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diff --git a/43189-8.txt b/43189-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 8d588ff..0000000 --- a/43189-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5550 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Harlequin Opal, Vol. 3 (of 3), by Fergus Hume - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Harlequin Opal, Vol. 3 (of 3) - A Romance - -Author: Fergus Hume - -Release Date: July 10, 2013 [EBook #43189] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HARLEQUIN OPAL, VOL. 3 (OF 3) *** - - - - -Produced by Suzanne Shell and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - -THE HARLEQUIN OPAL - -A ROMANCE - - -BY - -FERGUS HUME - -_Author of "The Island of Fantasy," "Aladdin in London," etc._ - - -VOLUME III - - - Once a realm of Indian glory, - Famed in Aztec song and story, - Fabled by Tradition hoary - As an earthly Paradise; - Now a land of love romances, - Serenades, bolero dances, - Looks of scorn, adoring glances, - Under burning tropic skies. - - -LONDON -W. H. ALLEN & CO., LIMITED -13, WATERLOO PLACE, S.W. -1893 - -WYMAN AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND REDHILL. - - - - - PROEM. - - - The stone had its birth in the nurturing earth, - Its home in the heart of the main, - From the coraline caves it was tossed by the waves - On the breast of an aureate plain; - And the spirits who dwell in the nethermost hell - Stored fire in its bosom of white; - The sylphs of the air made it gracious and fair - With the blue of the firmament's height. - - The dull gnomes I ween, gave it glittering sheen, - Till yellow as gold it became; - The nymphs of the sea made the opal to be - A beacon of emerald flame. - - The many tints glow, they come and they go - At bidding of spirits abhorr'd, - When one ray is bright, in the bosom of white, - Its hue tells the fate of its lord. - For yellow hints wealth, and blue meaneth health, - While green forbodes passing of gloom, - But beware of the red, 'tis an omen of dread, - Portending disaster and doom. - - - - -Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected -without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have -been retained as printed. Words printed in italics are noted with -underscores: _italics_. The cover of this ebook was created by the -transcriber and is hereby placed in the public domain. - - - - -INDEX. - - -CHAP PAGE - - I.--WITHIN THE WALLS 1 - - II.--THE FALL OF JANJALLA 22 - - III.--THE FLIGHT TO TLATONAC 44 - - IV.--EXIT DON FRANCISCO GOMEZ 60 - - V.--THE INDIAN RAID 76 - - VI.--THE LUCK OF THE OPAL 96 - - VII.--UNDER THE OPAL FLAG 113 - -VIII.--THE BATTLE OF CENTEOTL 131 - - IX.--THE TRIUMPH OF THE REPUBLIC 154 - - X.--THE CANON ROAD 167 - - XI.--THE DESTINY OF THE OPAL 191 - - XII.--FAREWELL, TLATONAC! 219 - - - - -THE HARLEQUIN OPAL. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -WITHIN THE WALLS. - - Circle of stone, - Circle of steel, - Loyalists true, - Pent up in battle belts twain; - Yet we, alone, - Doubly feel, - That with our few, - We shall a victory gain. - - Climb up our foes, - Over the wall, - Deep bit the swords, - Fiercely the cannon spout fire; - Yet 'neath our blows, - Downward they fall, - Traitorous hordes, - In torment and blood to expire. - - -Tim at once took his friends to his quarters, and made them -comfortable, but scarcely had they finished a hurried meal, when an -aide-de-camp arrived from General Gigedo requiring their presence -without delay. As Peter had received a nasty blow on the head during -the _męlée_, Jack insisted that he should remain behind and rest -himself. Peter feebly remonstrated against this arrangement, as he -wanted to accompany his friends, but in the end was forced to yield to -their insistence. Then Duval buckled on his sword, slipped his -revolvers into his belt, and went off with Tim to report himself at -head-quarters. - -Both of them were terribly alarmed about Philip. In the first burst of -emotion Jack had deemed his friend dead; but, on looking at the matter -calmly, it seemed probable that he would yet turn up well and unhurt. -It was impossible that Indians, in whatever number, could utterly -exterminate a body of disciplined troops