CHAPTER XXX. AGAINST OVERWHELMING ODDS.
This double appearance--for Ixtli kept fair pace with his hot-headedwhite brother--caused no little stir, and added considerable to thepartial bewilderment which had fallen over that audience.
Prince Hua shouted forth savage threats, but he, as well as the paba,was fairly demoralised for the moment by the totally unexpected failureof their carefully laid schemes.
Seeing his chance, Aztotl bade his men escort the Sun Children from theHall of Sacrifice back to their own abiding-place, barely noticing hisson, and paying no heed at all to the disguised paleface.
With spears ready for stroke or parry as occasion might demand,the guard faced about and slowly moved away from the great stone ofsacrifice, rigid of face, cool of nerve, ready to die if must be, yetnever once thinking of disobedience to orders, or of playing cur to savelife.
Almost involuntarily the crowd parted before that measured advance,giving way until a fair pathway lay open, along which the body-guardmoved with neither haste nor hesitation, outwardly ignorant of the factthat ugly cries and dangerous gestures were coming thicker and fastertheir way.
Scores of other voices caught up the fierce cry given by the headpriest, and now the temple was ringing throughout with demands thatthe false Sun Children should pay full penalty, should be haled to thesacrificial stone, there to purge themselves without further delay!
Others showed an inclination to favour the descendants of Quetzal', andthus the widely conflicting shouts and cries formed a medley which wasfairly deafening.
For one of his fierce temper the Red Heron showed a marvellous coolnessthroughout that perilous retreat, and never more than during the firstfew seconds. Then a single injudicious word or too hasty movement mighteasily have precipitated a fight, where the vast audience would surelyhave brought disaster, whether the majority so willed or not.
Holding his men well in hand, moving only as rapidly as prudencejustified, yet losing neither time nor ground, where both were ofsuch vital importance; Aztotl forced a passage from the great Hall ofSacrifice down to the level, then out into the open air, where one couldsee and fight if needs be.
Through all this, Bruno Gillespie held the position he had taken, onehand gripping tightly his maquahuitl, but placing his main dependenceupon the revolver which nestled conveniently within the folds of hissash, one nervous forefinger touching the curved trigger.
He could not help seeing that the danger was great. He felt certain thatthey could not retreat much farther without coming to blows, when theodds would be overwhelmingly against them. Yet never for an instant didhe regret having taken such a decided step; not for one moment did hegive thought to himself.
Almost within reach of his hand, if extended at the length of his arm,moved the fair maiden whose face and form had made so deep an impressionupon his mind and his heart. She was in peril. She needed aid. That wasenough!
Then the briefly stunned Tlacopa rushed forth from his desecratedtemple, wildly flourishing his arms, furiously denouncing both the SunChildren and their body-guard, thundering forth the curses of all thegods upon the heads of those who refrained from arresting the evil ones.
"The mighty Mother of Gods calls for her own! Seize them! Strike downthe impious dogs who dare attempt to defraud our Mother! Seize them! Tothe sacrifice--to the sacrifice!"
Equally loud of voice, the Prince Hua came leaping down to the sandylevel, urging his people to the assault, offering almost fabulous sumsas reward for the brave Aztec whose arm should lay yonder traitorous RedHeron prone in the dust.
The crisis came, and the dogs of war were let loose.
An arrow whizzed narrowly past the feathered helmet worn by the captainof the guards. A stone came humming out of sling, to be deftly dashedaside by Aztotl's shield ere it could fairly smite that gold-crownedhead as, outwardly calm and composed, Victo aided her trembling daughteron towards the Temple of the Sun God, where alone they might look forsafety.
But would it be found even there?
No! For, at savage howl from lips of the high priest, a strong force ofarmed redskins took up position at the teocalli, blocking each one ofthe four flights of stone steps in order to intercept the body-guard,while still closer pressed the yelling, screeching, frantic heathen ofboth sexes and all ages.
Aztotl saw how he had been flanked, but made no sign, even whileslightly turning course for another temple at less distance, a singleword being sufficient to post his true-hearts.
So far not a single blow had been struck by the retreating party,although great provocation had been given them. More than one of theirnumber was bleeding, yet all were afoot, and still capable of holdingranks. Then--
Bravest of the brave, a man among men in spite of his tender years,Ixtli laid down his life in defence of his idolised Victo.
From one of that maddened rabble came a heavy stone, flung with all thepower of a sinewy arm and great sling. Smitten fairly between theeyes, the poor lad's skull was crushed, as a giant hand might mash aneggshell.
One gasping sigh, then the lad sunk to earth, dead ere he could fairlymeasure his length thereupon.
For a single instant Aztotl seemed as one stupefied, but then an awfuluproar burst from his labouring lungs, and he hurled his heavy javelinfull at yonder murderer, winging it with a father's curses.
Swift flew the dart, but fully as quickly sank that varlet, the head ofthe spear scraping his skull, to pass on and smite with death one evenmore evil, if that might be.
Full in the throat Tlacopa was stricken, the broad blade of coppertearing a passage through, and the shaft following after for the greaterportion of its length. Unable to scream, though his visage was hideouslydistorted by mingled fear and agony, the high priest caught the wood inboth hands, even as he reeled to partly turn, then fall upon his face,dead,--thrice dead!
With a wild thrill of grief and horror, Bruno Gillespie saw his redbrother reel in cruel death, and, for the moment heedless of his ownperil, which surely was doubled thereby, he sprang that way, to stoopand catch that quivering shape in his eager hands.
Too late, save to show his comradeship. That heavy stone had only toosurely performed its grim mission. Dead! Poor lad: dead, while seekingto save another!
With a fierce cry of angry mourning, Bruno lifted the mutilated corpsein his arms, trying to toss it over a shoulder, to bear away from riskof trampling under the heedless feet of the yelling heathen; but it wasnot to be. Another stone smote his arm near the elbow, breaking no bone,yet so benumbing the member as to temporarily disable it, causing thatprecious burden to drop to earth once more.
Then came an awful outcry from the people, whom the sight of theirhigh-priest reeling in death had, for a few fleeting seconds, fairlystupefied. Cries which meant much to the living, and before which eventhat band of true-hearts receded with slightly quickened pace.
With the others fell back Bruno, leaving his hand-wood lying beside thelifeless corpse of his redskinned brother-at-heart, but drawing forththe weapon which he knew so much better how to use.
The fierce lust of vengeance now seized upon him, heart and brain. Heshouted forth grim defiance to that howling crew, and as the deadlymissiles came in thickening clouds, carrying death and wounds to thebodyguard of the Sun Children, he opened fire, shooting to kill.
Entirely without firearms themselves, and in all probability ignorant ofsuch an instrument of destruction, this might have produced a far morebeneficial result under other circumstances. As it was now, few, if any,took heed of what they could not hear above that awful tumult, and thosewho felt the boring lead never rose up to give their testimony.
Closer crowded the superstition-ridden heathen, showering missiles ofall descriptions upon the body-guard, confounding all with the one towhose javelin their head priest owed his death,--only to recoil oncemore, in fierce awe, as another victim of high rank paid forfeit hislife for the death of Ixtli, sole offspring of Aztotl, the Red Heron.
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