sir!"

"But how--we haven't arranged how you are to be rescued, and I must
understand--"

"Later, then; another time, through Ixtli," interrupted Mrs. Edgecombe,
since there could no longer be a doubt as to her identity. "If found
here 'twill be our ruin as well as your own. Go, and at once I fear that
Lord Hua may--"

"He 'live yet," pronounced Ixtli, rising from a hasty examination o f
the fallen chieftain. "Dat bad; much more worse bad! He dog; all over
dog!"

"And I greatly fear he must have recognised you as one of a foreign
race, in spite of your disguise," added the elder woman, trouble in her
face even as it showed in her voice. "He will be wild for revenge, and I
fear--Go, and directly, Ixtli!"

Bruno Gillespie was only too well assured that this latest fear had
foundation on truth. Swiftly though he had wielded the awkward (to
him) hand-wood, Huatzin had sufficient time to sight his assailant, and
almost certainly had divined at least a portion of the truth.

Doubtless it would have been the more prudent course to repeat that blow
with greater precision; but Bruno could not bring himself to do just
that, even though the ugly cries were growing in volume on the ground
level; and he felt that capture would be but the initial step to death,
in all likelihood upon the great stone of sacrifice.

Imminent though their peril surely was, Bruno could not betake himself
to flight without at least partially performing the duty for which he
had volunteered; and so he took time to hurriedly utter:

"Watch from the top of the tower for the air-ship, and be ready to leave
at any moment, I implore you--both!"

For even now his admiring gaze could with difficulty be torn away from
yonder younger, even more lovely, visage; although as yet the maiden had
spoken no word, even shrinking away from this strangely speaking Aztec
as though in affright.

"Come, brother, or too late," urged Ixtli, almost sternly. "Save you, or
Glass-eyes call Ixtli dog-liar. Come; must run, no fight; too big many
for that."

And so it seemed, when the young men rushed away from the lighted
interior and gained the uncovered space beyond. Loud cries came soaring
through the night from different directions, and dim, phantom-like
shapes could be glimpsed in hurrying confusion.

Apparently the majority only knew that trouble of some description
was brewing, and that the centre of interest was either in or near the
Temple of the Sun God; yet t