amounting to a thousand men. -Tim's opinion was that if they had been attacked and overpowered by -strategy, they had fled to the nearest town for shelter. As he had -marched overland with Colonel Garibay from Tlatonac, he knew the -country better than did Jack, and proceeded to defend his theory of the -reinforcements' safety, by describing the position of the towns. - -"It's a hundred miles or more as the crow flies from Tlatonac to this -God-forsaken place. Within that limit are four towns, no less--one -every twenty miles. When we marched south two weeks ago, we first went -to Chichimec, then to Puebla de los Naranjos, which last one is midway. -Hermanita is next, and then after dropping in at Centeotl, we came on -to Janjalla!" - -"Still, if the Indians surprised them by night they might have -surrounded and exterminated the whole lot. To my mind nothing is so -dangerous as a despised enemy." - -"What!" cried Tim, with great contempt, "d'you mean to tell me that a -lot of naked savages could manage that. By my soul, 'tis impossible!" - -"But, my dear fellow, the Indians are out in thousands. Cocom told me -so." - -"They may be out in millions," retorted Tim, emphatically. "I tell you, -Jack, they couldn't have killed all these men. A good number of them -must have escaped to the nearest town, and, I'll lay my soul on it, -that among those who got away is Philip. He wasn't born to be murdered -by a lot of howling savages." - -"Well, let us hope so," replied Jack, who was beginning to take this -comfortable view of things himself; "but, tell me, Tim, when the -reinforcements didn't arrive, why did you not wire to Tlatonac?" - -"Begad! I couldn't. The rebels cut the telegraph wires some days since. -The last message was that you and Doņa Dolores had come back safely. -Ah, my boy," cried Tim, slapping Jack on the shoulder, "didn't I sing -'Glory Hallelujah,' when I heard that same. But, I knew you'd turn up -again all safe." - -"I didn't know it myself!" replied Jack, grimly "it was touch and go, I -can tell you." - -"Dioul! You must tell me all about it. But hold your noise, Jack, and -don't be lamenting for Philip. If you returned, so will he." - -"I fervently hope so," said Jack, gloomily; "but I own that I feel -doubtful. Are the wires cut on both sides of the town?" - -"No! glory be to the saints. I can still telegraph to England by the -wires going south, but I expect them to be cut every minute, so I'm -hard at work sending all the news I can." - -"Did you see the fight last night?" - -"Did I not! Whow, my boy! I guessed what was up, but till the dawn -we weren't quite sure of the trouble. Begad! _The Pizarro's_ gone -anyhow." - -"Yes. But the other warships and transports are due to-night." - -"Then we'll have another fight," said Tim, coolly; "wasn't I wishing I -was on board a torpedera! There's a heap to talk about, Jack; how you -escaped from that infernal Xuarez, and how you sank _The Pizarro_. I -want to wire about that same right away." - -"First I must see what the General desires. Oh, here is Garibay. A -thousand greetings, Colonel." - -"What, Seņor Juan! Ah, mi amigo, how pleased I am to see you safe once -more. I deemed you were dead." - -"Dios! He is a merry corpse, Seņor," said Tim, turning his head. -"Where's the General?" - -"Within yonder house of the Jefe Politico. You also, Seņor -Correspoņsal, does he desire to see." - -"I am at the service of Seņor Gigedo. Know you, Comandante, what he -desires to speak of?" - -"It is that you will convey the glorious news of our naval victory to -your gran'diario." - -"Dios! That will be done within an hour. I but waited to find out all -particulars from Don Juan." - -"Oh! I can tell you everything," said Jack cheerfully, "I was on board -_The Montezuma_ with Don Rafael, and it was her torpedo which sank -_The Pizarro_." - -"Viva los Torpederas," shouted Garibay, who was greatly excited over -this unexpected victory. - -The cry was taken up by a chattering group of officers lounging in from -off the General's headquarters, and Jack being recognized was at once -surrounded by them. They were mostly young fellows, who were weary of -being pent up within the walls of a suburban town, and saw in this -sinking of _The