ment of independence and recent years we said but little--it is
not a period of which those whose feeling towards the Mexicans is
friendly have much desire to talk--contenting ourselves with
emphasizing the fact that the race so long oppressed, having risen
successfully against its oppressors, remained independent under a ruler
of its own blood.

To that part of our narrative in which we told how we had gained
knowledge of the hidden city of Colhuacan, and possession of the token
of summons, Tizoc gave but little heed. It was evident that his mind was
engrossed with consideration of the more important matters of which we
had told him, and of the direct bearing that they had upon the troubled
condition of affairs in which his own people were involved. Seeing
which, we left him to his own thoughts while we talked of these same
matters among ourselves.

Rayburn, in his quick, clear-headed way, grasped the situation promptly
and accurately. "About the size of it is," he said, "that we've knocked
the false work right from under everything that these folks have been
building for the whole thousand years that they have been living here;
and what they've built isn't strong enough to stand alone. As Young
says, it's a cold day for the Priest Captain because we have got hold of
his boss miracle; but it's still colder weather for him because the news
that we have brought makes it all right for the crowd that wants to
fight him to go right ahead and do it; and I guess they will do it, too,
as soon as they get the fact fairly into their heads that there no
longer is a chance of their being called off in the middle of their row.
Unless I am very much mistaken, we shall see some pretty lively times in
this valley inside of the next thirty days."

"And unless _I'm_ mistaken," Young struck in, "th' Colonel here will be
about th' first man t' take off his coat--that is, th' thing that I
suppose he thinks is a coat--an' sail in. I don't know just what he's
got against th' Priest Captain, except that he seems t' be a sort of
pill on gen'ral principles, but I'm sure that he's down on him from th'
word go. From what th' Colonel says, I judge that his crowd has a pretty
good chance of comin' out on top--for th' other crowd seems t' be made
up for th' most part of parsons; an' parsons, as a rule, haven't much
fight in 'em. What we'd better do it t' tie t' th' Colonel, an' when
we've helped him an' his friends t' wallop th' other fellows they