r alone escaped from the
teocalli yonder when all the rest were killed. Are you then in league
with these Teules? I say to you, niece, that if things were otherwise
and I had my way, you should win your desire indeed, for you should be
slain at this man's side and within the hour.' And he ceased for lack of
breath, and looked upon her fiercely.

But Otomie never quailed; she stood before him pale and quiet, with
folded hands and downcast eyes, and answered:

'Forbear to reproach me because my love is strong, or reproach me if you
will, I have spoken my last word. Condemn this man to die and Prince
you must seek some other envoy to win back the Otomie to the cause of
Anahuac.'

Now Cuitlahua pondered, staring into the gloom above him and pulling at
his beard, and the silence was great, for none knew what his judgment
would be. At last he spoke:

'So be it. We have need of Otomie, my niece, and it is of no avail to
fight against a woman's love. Teule, we give you life, and with the
life honour and wealth, and the greatest of our women in marriage, and a
place in our councils. Take these gifts and her, but I say to you both,
beware how you use them. If you betray us, nay, if you do but think
on treachery, I swear to you that you shall die a death so slow and
horrible that the very name of it would turn your heart to water; you
and your wife, your children and your servants. Come, let him be sworn!'

I heard and my head swam, and a mist gathered before my eyes. Once again
I was saved from instant death.

Presently it cleared, and looking up my eyes met those of the woman who
had saved me, Otomie my wife, who smiled upon me somewhat sadly. Then
the priest came forward bearing a wooden bowl, carved about with strange
signs, and a flint knife, and bade me bare my arm. He cut my flesh with
the knife, so that blood ran from it into the bowl. Some drops of this
blood he emptied on to the ground, muttering invocations the while. Then
he turned and looked at Cuitlahua as though in question, and Cuitlahua
answered with a bitter laugh:

'Let him be baptized with the blood of the princess Otomie my niece, for
she is bail for him.'

'Nay, lord,' said Guatemoc, 'these two have mingled bloods already
upon the stone of sacrifice, and they are man and wife. But I also have
vouched for him, and I offer mine in earnest of my faith.'

'This Teule has good friends,' said Cuitlahua; 'you honour him overmuch.
But so be it.'

Then Gu