Pizarro_, a chance of coming face to face with the -enemy. It was all cries of Viva! Bueno! Gracias a Dios! as Duval passed -through their midst, and many would fain have detained him, to learn -particulars of the combat; but Jack was anxious to hear Gigedo's views -concerning the non-arrival of the reinforcements, so entered the -mansion at once. Colonel Garibay conducted them both without delay to -the General's apartments. Gigedo, cigarette in mouth, was poring over a -large map of the country, evidently tracing the line of march from -Tlatonac, but on seeing Duval, he sprang up and advanced to salute him, -with a pleased smile. - -"A thousand congratulations, Seņor, on your escape from the hands of -Xuarez," he said, warmly; "and still more on your gallant conduct of -last night." - -"Oh! as to that, General, I was but an onlooker," replied Duval, -modestly. "The credit of sinking _The Pizarro_ rests with Don -Rafael Maraquando. Have you heard the particulars?" - -"Assuredly Seņor, Don Sebastian de Ahumada has left me but this moment. -He informed me of the affair, and also delivered the instructions from -His Excellency. I find here," added Gigedo, striking a pile of papers -with his open hand, "that over a thousand men left Tlatonac for the -front, four days ago." - -"That is so, General. My friend, Seņor Felipe, was with them." - -"They have not arrived, Don Juan. The troops of Xuarez cannot have -intercepted them and I am at a loss to understand this delay. Can you -explain?" - -"Seņor," said Jack after a pause, "before I left Tlatonac there were -rumours of an Indian rising. While a prisoner at Totatzine I saw myself -the tribes, incited to war by Ixtlilxochitli, the High Priest of the -Chalchuih Tlatonac." - -"Ah, that cursed opal!" cried Garibay, fiercely; "it is the cause of -great trouble. Would that it could be taken from the Indians." - -"Rest content, Seņor Garibay; it _is_ taken from the Indians. Doņa -Dolores took it from the shrine, and it is now in Tlatonac." - -"Dios!" exclaimed the General and Garibay, simultaneously, while Tim -was scarcely less astonished. - -"Naturally enough the Indians wish to recover this sacred gem, Seņor, -therefore the rising has taken place sooner than was expected. I fear, -gentlemen, that the Indians have surprised and massacred our poor -friends." - -"Santissima Madre! a thousand men?" - -"The Indian forces amount to three times that number," said Jack, -quickly. "It is true that His Excellency, at my request, sent -messengers after the reinforcements to warn them of a possible attack. -Yet it is not unlikely that these messengers may have been intercepted -by the Indians. They might have fallen on the reinforcements without -warning, and then--Seņor, three thousand against one thousand--an -unexpected attack. Alas! it is a terrible risk." - -"Our troops may have retreated to one of the towns," said Gigedo, -taking the same view of the case as had Tim. "This I would know if the -telegraph wires had not been cut. But as it is we can but wait." - -"And meantime," remarked Garibay, dryly "Xuarez will land some -troops--already two thousand lie before the town--we have hard work, -even behind our walls to keep them back. Now we have scarcely five -hundred here capable of defending the town. Many are dead and -wounded--fever and dysentery prevail greatly. If Xuarez lands more -troops and makes an immediate attack Janjalla must fall." - -"He cannot land more troops while _The Iturbide_ and the torpederas -guard the harbour." said Gigedo in a tone of some displeasure; "and -even if these two thousand again assault the walls we can hold out -until reinforcements arrive. His Excellency tells me that two thousand -men are to follow in ten days." - -"Hark!" cried Tim, as Garibay was about to reply; "a gun!