Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-09-26
At his side acaS Marina.

~ NI6 6t(lG ulto 4Luf tittt.
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-
fepse Of Tenocttlan. Is this true, pris-
oner9"
1T is all true general" answered.
uGood 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 I cannot enter. The fact remains
you have slain many of the Spaniards and
their allies-that is, being In state OF
treason, you have murdered them. Wing
field, your life Is forfeit, and condemn
you to die by hanging as traitor and an
apostate.
"Then there is nothing more to be said, "
I answered quietly, though cold fear
froze my blood
''Thcre is something" answered Cortcs.
"Though your crimes have been many,
am ready to give you your life and free
dom upon condition. am ready to do
morc-to find you q passage to Europe On
tho first occasion, where you may per
chance escape the echoes Of your intamylt
God is good to you The condition Is this:
We have reason to believe that you are ac-
uuaintcd with the hiding place of the gold
of Montczuma, which was unlawfully
stolen from us OH the night of the nochc
triste-nay, We know that this is so, for
YOU were seen to go with the canoes that
were laden with it. Choose now, apos-
tate, between shameful death and the
revealing to US Of the secret of this treas
urc.
For moment wavercd. On the one
hand was the loss of honor, with life and
liberty and the hope of home; on the other
dreadful end. Then I remembered my
oath and Otomie, and what she would
think Of me, living or dead, If did this
thing and wavered no moro.
II know nothing Of the treasure, gen.
eral," answered coldly. Send me 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
Is ruin. The true God has triumphed
over these devils by my hand. Their
wealth Is my lawful spoil, and I must
have it 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 fail you, and so you shall, to bo
sure. But death Is not always swift.
There. are means. Doubtless you who have
lived In Spain have heard Of them, /" and
he arohed his brows and glared at mo
meaningly, "by which man may die and
yet live for many weeks. Now, loath as
I am to do it, 1t seems to me that, If your
memory still sleeps, I must find some
suoh means to rouse it--before you die.
II am In your power, general, " an
swered. "You call me traitor again and
again. GIN DO 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-one Of your company named De
Garcia or Sarceda. To find him and for
other reasons I Joined the Aztecs. They
arc conquered, and I am your prisoner.
At theleast, deal with me rs q brave man
deals with fallen enemy. know moth
ing of tho treasure. Kill me and make an
end"
"As a man I might wish to do this,
Wingfleld, 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-
eeda, know him only as q brave compan-
ion in arms, and certainly shall not lis
ten to tales told against him by wander
ing apostate. 1t is, however, unlucky for
you," and hero n gleam of light shot
across the face of Cortes, "that there
should be any old feud between you, SEQ
ing that it is to his charge that | am about
to confido you. Now, for the last time, l
say choose. VIII you reveal tho hiding
place of the treasure and go free, or will
you be handed over to the cure of Don Sur
ceda till such time as he shall find means
to make you spcak?"
Now great faintness seized me, for
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 dcadliest
foe, lay in his power to wrcak his vcnge-
ancc on9 But still my will and my honor
prevailed against my terrors, 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"
"Darc not speak that holy name, apos
tate and worshiper of idols, cater Of hui
man flesh Let Sarceda 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 hero, for Cortcs
was mad because no gold had been found,
and tho clamor Of tho soldiers for reward
had worn him out and brought him to this
shameful remedy, he who was not cruel by
with him, whispering earnestly in his cur.
For awhile Cortes listened; then he pushed
her from him roughly.
"Pcace, Marina" he said. ''What!
Shall spare this English dog somo pangs
when my command and pcrchanco my
very life hangs upon the finding Of the
gold9 Nay he knows well where it 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 it upon the lake. Our friend was
with them also, but he came back no more.
Doubtless they murdered him. What Is
this man to you that you should plead for
blmY Cease to trouble me, Marina. Am /
not troubled enough already" and Cortcs
put his hands to his face and remained lost
in thought. AS for Marina, sho looked at
me sadly and sighed us though to say, Il
have done my best, and thanked her
With my eyes.
TO lie CONTINUED.