would retire; and that,
if she would come up to him in charge of Cuitcatl, whose safety he
could guarantee, while in Tlascalan territory, they might be
united; as Malinche had promised to obtain the consent of Cortez,
who always encouraged marriages between his followers and the
natives.

Before leaving, Bathalda handed to Roger a small bag.

"This," he said, "Maclutha gave to me, for you. It was for that
purpose she drew me aside, before you started. She bade me not
deliver it to you, unless I was compelled to part from you. It
contains some of the principal jewels taken from the treasure
house; and she said they might make you and the princess rich, when
you reach home.

"They are useless to her. She has no children and, now that Cacama
has gone, it is naught to her who rules over Tezcuco. Moreover,
these are but a small portion of the treasure in her possession."

Roger sent his warm thanks to Maclutha and, after Bathalda had
started, examined the contents of the bag, which he saw at once
were very valuable--consisting of large pearls, diamonds, and other
gems.

On the evening of the second day after starting, Bathalda returned,
alone.

"I have very bad news," he said, "so bad that I hardly like to tell
it. Four days since, an officer and guard arrived from Mexico, with
orders to arrest Cuitcatl, who was reported by the priests in the
neighborhood to have harbored a white man, and to have permitted
him to escape. Maclutha and Amenche were also arrested, and though
treated with every personal courtesy, were conducted to Mexico,
where the official said they were, for the present, to remain in
seclusion, in the royal palace."

Roger was stupefied by the news. What was to be done, he knew not.
To desert Amenche was not to be thought of, and yet he saw no way
of rejoining her, still less of rescuing her. In the present
excited state of the Aztec population, it would be certain death to
venture beyond the frontier of Tlascala.

He regarded his height, now, as the greatest misfortune. Had he
been short and slight, he would have disguised himself as a
Mexican, and under the guidance of Bathalda, have made his way to
the capital; but with a figure which would be instantly remarked,
wherever he went, this would be impossible.

He entered the palace, and sent in an urgent message to Malinche,
who was nursing Cortez. She listened patiently to his narrative.

"I pity you, Roger," she said, when he had finished; "b