aintain their lease.

Lacking an acknowledged leader, the furious mass thought only of
crushing the faithful band by mere weight of numbers, taking no thought
in advance, else the end might well have been precipitated.

Arrows, spears, javelins, stones from slings, poured upon the body-guard
in almost countless numbers, now and then claiming a true-heart as
victim, whereupon the rabble howled afresh in drunken triumph; but where
a single man died in the performance of his oath-bound duty, half a
score heathen bit the dust and grovelled out his remnant of life yonder
where most viciously trampled the feet of his fellow brutes.

Pausing barely long enough to beat back the crazed rush which came
so close upon their retreat, the band of brothers would then slowly,
doggedly fall back another of those mighty steps, with bared teeth and
blazing eyes, longing to end all by one joyous plunge into the thick of
their assailants, dying with their chosen dead!

Five separate times that upward flight, and five times the grim pause
to give death another portion of his red feast. Five times the
blood-lapping mob dashed against the band of brothers. Five times they
were hurled back, leaving more dead and dying there to mark the savage
struggle.

And then, sadly decimated at each halt, less in numbers as they passed
farther from earth to climb nearer the blue sky, the survivors won
the crest of the teocalli, still fighting, still beating back such as
followed their steps more closely.

Ere that brilliant retreat began, 'twould have taken close ranks for the
body-guard to find standing-room upon the temple-top; but now--Aztotl
called for a division of his force, since there were four separate
avenues of approach, of which the enemy was prompt to avail itself.

"For the Sun Children, my brothers!" he cried, his voice rising even
above that awful tumult and turmoil. "Guard them with your lives!"

Little need to waste breath in so adjuring. Of all thus enlisted, not
one of the true-hearts but proved worthy the trust.

Not one brave who took care for his own life. Not one but was ready to
die in order to save; and thus far not a single wound had won so far as
either Child of the Fair God.

Even now while the heathen were raging more viciously than ever,
crowding each terrace and jamming each flight of steps to the verge of
suffocation, strong arms were shielding them, true hearts were thinking
how best they might be served.

Time