k of jewels that burst open as it came, and descended
upon us in a glittering rain of gems. As it chanced, a great necklace of
emeralds of surpassing size and beauty fell over my head and hung upon
my shoulders.

'Keep it, brother,' laughed Guatemoc, 'in memory of this night,' and
nothing loth, I hid the bauble in my breast. That necklace I have yet,
and it was a stone of it--the smallest save one--that I gave to our
gracious Queen Elizabeth. Otomie wore it for many years, and for this
reason it shall be buried with me, though its value is priceless, so say
those who are skilled in gems. But priceless or no, it is doomed to lie
in the mould of Ditchingham churchyard, and may that same curse which
is graved upon the stone that hides the treasure of the Aztecs fall upon
him who steals it from my bones.

Now, leaving the chamber, we three entered the tunnel and began the work
of building the adobe wall. When it was of a height of between two and
three feet, Guatemoc paused from his labour and bade me hold a torch
aloft. I obeyed wondering what he wished to see. Then he drew back some
three paces into the tunnel and spoke to the Aztec noble, our companion,
by name.

'What is the fate of discovered traitors, friend?' he said in a voice
that, quiet though it was, sounded very terrible; and, as he spoke, he
loosed from his side the war club set with spikes of glass that hung
there by a thong.

Now the Aztec turned grey beneath his dusky skin and trembled in his
fear.

'What mean you, lord?' he gasped.

'You know well what I mean,' answered Guatemoc in the same terrible
voice, and lifted the club.

Then the doomed man fell upon his knees crying for mercy, and his
wailing sounded so awful in that deep and lonely place that in my horror
I went near to letting the torch fall.

'To a foe I can give mercy--to a traitor, none,' answered Guatemoc, and
whirling the club aloft, he rushed upon the noble and killed him with a
blow. Then, seizing the body in his strong embrace, he cast it into the
chamber with the treasure, and there it lay still and dreadful among
the gems and gold, the arms, as it chanced, being wound about two of the
great jars as though the dead man would clasp them to his heart.

Now I looked at Guatemoc who had slain him, wondering if my hour was at
hand also, for I knew well that when princes bury their wealth they hold
that few should share the secret.

'Fear not, my brother,' said Guatemoc. 'Listen: t