‘He knows me,’ I said to Otomie, ‘and presently when he has found his wits, he will follow us.’
‘On, on!’ answered Otomie; ’round yonder corner are aloe bushes where we may hide.’
‘I am spent, I can no more;’ and again I began to fall.
Then Otomie caught me as I fell, and of a sudden she put out her strength, and lifting me from the ground, as a mother lifts her child, staggered forward holding me to her breast. For fifty paces or more she carried me thus, love and despair giving her strength, till at last we reached the edge of the aloe plants and there we sank together to the earth. I cast my eyes back over the path which we had travelled. Round the corner came the Tlascalan, a spiked club in his hand, seeking us to solve his doubts.
‘It is finished,’ I gasped; ‘the man comes.’
For answer Otomie drew my sword from its scabbard and hid it in the grass. ‘Now feign sleep,’ she said; ‘it is our last chance.’
I cast my arm over my face and pretended to be asleep. Presently I heard the sound of a man passing through the bushes, and the Tlascalan stood over me.
‘What would you?’ asked Otomie. ‘Can you not see that he sleeps? Let him sleep.’
‘I must look on his face first, woman,’ he answered, dragging aside my arm. ‘By the gods, I thought so! This is that Teule whom we dealt with yesterday and who escapes.’
‘You are mad,’ she said laughing. ‘He has escaped from nowhere, save from a brawl and a drinking bout.’
‘You lie, woman, or if you do not lie, you know nothing. This man has the secret of Montezuma’s treasure, and is worth a king’s ransom,’ and he lifted his club.
‘And yet you wish to slay him! Well, I know nothing of him. Take him back whence he came. He is but a drunken sot and I shall be well rid of him.’
‘Well said. It would be foolish to kill him, but by bearing him alive to the lord Sarceda, I shall win honour and reward. Come, help me.’
‘Help yourself,’ she answered sullenly. ‘But first search his pouch; there may be some trifle there which we can divide.’
‘Well said, again,’ he answered, and kneeling down he bent over me and began to fumble at the fastenings of the pouch.
Otomie was behind him. I saw her face change and a terrible light came into her eyes, such a light as shines in the eyes of the priest at sacrifice. Quick as thought she drew the sword from the grass and smote with all her strength upon the man’s bent neck. Down he fell, making no sound, and she also fell beside him. In a moment she was on her feet again, staring at him wildly–the naked sword in her hand.
‘Up,’ she said, ‘before others come to seek him. Nay, you must.’
Now, again we were struggling forward through the bushes, my mind filled with a great wonder that grew slowly to a whirling nothingness. For a while it seemed to me as though I were lost in an evil dream and walking on red hot irons in my dream. Then came a vision of armed men with lifted spears, and of Otomie running towards them with outstretched arms.
I knew no more.
CHAPTER XXXI.
OTOMIE PLEADS WITH HER PEOPLE
When I awoke it was to find myself in a cave, where the light shone very dimly. Otomie leant over me, and not far away a man was cooking a pot over a fire made of dry aloe leaves.
‘Where am I and what has happened?’ I asked.
‘You are safe, beloved,’ she answered, ‘at least for awhile. When you have eaten I will tell you more.’
She brought me broth and food and I ate eagerly, and when I was satisfied she spoke.
‘You remember how the Tlascalan followed us and how–I was rid of him?’
‘I remember, Otomie, though how you found strength to kill him I do not understand.’
‘Love and despair gave it to me, and I pray that I may never have such another need. Do not speak of it, husband, for this is more horrible to me than all that has been before. One thing comforts me, however; I did not kill him, the sword twisted in my hand and I believe that he was but stunned. Then we fled a little way, and looking back I saw that two other Tlascalans, companions of the senseless man, were following us and him. Presently, they came up to where he lay and stared at him. Then they started on our tracks, running hard, and very soon they must have caught us, for now you could scarcely stir, your mind was gone, and I had no more strength to carry you. Still we stumbled on till presently, when the pursuers were within fifty paces of us, I saw armed men, eight of them, rushing at us from the bushes. They were of my own people, the Otomies, soldiers that had served under you, who watched the Spanish camp, and seeing a Spaniard alone they came to slay him. They very nearly did so indeed, for at first I was so breathless that I could scarcely speak, but at last in few words I made shift to declare my name and rank, and your sad plight. By now the two Tlascalans were upon us, and I called to the men of the Otomie to protect us, and falling on the Tlascalans before they knew that enemies were there, they killed one of them and took the other prisoner. Then they made a litter, and placing you on it, bore you without rest twenty leagues into the mountains, till they reached this secret hiding place, and here you have lain three days and nights. The Teules have searched for you far and wide, but they have searched in vain. Only yesterday two of them with ten Tlascalans, passed within a hundred paces of this cave and I had much ado to prevent our people from attacking them. Now they are gone whence they came, and I think that we are safe for a time. Soon you will be better and we can go hence.’