n sacrificed to your gods, or
that I am held as a slave and have no power, whatever, to help
you."

Malinche said no more. Her dark eyes were full of tears, but with
the habit of submission natural to Mexican women, she simply took
Roger's hand and placed it against her forehead.

"Malinche will wait," she said, and then hurried from the room.

Before leaving, Roger gave Malinche several of the handsomest of
the bracelets and necklaces that had been bestowed on him, in the
first flush of his popularity at Tabasco; and gave presents also to
the old woman. The two girls wept bitterly when he said goodbye to
them, and Roger, himself, had to fight hard to restrain his tears.

"It is as bad," he said to himself, "as it was saying goodbye to
Dorothy and Agnes. Color does not matter much, after all. Malinche
is just as good and kind as if she were white."

The cazique himself conducted Roger to the Anahuac encampment. He
had, that morning, made him various presents of robes and mantles,
for he was very desirous that his visitor should part in goodwill
from him; and he again impressed upon him the fact that he only
parted with him because he felt that he could not protect him from
the ill will of some of his people.

The merchants made no secret of their satisfaction, as soon as they
had handed to the cazique the goods and slaves they had agreed to
give, in exchange for Roger. They had, like the cazique, pretended
to be indifferent as to the bargain; and had haggled with him over
the terms of the purchase. But both parties were equally desirous
of concluding the agreement and, while the cazique considered that
he was making an excellent bargain for the visitor who had
voluntarily placed himself in his hands, the merchants were still
more delighted.

In the first place, the Mexicans were, as Malinche had told Roger,
looking for the arrival of Quetzalcoatl, or of a white descendant
of his from the sea; and if Roger were to turn out to be the
expected god, the honor which would fall upon them, as his
producer, would be great, indeed. But even should this not prove
so, they would gain great credit, to say nothing of profit, by
bringing home so singular a being, who would either be received in
high honor by the king, or would be one of the most acceptable
sacrifices ever offered to the gods.

As soon, therefore, as the cazique had left, they addressed Roger
in terms of high respect, and presented to him some of their most