The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1895-02-06

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Otoqnte aUas seated t11 u chair by the bed.
She did not move nor answer. The light
grew quickly, and now I saw all-Otomie
was dead!
At last I rose with sigh to seek help
and as / rose / felt that there was some
thing set about my neck. 1t was the col
lar of great emeralds which Guatemoc had
given to me and that I had given to Oto-
mie She had set it there while I slept,
and with it lock of her long hair. Both
shall be buried with me.
laid her in the ancient sepulcher amid
the bones of her forefathers and by the
bodies of her children, and two days later
I rode to Mexico in the train of Bernal
Diaz. At the mouth of the pass turned
and looked back upon the ruins of the
City of Pines, where had lived so many
years and where all I loved were buried.
Long and earnestly / gazed, as in his hour
of death man looks back upon his past
life, till at length Diaz laid his hand upon
my shoulder.
S'You are lonely man now comrade, -
he said. What plans have you fer the
future9"
None" I answered, Except to die. "
"Never talk so," he said. why, you
are scarcely 40, and who am 30 and more
do not speak of dying. Listen. You have
friends in your own country-England?
II had"
Folk live long ia those quiet lands.
Go seek them. will find you passage
to Spain"
II will think of it, - answered.
In time we came to Mexico and Diaz
found me lodging. 1 abode in Mex
leo 10 days, wandering sadly about the
city and up to the hill of Chapoltepec,
where Montezuma's pleasure house had
been and where had met Otomie Moth
ing was left of it's glories except some of
the ancient cedar trees. On the eighth
day of my stay an Indian stopped me in
the street, saying that an old friend had
charged him to say she wished to see me.
l followed the Indian, wondering who
the friend might be- for had no friends,
and he led me to fine stone house in a
new street. Here was seated in dark
ened chamber and waited there awhile
till suddenly sad and sweet voice that
seemed familiar to me addressed me in the
Aztec tongue, saying, welcome, Teule.' -
looked, and there before me, dressed
in the Spanish fashion, stood lady, an
Indian, still beautiful, but very feeble and
much worn, as though with sickness and
sorrow.
do you not know Marina, Teule?' she
said again, but BEFORE the words had left
her lips I knew her. 'Well, will say
this-that l should scarcely have known
you, Teule. Trouble and time have done
their work with both of u.s.
took her hand and kissed it.
where, then, is Cortes?'' asked
Now a great trembling seized her.
"Cortes is in Spain, pleading his suit
He has wed a new wife there Teule.
Many years ago he put me away, giving
me in marriage to Don Juan Xaramillo.
who took me because of my possessions,
for Cortes dealt literally with me, his dis
carded mistress. - And she began to weep.
Then by degrees learned the story, but
L will not write it here, for it is known to
the world. When Marina had served his
turn and her wit was of no more service
to him, the cOnqueror discarded her, leav
ing her to Wither of a broken heart She
told me all the tale of her anguish when
she learned the truth and of how she had
cried to him that thenceforth he would
never prosper. Nor indeed did he do So
For two hours or more we talked and
when 1 had heard her story told her
mine, and she wept for me, since with all
her faults Marina's heart was ever gentle.
Then we parted, never to meet again.
Before went she pressed gift of money
on me, and l was not ashamed to take it
who had none