d, more than this, Pablo's simple statement of the
condition of affairs among the modern Mexicans--showing that the crisis
in their fate that Chaltzantzin had foretold, and for which he had so
well prepared, long since had come and gone--would be far more
convincing to the masses of the Aztlanecas than would be any exhibition
of these same facts that we could make to them; for we were aliens among
them, while Pablo was of their own race and class. That we all were like
to be done to death by this barbarous theocrat we did not for a moment
doubt; but it was plain enough that every motive of self-interest must
prompt him to put Pablo and the poor ass most summarily out of the way.
And as the logic of these facts irresistibly presented itself in my mind
a keen and heavy sorrow overcame me, for I could not shirk the
conviction that, whoever might strike the blow that killed him, I myself
was the cause of this poor boy's death. Fray Antonio could not see my
face in that shadowy prison, yet his fine nature divined the pain that I
suffered and the cause of it, and he sought to comfort me with his
sympathy. He did not speak, but he came close beside me and tenderly
laid his hand upon my shoulder; and his loving touch, telling of his
sorrow for me and with me, did bring a little cheer into my heavy heart.

Meanwhile the commotion outside increased greatly, and even through the
thick folds of the curtain we could hear plainly the clanking of arms,
and the heavy tread of men, and sharply given words of command. We
pressed close to the bars and tried to push, the curtain aside that we
might see out into the court-yard; but the bars were so near together
that our hands would not pass between them, and we therefore could
gather only from the sounds which we heard what was going on outside.
But the sounds were unmistakable. There could be no doubt whatever that
a vigorous assault upon the building was in progress, and those within
it vigorously were defending it; and we knew that the cause of the
fighting certainly must be ourselves. Already, it would seem, the
prophecy of the Priest Captain's downfall was assuming a tangible
reality; for this rising in arms against him could mean nothing less
than that his high-handed refusal to permit us to be carried before the
Council of the Twenty Lords had fairly brought matters to a crisis, and
that the long-threatened revolution actually had been begun.

XXIII.

A RESCUE.

That the