d Dictator of Peru.

On Sunday afternoon, the 26th of June, 1541, De Rada and nineteen
desperate men of Chili, met at De Rada's house in Lima. Pizarro had
received a number of warnings which he had neglected, confident {106}
in the security of his position, but the existence of the conspiracy
had been brought home to him with peculiar force that Sunday, and he
had remained in his palace at Lima surrounded by a number of gentlemen
devoted to his cause. At vespers--which seems to have been a favorite
hour for nefarious deeds among the Spaniards--the assassins sallied
forth from the home of De Rada and started for the palace.

Such was the indifference in which the people held the squabbles
between the Pizarrists and the Almagrists, that it was casually
remarked by many of them, as the assassins proceeded through the
streets, that they were probably on their way to kill the governor.
The governor was at supper on the second floor of his palace. There
was a sudden tumult in the square below. The door was forced open and
the Almagrists, shouting "Death to Pizarro!" rushed for the stairs.
Most of the noble company with the old Marquis fled. The great
conquistador at least had no thought of flight. There remained with
him, however, two pages, his brother Martin de Alcantara, Francisco de
Chaves, one of the immortal thirteen of Gallo, and another cavalier,
named De Luna.

As they heard the clash of arms on the stairs and the shouting of the
assailants, the Marquis ordered De Chaves to close the door; then he
sprang to the wall, tore from it his corselet and endeavored to buckle
it on his person. De Chaves unwisely attempted to parley, instead of
closing the door and barring it. The assailants forced the entrance,
cut down De Chaves, and burst into the room. Pizarro gave over the
attempt to fasten his breastplate, and seizing a sword and spear,
defended himself stoutly while pealing his war-cry: "Santiago!" through
the palace. The two pages, {107} fighting valiantly, were soon cut
down. De Alcantara and De Luna were also killed, and finally, Pizarro,
an old man over seventy years of age, stood alone before the murderers.

Such was the wonderful address of the sword play with which he defended
himself that the conspirators were at a loss how to take him, until De
Rada, ruthlessly seizing one of his comrades, pitilessly thrust him
upon Pizarro's sword-point, and, before the old man could withdraw the
weapon, cut him