hat was more than sufficient to place the
white intruder in great peril, despite the elaborate disguise he wore.

Then with awful abruptness there came a sound which could only be
likened to rolling thunder by one uninitiated, but which caused Ixtli to
shrink and almost cower, ere gasping:

"The great war-drum! Now MUST go! Sacrifice if caught; come, white
brother! See, dat more bad now!"

Those mighty throbs rolled and reverberated from the hills, filling the
night air with waves of thunder, none the less awe-inspiring now that
their true import was realised.

The entire population was aroused, and each building seemed to cast
forth an armed host, while, as through some magic touch, a circle of
fires sprung up on all sides, beginning to illumine both valley and
barrier.

Bruno stood like one appalled, really fascinated by this transformation
scene for which he had been so poorly prepared; but Ixtli better
comprehended their situation, and gripping an arm he muttered, hastily:

"Come, brother; stop more, make too late. Must hide, now. Dat stop go
back way came. Come!"

Bruno roused himself with an effort, then yielded to the Aztec's
guidance, crouching low as the brief bit of clear moonlight had to be
traversed.

Instead of making for the steps which, as customary, reached from
terrace to terrace at each corner, Ixtli crept to the centre, where the
temple-side was cast into deepest shadow, then lowered himself by his
arms, to drop silently to the broad path below.

A whispered word urged Bruno to imitate this action, and those friendly
hands caught and steadied Gillespie as he took the drop. And so, one
after another, the mighty steps were passed, both young men reaching the
ground at the same instant, having succeeded in leaving the Temple of
the Sun God without being glimpsed by an Indian of all those whom the
sonorous drum-throbs had brought forth In arms.

"Whither now?" asked Bruno, in guarded tones, as he looked forth
from shadow into moonlight, seeing scores upon scores of armed shapes
flitting to and fro, all looking for the enemy, yet none able to
precisely locate the trouble.

Just then a savage yell broke from the top of the temple, followed by a
few fierce-sounding sentences, which Ixtli declared came from the Lord
Hua, then adding:

"He say kill if catch, but dat--no! Come, white brother. Ixtli show how
play fool dat dog; yes!"

"All right, my hearty. Is it a break for the hills? I reckon I