Ever he has escaped me, and the score between us is long.' Now as I spoke thus it seemed to me that a cold and dreadful air played upon my hands and brow and a warning sense of present evil crept into my soul, overcoming me so that I could not stir or speak for a while.
'Let us go and see if he has gone,' said Diaz presently, and summoning a guard, he was about to leave the chamber.

It was at this moment that I chanced to look up and see a woman standing in the doorway.

Her hand rested on the doorpost; her head, from which the long hair streamed, was thrown back, and on her face was a look of such anguish that at first, so much was she changed, I did not know her for Otomie.

When I knew her, I knew all; one thing only could conjure up the terror and agony that shone in her deep eyes.
'What has chanced to our son ?' I asked.
'DEAD, DEAD!' she answered in a whisper that seemed to pierce my marrow.
I said nothing, for my heart told me what had happened, but Diaz asked, 'Dead--why, what has killed him ?' 'De Garcia! I saw him go,' replied Otomie; then she tossed her arms high, and without another sound fell backwards to the earth.
In that moment I think that my heart broke--at least I know that nothing has had the power to move me greatly since, though this memory moves me day by day and hour by hour, till I die and go to seek my son.
'Say, Bernal Diaz,' I cried, with a hoarse laugh, 'did I lie to you concerning this comrade of yours ?' Then, springing over Otomie's body I left the chamber, followed by Bernal Diaz and the others.
Without the door I turned to the left towards the camp.

I had not gone a hundred paces when, in the moonlight, I saw a small troop of horsemen riding towards us.