upefied. Cries which meant much to the living, and before which even
that band of true-hearts receded with slightly quickened pace.

With the others fell back Bruno, leaving his hand-wood lying beside the
lifeless corpse of his redskinned brother-at-heart, but drawing forth
the weapon which he knew so much better how to use.

The fierce lust of vengeance now seized upon him, heart and brain. He
shouted forth grim defiance to that howling crew, and as the deadly
missiles came in thickening clouds, carrying death and wounds to the
bodyguard of the Sun Children, he opened fire, shooting to kill.

Entirely without firearms themselves, and in all probability ignorant of
such an instrument of destruction, this might have produced a far more
beneficial result under other circumstances. As it was now, few, if any,
took heed of what they could not hear above that awful tumult, and those
who felt the boring lead never rose up to give their testimony.

Closer crowded the superstition-ridden heathen, showering missiles of
all descriptions upon the body-guard, confounding all with the one to
whose javelin their head priest owed his death,--only to recoil once
more, in fierce awe, as another victim of high rank paid forfeit his
life for the death of Ixtli, sole offspring of Aztotl, the Red Heron.

CHAPTER XXXI. DEFENDING THE SUN CHILDREN.

Louder than ever rose the voice of Lord Hua, after witnessing the fall
of his ally, the high priest. In spite of the great odds against the
body-guards, he began to fear lest his intended prey should even yet
slip through his evil clutches.

Fiercer than ever rang forth his curses and imprecations upon the head
of the Aztec who thus dared the vengeance of all the gods by lifting
hand in arms against the anointed.

And then, his own nerve strung by those very efforts to inspire others,
Lord Hua forged nearer the front, eager to behold all his hated enemies
crushed to earth as by a single stroke. And then--

With vicious force he hurled his javelin straight for the white throat
of the Sun Child who had scorned his fawning advances, and only the ever
ready eye, the true hand, the strong arm of Aztotl again warded off grim
death from the Fair God's Child.

Caught upon that trusty shield one instant, the next turned towards
its original owner, to quiver for the barest fraction of time in that
vengeful grip, then, gloriously true to the hero's will and intent, sped
that javelin home.

Hom