d has proved more powerful
than ours."

Roger was struck with astonishment at the offer. He had regarded
marriage as a matter not to be thought of, for many years; and
until lately he would have said that, if he ever did marry, it
would be the little cousin who had, three years before, said
goodbye to him at Plymouth. But of late he had felt the charm of
this beautiful little princess; and since the night when she had
come down to say farewell to him, in the garden, and he had felt
her hand tremble in his, and had seen a tear glisten on her cheek
in the moonlight, he had thought a good deal of her.

The chances of his ever returning to England were comparatively
slight. Dangers of all kinds surrounded him. The Spaniards might be
attacked and massacred at any moment, and if so, he would probably
share their fate. If, however, he was married to this Mexican
princess, and a brother-in-law of the King of Tezcuco, he would be
regarded as one of the people. His position would be a high and
honorable one, and although his life would be far different from
that to which he had hitherto looked forward, it might be a very
happy one.

He sat in silence for two or three minutes after Cacama had ceased
speaking, and then said:

"Forgive me, Prince, for not responding, at once, to an offer so
far above my deserts, and of the honor of which I am most deeply
sensible. There could be no greater happiness, for a man, than to
be the husband of one so fair, and in every way charming, as the
Princess Amenche; but your offer came upon me altogether as a
surprise. As I have told you, I have hitherto regarded myself as
still a lad, and marriage as an event not to be thought of for
years; but as you do not regard my youth as an objection, there is
no reason why I should do so.

"It is of the future that I rather think. It seems to me, now, that
I could be content to settle down for life here, with so charming a
wife; but I cannot say that I might always be of that mind. The
love of country is strong in every man, and the time might come
when, if opportunity offered, I might long to return home to
England."

"That I have talked over with the queen, and with Amenche,
herself," Cacama said. "My sister naturally would be sorry to leave
her own country, but if the time came that you should wish to
return home, she would not hesitate to make the sacrifice, and to
accompany you. A Mexican woman, when she loves, is ready to give up
everything