind the
shelter Of a mound Of earth. When every
thing was brought up from the boats,
%4,,n 1,o1
a great Aztec noble, born Of Tlascalan
mother, on the shoulder, asking us if we
were willing to descend with him into the
hole and thereto dispose Of the treasure.
"Gladly," answered, for Twas curious
to see the place, but the noble hcsitated
awhile though in the end he came with
Us, to his i'll fortune.
Then Guatemoc took torches in his hand
and was lowered into the shaft by a rope
Next came my turn, and down / went,
hanging to the cord like a spider to its
thread, and the whole was very deep AT
length I found myself standing by the
side of Guatemoc at the foot of the shaft,
round which, as saw by the light of the
torch he carried, an edging of dried bricks
was built up to the height of a man above
our heads. Resting on this edging and
against the wall of the shaft was massive
block of stone sculptured with the picture
writing of the Aztecs. glanced at the
writing, which could now read well, and
saw that it recorded the burying of the
treasure in the first year of Cuitlahua,
emperor Of Mexico, and also most fear
full curse on him who should dare to steal
it. Beyond US and at right angles to the
shaft ran another passage, 10 PAGES in
length and high enough for man to
walk in, which led to q chamber followed
in the earth, as large as that wherein I
write today at buckingham. By the
mouth of this chamber were placed piles
of adobe bricks and mortar, much as the
blocks of hewn stones had been placed in
that underground vault at Seville where
Isabella de Siguenza was bricked up liv-
ing.
'tWho dug this place?' I asked.
''Those who knew not what they dug"
answered Guatemoc. 'But see, here is
our companion. Now, my brother, I
charge you be surprised at nothing which
comes to pass, and be assured have good
reason for anything that may do"
Before could speak again the Aztec
noble was at our side. Then those above
began to lower the jars and sacks of treas
ure, and as they reached us one by one
Guatemoc looset4 the ropes and checked
them, while the Aztec and rolled them
down the passage into the chamber, as
here in England men roll a cask Of ale.
For two hours and more we worked till
at length oil were down, and the tale was
complete. The last parcel to be lowered
was sack of jewels that burst open as it
came and descended upon us in glitter
ing rain of gems AS it chanced, great
necklace Of emeralds of surprising size
and beauty fell over my head and hung
upon my shoulders.
''Keep it, brother" laughed Guatemoc,
sin memory of this night" and, nothing
loath, hid the bauble in my breast. That
necklace have yet, and stone of 1.-THE
smallest save one-I gave to our gracious
Queen Elizabeth. Otomie wore it for many
years, and fe: this reason it shall be buried
with me, though its value is priceless, Sc
say those who are skilled in gems. But,
priceless OF no, it is doomed to lie in the
mold of buckingham churchyard, and
may that same curse which is graved upon
+ba ctor,a that hides tho trnaS1re of tho