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

to the advice of the tzin Guatamo. But
 warfare now delights him no more. He
 is easier moved by the tale of priest.
 Is Anahuac afraid? Let us fight, be it
 against gods or men, and at least end
 the royal race of Montezuma with
 honor." Sister" replied the gentler
 Nenetzin. you are indeed worthy b
 be a warriors bride. But remember
 that the 'tzin has been banished from the city because of the reports spread
 about that he aspires to the throne
 and because he had dared to speak his
 mind to Montezuma. Alas, sister, is
 there not tomorrow to be a great ban
 quet at the palace? And what will the
 king announce at that banquet? Put
 away your high and lofty hope. Tula--
 l, too, have had my dreams" Never
 did one of the royal race of Anahuac
 look more haughtily commanding than did Tula as she sprung from her ham
 mock and her face sh own in the light
 of the purple lamps which illuminated
 the grove of the orange trees which shed their white petals and tn cir frag-
 rance around her.
 Yes, the banquet, and to that base
 and perfidious Lord Itzlil, he whose broth CT our father made the lord of
 Texcuco, and who ambition was in-
 iured thereby-to him am I to be be- trothed. By all the gods I will have
 something yet to say upon that point Then recollecting herself the fair hroka har apcrat a a sun breaks through a screen of clouds and, sinking back into her hammock, becoming all woman and all kindness again, said forgive me, sister. l see l frigh tened you-my temper is rude, | my passion sometimes make me man
 and warrior, which is not meet. Come, tell me your dreams"
 Then. nestling close to the bosom of
 her stronger sister, the gentler and
 the younger princess told of how, for
 nights, she had dreamed of man of fair face, clad in garments which shone In the sunlight He had a white face,
 winter and fairer than any woman, and his yellow and shining beard fell down
 upon his shining garments. He rode a strange beast, his eyes were blue. In spite of her fortitude Tula trembled The Fair God, she thought; the ~SrSams
 which were unnerving the monarch were
 enkindling flame In the heart of her
 sister no less prophetic of disaster She knew, for her cousin and her lover the
 banished Guatamozin, had told her of the strangers, that this fair youth oS whom the princess thought was Pedro Alvarado no god but a gallant knight of Castie who came for the conquest of the land of Anahuac. And if you saw this man, said Tula, would you follow him, would you be his?" T only know replied Nen- etzin, that were I to see him in the flesh his look would compel me-
 And now the temples of Mexico smoked with sacrifices. Thousands of victims were sent up from the provinces that ,, their hearts might be examined by the priests to see what auguries they told oi the strangers. In the service of the 'tzir Guatamo was young man, hunter i who desired to be a warrior. He was in the city and had, by accident, seen the face of the royal Princess Nenetzin. His love grew up at once as fire springs from blazing tow. But how far above the un- known esquire was the daughter of Mon tezuma Still he felt that at the risk oi his life he must have one more glimpse of that wonderful face.
 He sealed the walls of the kings gar. den and late in the night, lurking there saw come forth from the palace not tho princess but the king. Slowly and medi tatively Montezuma walked along the paths toward fountain. There was the | sudden cry of an animal giving warning of it's intended spring upon it's victim Hualpa, the hunter. sprang from his hid ing place and as the animal made its bound trapsfxed it with his pavelin. |