argument."

"Not so, believe me, my fair cousin. They take us on the weak side of
the heart--they blind our eyes to our true relations, unnerve our arms,
and blunt our weapons of defence."

"What then would you do," asked Cacama, as if more than half persuaded
that Guatimozin was right in his views of duty.

"Do," replied the Prince, with startling energy of tone and manner, "I
would fling it at his feet, or trample it under my own, before his eyes,
and show him that I scorn him and his gifts alike."

Tecuichpo turned suddenly round at this remark, as if fearing the
stranger would understand it, and in her agitation, dropped a
magnificent jewel from her dress, and with it the rose so gallantly
presented by Sandoval. A dozen princes and cavaliers sprang, at the same
instant, to replace the precious toy. Pedro Orteguilla, the beautiful
young page of Cortez, was so fortunate as to recover it. Doffing his
cap, and kneeling gracefully at her feet, he presented it to the
Princess with an air of admiring deference, and, by signs, solicited the
honor of replacing it upon her arm.

This little incident put an end to the discussion, which was growing too
warm for the occasion, and the festivities went on as gaily as before.

A group of sprightly, mischief loving girls, who had clustered round the
cool basin of a sparkling _jet d' eau_, and were amusing themselves by
free and fearless comments upon the appearance and manners of the
strangers, arrested the eye of the impulsive, humor loving Alvarado, and
drew him to solicit a share in their sport; for, in beating a retreat
from the eagle glance of Karee, he had strolled into an illuminated
arbor, in one of the open courts of the palace. With hand, and eye, and
lip, now appealing in emphatic gesture to the stars above, and now, with
ready tact and admirable sagacity distributing the flowers among the gay
naiads of the fountain, he soon ingratiated himself into their favor,
and engaged them in a brilliant and animated pantomime, which, if it
wanted the eloquence of words, found ample compensation for that defect,
in the merry shout and ringing laugh, that accompanied each labored
attempt to utter, or interpret, a sentiment. The gallant cavalier soon
found himself loaded with a profusion of floral favors. For every flower
he bestowed upon the fair nymphs, he received an appropriate return,
till his hands were full, and he found it necessary to arrange them upon
his person.

In