Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-09-26

At his side acas Marina.
you Joined tho Aztecs and took part In the
attack and slaughter Of the noche triste.
You were afterward the friend and coun-
selor of Guatemoc and assisted In his de-
fense of Tenoctitlan. Is this true, pris-
onerf"
ut is all true general" answered.
"Good. You are now our prisoner, and
had you thousand lives you have forfeited
them all because of your treachery to your
race and blood. Into the circumstances
that led you to commit this horrible trea-
son cannot enter. The fact remains
you have slain many of the Spaniards and
their allies-that is, being in a state of
treason, you have murdered them. Wing
field, your life Is forfeit, and condemn
rou to die by hanging as traitor and an
apostate.
"Then there is nothing more to be said, !"
answered quietly, though cold fear
frozo my blood.
There is something" answered Cortcs.
"Though yc-Ir crimes have been many
am ready to give you your life and free
dom upon condition. am ready to do
more-to find you passage to Europe On
the first OCCASION where you may per-
chance escape the echoes Of your infamyl II
God is good to you. The condition Is this:
We have reason to believe that you are nc
quaintcd with the hiding place Of the gold
of MontcZuma which was unlawfully
stolen from us on the night of the nochc
triste-nay, We know that this is so, for
YOU were seen to go with the canoes that
lo,l ('hnncn C.
tate, between o shameful death and the
revealing to US of the secret Of this treas
urc."
For q moment wavercd. On the one
hand was the loss of honor, with life and
liberty and the hope of home; on the other
q dreadful end. Then 1 remembered my
oath and Otomic and what she would
think of me, living or dead. If I did this
thing, and wavered no more.
II know nothing Of the treasure gen.
eral, answered coldly. Send mo 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
u II.
over these devils by my hand. Their
wealth Is my lawful spoil, and I must
have 1t to pay my gallant comrades, who
cannot grow rich on desolation. Think
again"
II know nothing Of this treasure, gen.
eral."
"Yet memory sometimes wakens, trai-
tor. I have said that you shall die If yours
should tail you, and so you shall, to be
sure. But death Is not always swift.
There are means. Doubtless you who have
lived lp Spain have heard of them, " and
he arched his brows and glared at mo
meaningly, "by which q man may die and
yet live for many weeks Now, loath as
/ am to do it, it seems to me that, II your
memory still sleeps, I must find some
suoh means to rouse it--before you de-"
II am In your power, general, an
swered. "You oall me traitor again and
again. am no traitor. am subject of
the king Of England-not Of the king OF
Spain. came hither, following villain
who has wrought me and mine bitter
wrong-ono Of your company named De
Garcia or Sarceda. To find him and for
other reasons Joined the Aztecs They
arc conquered, and am your prisoner
At the least, deal with me as O brave man
deals with fallen enemy. know moth
ing Of the treasure Kill me and make an
end"
"As q man might wish to do this
Wingfeld, but am more than man. I
am the hand Of tho church here in Ana
huac. You have partaken with tho wor-
shippers Of idols; you have seen your fell
low Christians sacrificed and devoured by
your brute comrades. For this alone you
deserve to be tortured eternally, and doubt
less that will be SO after we have dono
with you. AS for the hidalgo Don Sar-
ceda, know him only as brave compan-
lon In arms and certainly shall not lis
ten to tales told against him by wander
Ing apostate 1t Is, however, unlucky for
you," and here gleam Of light shot
across the face of Cortes "that there
should bo any old fcud between you, Sec
ing that 1t is to his charge that I am about
to confldc you. Now, for the last time, I
say choose. Will you reveal the hiding
place of the treasure and go free, or will
you be handed over to the care of Don Sar-
ceda till such time as he shall find means
to make you speak,"
Now n great faintness seized me, for I
knew that I was condemned to be tor
turcd, and that De Garcia was to be the
torturcr. What mercy had to expect
from this cruel heart when I, his dcadlicst
foe, lay in his power to wrcak his vcnge-
ancc on2 But still my will and my honor
prevailed against my tcrrors, and I an
swercd:
II have told you, general, that I know
nothing of this treasure. Do your worst,
and may God forgive you for your cruelty.
''Daro not speak that holy name, apos-
tate and worshiper of idols, eater Of hui
man flesh Let Surccda be summoned"
A messenger went out, and for awhile
there was silence. I caught Marina's
glance and saw pity in her gentle eyes.
But she could not help nc here, for Cortcs
was mad because no gold had been found,
and tho clanlor of tho soldiers for reward
had worn him out and brought him to this
shameful remedy he who was not cruel by
nature. Still she strovc to plead for me
with him. whispering earnestly In his car.
For awhile Cortes listened; then he pushed
her from him roughly.
'Pcacc, Marina" he said. What!
Shall spare this English dog some pangs
when my command and pcrchancc my
very life hangs upon the finding of the
goldS Nay, lie knows well where 1t lies
hid You said 1t yourself when would
have hung him for traitor, and certainly
he was one of those whom tho spy saw go
out with 1t upon the lake. Our friend was
with them also, but he came back no more.
norbt1ooo tho,, p,,,rflnrnd him Whut iS
this man to you that you should plead for
blm9 Cease to trouble me- Marina. Am
not troubled enough already" and Cortcs
put his hands to his facc and remained lost
in thought AS for Marina, sho looked at
me sadly and sighed as though to shy, Il
have done my best, and thanked her
With my eyes.
TO BE CONTINUED.
C.,Lzos,Lo 10 tbo Il JnoHo11 An