tion was proper for
him to take.

When I had finished my statement, and had returned the token to its
place in the snake-skin bag (for the wisdom of carefully retaining this
potent talisman in our possession was evident), the officer turned to
the two warriors, and they conversed for a while in low tones apart
from us. Of their talk I could catch only a few words, but several times
I heard repeated the name Itzacoatl, and frequent reference was made to
the Twenty Lords. I gathered, too, that the name of the officer was
Tizoc, and that the name of the elder of the two warriors, a swarthy
man, was Ixtlilton. In the mean time, out of respect to the officer, the
crowd had drawn away from us--being now swelled to very considerable
numbers--but those composing it gazed at us in wonder, and among them
was a steady murmur of low talk, like the buzzing of a hive of bees.

When his conference with the warriors was ended, Tizoc approached us,
and with him came a younger man, who carried a roll of paper in his
hand. The face of the officer still wore a troubled, doubting
expression, and these feelings were expressed also in the tones of his
voice as he spoke to us. "For the coming of the token from our lord
Chaltzantzin we who dwell in this Valley of Aztlan have waited through
many ages," he said; "but the promise was given that the token should
come to us from our brethren in the time of their need, and should be
brought by those of our own race. But you tell us that the time of need
long since is past, and ye who bring the token are of a race that is
strange to us; and even this one among you who seems to be of our
brethren speaks strangely of strange things. Had ye come in the way that
long past was promised, there would have been no room for questioning
your right of entry here nor your authority over us; and I, who am the
Warden of the Pass--being in right succession from him whom our lord
Chaltzantzin appointed to this high office--would have been the first to
do you reverence and honor. But in this strange case that has arisen I
hold it to be my duty to send news of your coming to the Priest Captain,
Itzacoatl, that he and his Council of the Twenty Lords may decide what
now is right to do. In this I mean no disrespect and no unkindness; and
while we await the Priest Captain's orders I shall have the pleasure to
offer you that rest and refreshment of which you stand in need."

To this firm but courteous speech I was in the