Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-09-05
CHAPTER XIX.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS.
''Otomie," said presently, when will
they kill usS"
''When the point of light lies within the
ring that is painted over your heart, she
answered.
Now turned my head from her and
looked at the sunbeam which pierced the
shadow above Us like q golden pencil. 1t
rested at my side about six inches from
me, and reckoned that it would lie in
the scarlet ring painted upon my breast
within some 15 minutes. Meanwhile the
clamor Of battle grew louder and nearer.
Shifting myself so far as the cords would
allow, I strained my head upward and
saw that the Spaniards had gained the
crest of the pyramid, since the battle now
ragged upon it's edge, and I have rarely
seen so terrible q fight, for the Aztecs
fought with the fury Of despair, thinking
little of their own lives If they could only
bring Spaniard to his death. But Tor
the most part their rude weapons would
not pierce the coats of mail, so that there
remained only one way to compass their
desire-namely, by casting the white men
over the edge Of the teocalli to be crushed
like eggshells upon the pavement 200 feet
below. Thus the fray broke itself up into
groups Of foes, who rent and tore at each
other upon the brink Of the pyramid, now
and again to vanish down Its side, 10 or
10 Of them together Some Of the priests
also Joined In the fight, thinking less Of
their own deaths than Of the desecration
Of their temples, for saw one Of them,
man Of huge strength and stature, seize
Spanish soldier round the middle and leap
with him into space. Still. though very
slowly, the spaniards and Tlascalans
forced their way toward the center of the
platform, and as they came the danger OF
this dreadful end grew less, for the Aztecs
must drag them farther.
Now, the fight drew near to the stone OF
sacrifice, and all who remained alive OF
the Aztecs, perhaps some e6o OF them. BE-
sides the priests, ranged themselves round
us and it In circle; also the outer rim
Of the sunbeam that feal through the gold
en- funnel, creeping on remorselesaly,
touched my painted side, which II seemed
to burn as hot iron might, for, alas, could
not command the sun TO stand sttu while
the battle ragged, as did Joshua IN the val
ley Of Ajalon. When 1t touched me, five
priests seized my limbs and hed, and the
father Of them, he who had conducted me-
from the palace clasped his flint knife IN
both hands Now deathly sickness took
me, and shut my eyes, dreaming that all
was done, but ct that moment heard
wild eyed man, whom had noted stand
ing by, call out to the minister Of death:
mot yet, o priest Of Tezcatl II you
smite before the sunbeam lies upon the
victims heart, your gods are doomed, and
doomed are the people Of Anahuac."
The priest gnashed his teeth with rage
and glared first at the creeping point Of
light and then over his shoulder at the ad-
vancing battle. Slowly the ringo. war
riors closed in upon Us, slowly the golden
ray crept up my breast till its outer lin
touched tho red circle painted upon my
heart. Again the priest heaved up his
awful knife, again shut my eyes and
again heard the shrill scream Of the as
tronomer: mot yet, not yet, or your
gods are doomedp'
Then heard another sound. 1t was
the voice Of Otomie crying for help. .
.tSave us, Tcules! They murder usl"
she shrieked in SO piercing note that ie
reached the ears Of the Spaniards, for one
shouted in answer and in the Castihan
tongue: "On, my comrades, on! Thedogs
do murder on their altars!'
Then there was mighty rush, and the
defending Aztecs were swept in upon the
eltar, lifting the priest Of sacrifice from
his feet and throwing him across my body.
Thrice that rush came, like rush Of tho
sea, and each time the stand Of the Aztecs
weakened. Now their circle was broken,
and the swords Of the Spaniards flashed
up on every side, and now the red ray lay
w,5lin the ring upon my heart.
. "Smite, priest of Tezcat," screamed the
voice of the astronomer "Smite homo
for the glory Of your god!'
With a fearful yell, the priest lifted the
knife. + saw the golden sunbeam that
rested full upon my heart shine on It.
Then as it was descending saw the same
sunbeam shine upon yard of steel that
flashed across me and lost itself In the
breast of the murderer priest. Down came
the great flint knife, but its aim was lost.
1t struck indeed, but not upon my bosom,
though did not escape 1t altogether.
Full upon the altar of sacrifice 1t fell and
was shattered there, piercing between my
side and that Of Otomie and gushing the
flesh of both SO that our blood was min
Rled upon the stone, making lis one In
deed. Down. too. came the ndast ACROSS