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.