The National tribune., 1899-05-11

lection aga'ns those citizens who fought
from the house-topS, whenever constrain-
ed to attempt a second sortle. Accord
ingly, the artisans, in obedience TO his
commands, had spent the preceding night
In the construct on OF certain wooden tur-
eets, sufficiently lofty to overlook the
con1nionef houses, and strong enough TO
bid defiance to the darts OF the enemy.
They were framed of timbers ard p anks,
torn from different parts OF the palace,
Each was two stories in hight, and, in
addition, was furnished with a guard. or
5att,ement over the roof, breast-high, be-
hind which some half a score musket-
eers might ensconce themselves TO ad-
vantage, while nearly as many crossbow-
men could be concealed in either cham
ber discharging their weapons from mar
row loopholes. A little falconct was also
placed in the upper chamber. They were
mounted on gun carriages, and meant TO
he drawn bv the Indian allies. They
were called at first maHtas, or blankets,
but afterwards were nieknamed burros,-
either because they were such silly pro-
tections as might have been devised by
the most stupid OF animals, which is one
Identification of the word, or, because the
cannon-Theels, revolving under the mass,
reminded the soldiers OF the great wheel
of q mill, which is another meaning. One
of these machines had been completed,
and was now ordered 10 be taken out
not from any Liidt II
he needed, but because il appeared TO the
eagaciolIs General that, if fate should i'm
prison him longer in Tenochttlan, the
present was the best opportunity to in
str,ict his soldiers in the management oil
II.
clurnsily over the broken square, drawn
by some 200 Tlascalans, and well manned
with soldiers, when Don AmadOr passed
from the gates.
The streets were, for a time, deserted
and silent, as if the inhabitants had fled
from the island. They had approached
the limits of the island, and almost with
in view Of the causeway, without yet be
holding an enemy, when a warning geS-
t1re from the hands of Don fernando, at
the front, brought them TO halt; and,
as they stood in silence, they heard
coming family on the breeze, and, as il
seemed, from street which crossed their
path, little in advance, such sounds o!
flutes and tabours as had, the day before,
conducted the mysterious priestess TO the
pyramid.
agitation as he listened; and he burned
again TO look on the countenance of this
divine representative Of a pagan divinity.
The sounds approached, growing louder
but losing none of their melancholy; and
train OF priests, in long black robes, and
with downcast eyes, followed by boys
their view, slowly crossing the street on
which they had halted.
At this moment, and Just as the proph-
etess for it was she who stood, as be-
fore under the feathered canopy, carried
by the deyoteesl came into sight, the roal
OF a cannon, believing afar from the
palace, startled the cavaliers from thei
tranquility; and, in the assurance Of new
conflicts, destroyed, at once, their hops
of peaceful escape. This explosion, az
was afterwards discovered, was rather the
cause than the consequence of hostili
ties; for the Mexicans, after the sortie O
CorteZ, approaching the citadel in grea
numbers, TO beseech the body of thei
king, not doubling that he was slain, tn,
Spaniards had mistaken their grief for re
newing rage, and Immediately fred upor
them.
furious scowl darkened the visage @
Don fernando, as this distant discharg
swept away his hopes; and rising on hi
stirrups, he cried 10 his companions:
Let US seize the person of this &C
cursed priestess, demon, or woman, =
who prOfanes the holiness of Our Lady
and incenses the hearts of the rabble
On, and be quick; for it's an easy prize
and may replace the Emperor"
Until this moment, the train, castin
their eyes neither TO the right nor left, an,
raising them not even at the roar of tn,
cannon, had been ignorant of the pres
ence Of the Spaniards. But when tn,
harsh voice OF the Christian drowned tn,
breathings Of the flutes, they paused
looking towards him in alright; and agair
for an instant the lustrous eyes Of tn,
prophecies fell upon the visage of Dor
Anlador. His heart heaved with a sick
ening sensation; and the impulse which
mad before driven 10 flight his better judg
ment, assailed him anew with violence
HIS voice shouted With "A h,,t