seized any white man they came upon,
outside the walls of the palace, and would have carried him to the
altars of their gods. It would be hopeless to endeavor to explain
that he was of another race. All white men would be alike, in their
eyes.

He bitterly regretted, now, that he had returned from Tezcuco. Had
he, at that time, gone with the queen and princess to the house of
his friend Cuitcatl, he could have remained there in quiet; and the
natives would have seen that he, at least, had no part or share in
this horrible massacre. Now it seemed to him that there was nothing
to be done, save to share the lot of the Spaniards, whatever that
might be.

He believed that the Mexicans would storm the palace, and slaughter
all within it, long before the return of Cortez; and he by no means
shared the confident anticipation of the soldiers, that the
general, on his arrival, would very speedily put down any
insurrection that might occur; and would, with the assistance of
the soldiers of Narvaez, soon bring all Mexico into subjection.

It had happened that both Juan and Pedro had also been on guard,
during the massacre. This was a great satisfaction to him, for he
felt he could no longer have remained in intimate communion with
them, had their hands been drenched with innocent blood. When, upon
their being relieved at their posts, they joined each other in the
chamber they shared in common, the old soldier held up his hand and
said gruffly:

"Do you hold your tongue, Sancho. I know what you are thinking,
lad, as well as if you said it; and maybe I do not disagree with
you; but least said, soonest mended. These rooms without doors are
not places for a man to relieve his mind by strong language, if he
happens to differ from his superiors. It is a bad business, and a
shameful one. At Cholula there was some excuse for it. Here there
is none. I am an old soldier, and have taken many a life in my
time, but never in cold blood like this. Say nothing, lad, at any
rate until you get a chance of being outside this city; or on the
lake, where none can get near you--then pour it out, as much as you
like."

"It is like enough," Roger said, "that none of us will ever go out
of the city alive; and it will serve us thoroughly right. If this
is to be a Spaniard and a Catholic, let me be a Mexican and a
heathen."

"There, there, that is enough," Juan interrupted. "Now let us have
our supper."

"I can eat nothing," Roger said, throwing