one of Sacrifice in
plain view of all. I wondered as I saw that only soldiers accompanied
him, and that there was no sign of the coming of the priests by whom the
sacrifice would be made. But my wonder ceased, and the burning pain that
then consumed me was a little lessened, as there came forth from the
underground passage, guarded by four soldiers, a very tall, strong
Indian, whose muscles stood out in great knots upon his lithe body and
legs and arms, and immediately following him six others no less
powerful--for then I knew that Fray Antonio was not to die the cruel and
bloody death of a sacrificial victim, but was to have, in accordance
with the Aztec custom, such chance of life as was to be found in
fighting these seven men in turn and receiving his freedom when he had
slain them all. Yet as I looked at the slim figure of the monk, and then
at these burly giants ready to be pitted against him, I knew that but
one result could issue from that unequal combat; and a sudden dizziness
came upon me, and for a moment all around me was dark. Nor was this
momentary darkness wholly imaginary; for just then--with a low growl of
distant thunder--a fragment broke away from the great mass of black
cloud that hung upon the crest of the cliff above us and drifted
sluggishly across the face of the sun.

When my dizziness had passed, and I could again see clearly, the warrior
was standing upon the Stone of Sacrifice--naked save for his
breech-clout, and armed with a round shield and a maccahuitl of hardened
gold. The monk still wore his flowing habit, whence the hood had fallen
back, so that his head was bare; in one hand he held his crucifix, and
with the other he was motioning away the sword and shield that a soldier
held out to him: at sight of which refusal on his part to be armed there
was a shrill outcry among the multitude that the fight would not be
fair; and to this sharp noise of strident voices there was added a
solemn undertone that came in a low roll of thunder from the overhanging
cloud.

[Illustration: FRAY ANTONIO'S APPEAL]

As though to still the clamor, the monk waved his hand; and when at this
sign the outcries ceased, he asked--yet addressing not the Priest
Captain but the whole mass of people gathered there--if certain words
which he desired to utter would be heard. And in answer to him there
went up a shout of assent, in which was drowned completely (save that
we, being close beneath him, heard it) the Pries