upon my heart. Again the priest heaved up his awful knife, again I shut
my eyes, and again I heard the shrill scream of the astronomer, 'Not
yet, not yet, or your gods are doomed!'

Then I heard another sound. It was the voice of Otomie crying for help.

'Save us, Teules; they murder us!' she shrieked in so piercing a note
that it reached the ears of the Spaniards, for one shouted in answer
and in the Castilian tongue, 'On, my comrades, on! The dogs do murder on
their altars!'

Then there was a mighty rush and the defending Aztecs were swept in upon
the altar, lifting the priest of sacrifice from his feet and throwing
him across my body. Thrice that rush came like a rush of the sea, and
each time the stand of the Aztecs weakened. Now their circle was broken
and the swords of the Spaniards flashed up on every side, and now the
red ray lay within the ring upon my heart.

'Smite, priest of Tezcat,' screamed the voice of the astronomer; 'smite
home for the glory of your gods!'

With a fearful yell the priest lifted the knife; I saw the golden
sunbeam that rested full upon my heart shine on it. Then as it was
descending I saw the same sunbeam shine upon a yard of steel that
flashed across me and lost itself in the breast of the murderer priest.
Down came the great flint knife, but its aim was lost. It struck indeed,
but not upon my bosom, though I did not escape it altogether. Full upon
the altar of sacrifice it fell and was shattered there, piercing between
my side and that of Otomie, and gashing the flesh of both so that our
blood was mingled upon the stone, making us one indeed. Down too came