The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-08

was great ocelot, the tiger of the Amer icas, which had escaped from one of the cages of the royal menagerie. Sternly did the king regard his rescuer. What brings you here?" he asked. Apparently the will of the gods" replied Hualpa, since have saved the life of the king" "Go," said Montezuma, and tomorrow appear before the judge. I myself will be your accuser" Shall I give myself up to the guards?" NO; depart in free dom-brave men do not run away. Here is my signet to pass you through the lines. But tomorrow you must tell what brought you into the sacred inclosure."
 On the morrow Hualpa was before the judge at the appointed hour of the hold ing of the daily court. Heralds bearing silver maces entered the court room and the coming of the king was announced. But the monarch as soon as he entered the temple of justice doffed his royal authority and took a seat below that occupied by the judge. The accusation against Hualpa was more serious even than entering the royal inclosure. In the first place he served Guatamozin, and in the second he had had hot words with the Lord Iztlil and had wounded him so that the rumor ran that the lord was dead proclamation had been made that Hualpa was to be fed to. the wild beasts of the royal menagerie should be be apprehended. He had lain in hiding
 but now all these things came out in the accusation of the king.
 But while the trial was taking place 8 litter was brought into the hall by strong slaves In the litter, still unrecovered from the effects of his wounds, was the Prince Iztlil. Vindictive, cruel, even trai- torous as he was, Iztlil was still of the royal blood of Tezcuco, and scorned to have the poor hunter punished for what had really been fair fight brought on by Iztlil's own haughtsness and insult. So he made his appeal to the judge and the judge pronounced Hualpa free. Then arose the king and, taking his crown from his head, placed 1t a moment upon the head of the kneeling Hualpa. Now that you are no longer a fugitive from Justice,' said the king, T can reward you for the saving of my life. By this act l make you noble. And as nobility is a vain shadow unless it has wherewithal to support its station, I bestow upon you a palace and an estate under the shadow of Chapultepec. Arise Lord Hualpa." To be taken from the shadow of a felon's s death and made rich and noble all in a few minutes was a-revulsion of fortune which almost dazed the new-made lord
 And it brought his degree one step nearer to Nenetzin At the thought his eyes shone and his heart leaped.
 The palace of Guatamozin lay at the south end of the lake, and thither one night the king went secretly. In spite of the fact that he had banished his nephew from the city Montezuma still wished to have the benefit of his advice in the diff culties of the times Surprised at the royal visit the 'tzin was, nevertheless, encouraged by it to beg that he might be restored to favor and given active mili- tary employment He urged the king to dispatch an army at once to attack the strangers and cut them off before they had advanced further toward the capital "rhe strangers are coming said Monte zuma coldly, tat my invitation. They are my guests" Guatamozin was struck with horror at the words of the king and could only says Woe Is Anahuac"
 The king re-entered his barge and was rowed to the city. The next day he dis patched an army of 20,0Oo men to the holy city of Cholula where the Spaniards were to tarry a few days. Secretly, also, had he sent arms to the citizens of tho place. -Malinche, as they began to call Cortez, and his followers were to be de- stroyed If the gods willed-if not who could fight against fate? Thus did Mon- tezuma play fast and loose with destiny; deceiving alike the Spaniards and the