--another. -Seņores, the warships are at it again. With your permission, General." - -He hastily left the room and went off to the walls where he was soon -afterwards joined by Jack, who had been hurriedly dismissed by the -General. They looked seaward, and saw the performance of a most -extraordinary drama. - -It was now about three o'clock, and the ocean like a sheet of glass -stretched in an inclined plane upward to the distant horizon. Owing to -the elevation of the city walls they looked down, as from the heights -of an amphitheatre. The ramparts were crowded with spectators, -townsfolk and soldiers. Immediately below was the beach, the rebel -camp--then the long pier shooting out into the blue, and beyond the -flashing expanse of the sea. _The Iturbide_ was lying a quarter of -a mile from the shore with her two torpederas, one on each side of her. -The cruiser had swung round, and was firing her guns at a slowly -approaching warship. - -"_The Columbus_!" cried Jack, when his eyes fell upon this vessel. - -"True for you, John," said Tim, handing him the glass. "She has come -south by herself. I thought you told me the transports were not due -here till midnight." - -"No more they are. I expect Xuarez, learning through his spies of our -departure from Tlatonac has sent _The Columbus_ on ahead to join -forces with _The Pizarro_. With two warships he hopes to keep our lot -at bay till the transports with the _Cortes_ are safe in the harbour." - -"The sinking of _The Pizarro_ will rather upset his plans. _The -Columbus_ dare not attack two torpederas and a cruiser, single-handed." - -"Upon my soul! that seems exactly what she intends to do, Tim." - -A low murmur of surprise arose from the crowd on the ramparts, who -were eagerly watching the warships. It seemed as though _The Columbus_ -was bent on her own destruction, for she came steaming straight ahead -for the three ships of the Junta, insolently flying the red flag of -Xuarez. - -"What the deuce does she mean," cried Tim, in perplexity. "Surely she -can't mistake _The Iturbide_ for her consort." - -"Perhaps she intends to desert," suggested Jack. - -_The Columbus_ was now more within range, and though hitherto she had -been silent under the fire of _The Iturbide_, she now began to speak -in her turn, and a white line of smoke ran along her black sides as -the balls came singing over the water. - -"Not much deserting about that," said Tim, grimly; "no! the rebels have -some scheme in their heads." - -By this time Pedraza was thoroughly enraged at the insolence of this -one ship attacking him single-handed, and signalled at once to the -torpederas. The captain of _The Columbus_ saw that the signals ordered -the boats to "up anchor," and acted accordingly. In a surprisingly -short space of time the rebel ship had swung round, and with full -steam ahead was standing out to sea. The ships of the Junta were taken -by surprise at their manoeuvre, and it was fully a question of an hour -before they started in pursuit. Tim shut his glass with a click. - -"Jack, I see it all. _The Columbus_ wants to get our boats out of -the harbour so as to let _The Cortes_ and the transports slip in -together." - -"Rather a risky game, Tim. She'll be overhauled and sunk by the -torpederas in no time." - -"Not while she can keep them off with her heavy guns! What speed have -the torpederas?" - -"Eighteen to nineteen knots." - -"And _The Columbus_?" - -"Well, Rafael says her ordinary speed is fifteen but in case of need -she can crack up steam to eighteen." - -"Even that gives the torpederas one knot to the good. But she can -outsteam _The Iturbide_." - -"Oh yes; sixteen is _her_ limit!" - -"Then I tell you what! _The Columbus_, as I said, has come here as -a decoy--she knows the cruiser can't touch her speed, and she hopes to -keep the torpederas at a safe distance with her heavy guns. She's off -in a bee line straight out, and the other boats are after her. Then -she'll dodge them and steam back here to find _The Cortes_ and the -transports all safe in harbour." - -"I believe you are right, Tim." - -"Of course I'm right. Look at the way she's smoking through the water." - -Jack put the glass to his eyes and saw _The Columbus_ was travelling -at top speed towards the open sea. After her scampered the two torpedo -boats like hounds on her trail. Further behind _The Iturbide_ with the -black smoke vomiting from her funnels was putting her soul into the -chase. Pedraza was evidently determined to follow up one victory by -another, and over eager to sink or capture the crack ironclad of the -rebels, forgot all about the incoming transports. Thus, in half an -hour the four ships were mere