e young brave, and suggested
an amendment to Waldo's motion,--that he accompany Ixtli into the
sunken valley, covered by the friendly shades of night, there to open
communication with the Sun Children.

"By so doing, we could make certain of their identity," the young man
argued, earnestly. "That, it appears to me, is the first step to be
taken. For, in spite of the apparent recognition by Mr. Edgecombe, it is
possible that no actual relationship exists."

"What of that?" bluntly cut in the younger Gillespie. "Don't you reckon
strangers'd like to take a little walk, just as well as any other
people?"

"Patience, my lad," interposed the professor. "While we seem in duty
bound to lend aid and assistance to women in actual distress, we can
only serve them with their own free will and accord. Granting that the
women we saw upon the teocalli were other than those believed by our
afflicted friend--"

"But, uncle, look at their names! And don't Ixtli say--tell 'em all over
again, pardner, won't ye?" urged Waldo, taking a burning interest in the
matter, as was his custom when fairly involved.

The young Aztec complied as well as lay within his power, giving it as
his fixed opinion that sore trouble, if not actual peril, awaited the
Children of the Sun, unless assisted by powerful friends. He spoke of
the mighty chieftain, Prince Hua, and of the high priest, Tlacopa, who
was, to all seeming, playing directly into the hands of the 'Tzin.

"He say Mother of Gods call--loud! He say sacrifice, and dat--no, no!
Quetzal' send--Quetzal' save--MUST save Victo, Glady!"

Further questioning resulted in but little more information, though, as
Ixtli grew calmer, he emphasised such statements as he had already made,
elaborating them a trifle. And, by this, his questioners learned that,
humanly speaking, the fate of the Sun God's Children depended almost
entirely upon the whim or fancy of the chief paba of the teocalli.

Through Tlacopa issued the awesome oracles, and when his voice thundered
forth the dread fiat, who dared to openly rebel?

Further questioning brought forth one more important fact,--that there
was absolutely no hope of either Victo or Glady coming forth from the
valley, either by night or by day. While ostensibly free of will as they
were of limb, neither woman was permitted to leave yonder temple, save
under armed escort; and guards were on duty each hour of the day and
night.

"But we could get to see and speak