the field; and the Spaniards,
reduced and bleeding, had to beat a retreat, hard pressed by the
exultant foe. In this dark hour, Pizarro was suddenly betrayed by the
man who, above all, should have been loyal to him,--the coarse traitor
Almagro.

IX.

THE WORK OF TRAITORS.

Almagro had penetrated Chile, suffering great hardships in crossing the
mountains. Again he showed the white feather; and, discouraged by the
very beginning, he turned and marched back to Peru. He seems to have
concluded that it would be easier to rob his companion and benefactor
than to make a conquest of his own,--especially since he learned how
Pizarro was now beset. Pizarro, learning of his approach, went out to
meet him. Manco fell upon the Spaniards on the way, but was repulsed
after a hot fight.

Despite Pizarro's manly arguments, Almagro would not give up his plans.
He insisted that he should be given Cuzco, the chief city, pretending
that it was south of Pizarro's territory. It was really within the
limits granted Pizarro by the Crown, but that would have made no
difference with him. At last a truce was made until a commission could
measure and determine where Pizarro's southern boundary lay. Meantime
Almagro was bound by a solemn oath to keep his hands off. But he was not
a man to regard his oath or his honor; and on the dark and stormy night
of April 8, 1537, he seized Cuzco, killed the guards, and made Hernando
and Gonzalo Pizarro prisoners. Just then Alonso de Alvarado was coming
with a force to the relief of Cuzco; but being betrayed by one of his
own officers, he was captured with all his men by Almagro.

At this critical juncture, Pizarro was strengthened by the arrival of
his old supporter, the licentiate Espinosa, with two hundred and fifty
men, and a shipload of arms and provisions from his great cousin Cortez.
He started for Cuzco, but at the overpowering news of Almagro's wanton
treachery, retreated to Lima and fortified his little capital. He was
clearly anxious to avert bloodshed; and instead of marching with an army
to punish the traitor, he sent an embassy, including Espinosa, to try to
bring Almagro to decency and reason. But the vulgar soldier was
impervious to such arguments. He not only refused to give up stolen
Cuzco, but coolly announced his determination to seize Lima also.
Espinosa suddenly and conveniently died in Almagro's camp, and Hernando
and Gonzalo Pizarro would have been put to death but for the