hrough the
fortified gate-way in the heavy wall by which the little plateau on the
mountain side was defended; and so, by a broad road that descended
sharply, went downward towards the border of the lake. Our order of
march was the same as that adopted in bringing us from the Barred Pass:
before us and behind us were detachments of the guards, and Tizoc walked
with us. In accordance with his desire, that he expressed to me in a
cautious whisper, Pablo rode upon El Sabio's back. There was no need for
him to explain his motive in making this suggestion. It was his purpose,
evidently, to exhibit the fulfilment of the prophecy as conspicuously as
possible, and so to prepare the ground for the sowing of the seeds of
revolt.

I had an opportunity now to tell Rayburn and Young of what Tizoc had
been speaking at the moment when the summons from the Priest Captain
came; and also of the strong personal reason that he had for protecting
us, even to the extent of forwarding the outbreak of revolution, in his
desire to save from death or slavery the son whom he so well loved.

"I'm not at all surprised to hear that what we've told 'em is going to
start a revolution," Rayburn said. "That's just the way I sized the
matter up, you know, as soon as I got down to the first facts. If they'd
had a decent sort of a fellow at the head of things, they might have
worked along so as to take a fresh start without fighting over it. But
this Priest Captain chap isn't that kind. He goes in for Boss management
and machine politics, I should judge from what the Colonel says, as
straight as if he was a New York alderman or the chairman of a State
campaign committee in Ohio. No doubt he's got a pretty big crowd back of
him; but that kind of a crowd don't amount to much in a fight, when
there's any sort of a show for the other side to win. It sort of gets
out of the way, and stands around with water on both shoulders, and
then, when one side begins to get pretty well on top--it don't matter
which--it says that that's the side it's been fighting with all along,
and begins to kick the fellows that are down. Where our chance comes in
is in having the respectable element, the solid men who pay taxes and
have an interest in decent government, to tie to. They may not pay taxes
here, but that's the kind I mean. And that kind, when it takes to
fighting, fights hard. Then there must be a lot of fathers with crippled
children, like the Colonel here, who are down