d and grasped his arms, yet first suffering him for a moment to
clasp hands with us, and so led him towards the open grating; and behind
him Young and I and Pablo were conducted in a like fashion by the
guards. As we passed the room in which Rayburn lay we heard him moaning
faintly; and so weak was he that it seemed to me a very likely thing for
us to find him dead there upon our return--if, indeed, we ever returned
at all.

As we passed out into the inner court of the temple, where the sum shone
joyously--for the day still was young, and the rain-clouds had but begun
to gather about the mountain peaks--we heard a murmur in the air like
the distant sound of bees buzzing; and as we entered the rear portal of
the temple this sound grew louder, yet still was soft and blurred. In
the temple, Fray Antonio was separated from us, being led towards the
inner entrance of that subterranean passage which opened into the pit of
the amphitheatre; and as we went onward to the great portal in the
temple's front we cast towards him sorrowful looks, in which all the
bitter pain that was in our hearts was concentrated, but had in answer
from him, as he walked with elate bearing between his guards, only looks
of most joyful hope in which was also a very tender love.

The noise that at first had seemed to us like bees buzzing grew louder
as we advanced, until, when we came out upon the open space before the
temple, it swelled into a mighty roar. And there the cause of it was
plain to us; for before us lay the great amphitheatre crowded with a
seething multitude, and all the thousands gathered there were uttering
savage cries of delight at thought of the savage spectacle that now in a
few moments would gladden their fierce hearts. In the midst of this
tumult we were hurried into a sort of balcony, heavily built of stone,
that hung upon the slope of the amphitheatre; just behind and above
which was a much larger balcony of richly wrought stone-work that was
covered by a canopy of colored stuffs, and that had in its midst a sort
of throne. And at sight of us a great shout went up, that in a moment
died away into a hush of silence as the Priest Captain, with a company
of priests about him, entered the balcony behind us and took his seat
upon the throne.

But in another instant the shouting burst forth again as Fray Antonio
came out from the passage that opened beneath us, and in a moment was
lifted bodily by his guards and placed upon the St