specks on the horizon, and the harbour -of Janjalla was left open for the arrival of Xuarez and fresh troops. - -The crowd of people on the ramparts were too excited at the stirring -spectacle of the chase to think of such a thing, and yelled themselves -hoarse in cheering for Pedraza. Below on the beach the rebels, who had -evidently understood the manoeuvres of _The Columbus_, were cheering -vigorously for Don Hypolito. - -"Wait you dogs," cried Jack, shaking his fists at them; "soon shall you -sing another tune." - -"By all the saints so shall we," said Tim, wisely: "unless the forts -keep off the transports we'll have another two thousand troops down -there this night, and then--it's wigs on the green there will be." - -"I agree with you, Tim--unless the reinforcements arrive." - -"Even then, four thousand attacking a town can do a powerful lot, and -when the reinforcements arrive we'll only have one thousand five -hundred to put against them. However, let us not despair," added Tim, -philosophically. "Come with me, Don Juan, and we'll look over the town. -Then we'll go and see if there is any sign of the new troops." - -Jack assented, and descending from the ramparts they made their way -through the town to the house where Tim had his quarters. The streets -were filled with soldiers, who mostly looked smart, and well fitted for -their work. Here and there were wounded men, and a few sick with -malarian fever from the adjacent swamp, but on the whole it was -wonderful how healthy was the town. Twice had the rebels assaulted the -walls and twice been beaten back, not without considerable loss of men -on the side of the loyalists. Fortunately, provisions were plentiful, -and it was the cool season, therefore the troops of the Junta were in -comparatively good condition. Despite their small numbers, they were so -heartened by the sinking of _The Pizarro_, that it was plain they -would fight like fiends to hold Janjalla until aid arrived from the -capital. - -The townspeople took the fact of being besieged in the most contented -manner, and hardly interrupted their daily occupations. In the streets -the tortilleras were crying their wares, the water-carriers proclaiming -the fact that they sold "aqua limpia," and, but for the unusual number -of soldiers, it would have been quite impossible to see that the city -was in the very jaws of danger. At times a woman wrapped in the rebozo -would pass along the street, but as a rule they kept within doors, and -showed themselves but rarely. In the plazas men were being drilled, and -many of the houses were used as hospitals for the sick and wounded. - -Tim and Jack made their way through the crowded streets, and duly -arrived at the former's quarters, where they found Peter eagerly -expecting them. He was weary of being by himself, and when he heard -they were going to the land-gate to seek news of the reinforcements, -insisted on accompanying them. After taking a drink of aguardiente, of -which they stood much in need, owing to the exhaustion caused by -excitement, the three friends set off at once to see if they could hear -anything about the expected troops. - -Don Sebastian was fraternising with the captain in command of the -cavalry, as his own troops had been sent forward to the sea ramparts. -The mounted regiments were stationed at this end of the town as they -were more useful in sallies than were the infantry. This was proved by -the way in which they had succoured the soldiers from _The Iturbide_, -as only horse-men could have kept the rebel troops at bay. - -"No signs yet, Seņor," said Don Sebastian, politely; "but half an hour -ago the general sent out two Indian scouts with instructions to inquire -at Centeotl for our men." - -"That is twenty miles away." - -"Yes; but these Indians travel fast. Before midnight we shall hear news -of our troops--that is if they get as far south as Centeotl." - -"And before midnight Xuarez will have landed his new regiments," said -Tim, turning away. "Well, there's no help for it, I suppose. Come, Jack -and Peter, 'tis no use waiting here. We must wait till these scouts -return." - -"And meanwhile, Tim?" - -"Come with me to the telegraph-office. I'm going to send an account of -the sea-fight to my paper." - -"You are sure the wires are not cut to the southward?" said Peter, as -they trudged along to the office. - -"They weren't this morning anyhow. Why should they cut them? All they -want to do is to intercept communication with the capital. They don't -care two straws what goes to England." - -"Xuarez does. He told me so." - -"Ah! but, you see, Xuarez is not here at present, and has forgotten to -give orders to cut them. When he arrives again, he'll do it, maybe." - -"Well, seeing that he wishes the world to look on him as a noble -patriot, he certainly won't care about your wiring plain truths about -him to the old country. He'll either cut the wires or bring a war -correspondent on his own hook." - -"A rival!" cried Tim, indignantly. "If I thought so, I'd shoulder a -musket myself, and go out to shoot the dirty villain. Here's the P.O., -my boys! Peter! hold your noise. Jack's going to give me a history of -the fight." - -"I know as much about it as Jack does," said Peter, in an injured tone, -as they entered the office. - -"Then I'll let you put in a word here and there," replied his friend, -in a kind tone. "Why, Peter, I'd do anything to please you. Didn't I -think you were knocked out of time, entirely. Manuel, are the wires -right?" - -"Yes, Seņor," replied the operator, a dark alert-looking man; "all safe -to Truxillo!" - -"Bueno! Then they will be safe to England. Truxillo is in Honduras, and -is as right as the Bank. Come, Jack, begin at once!" - -They were over two hours at this business as, what with Jack's -roundabout descriptions and Peter's interruptions, it took some time -for Tim to get the story ship-shape. Then Manuel was constantly wiring -the intelligence, as transmitted to him by Tim, who took full advantage -of the licence given by his editor to send extensive telegrams. It was -close on six o'clock when he finished, and he was just stretching -himself with a yawn after his long spell of sitting, when outside a -murmur began. It rapidly swelled into a roar and the three friends -rushed out of the office to learn what new event had taken place. The -telegraph-office was situated in the street which ran straight to the -land-gate, and down this street they saw advancing a dense body of men. - -"Vivas los soldatos! Viva el Republico!" - -"Hurrah!" roared Tim, wildly, "'tis the reinforcements!" - -"There's Philip!" cried Jack, pushing his way through the crowd. - -"And wounded!" said Peter, noticing with a true professional eye that -Cassim's left arm hung useless by his side. - -The Janjalla Band, stationed in the Plaza, burst out into the patriotic -strains of the "Opal Fandango," the crowd yelled and cheered, the -soldiers tramped steadily down the street; and Tim, to the imminent -danger of his life, flung himself almost under the feet of Philip's -horse. - -"Philip, my dear boy! Here we are." - -"Tim! Jack! Thank God!" cried Philip, and urging his horse a little way -to the side, jumped down from the saddle. - -Tim gripped one hand, Jack the other, and Peter patted the baronet on -the back. Philip looked worn and haggard, and winced as Tim seized his -left hand. - -"Are you wounded?" cried Tim, letting it go. - -"Yes; but not badly! An Indian arrow through the fleshy part of the -arm." - -"Ah!" exclaimed Jack, anxiously, "then Cocom was right. You have been -attacked by Indians." - -"Two days ago! They surprised our camp by night, and came in in -overwhelming force. Velez was unable to rally his men, and we were -forced to retreat to Centeotl." - -"And how many men have you brought, Philip?" - -"Six hundred!" - -"And one thousand started from Tlatonac," said Jack, sadly; "four -hundred killed. Thank God, Philip, you at least are safe." - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -THE FALL OF JANJALLA. - - They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, - Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, - The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, - A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay. - Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, - And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; - Like incense from an altar up it rolls, - To tell the war-god that a thousand souls - Are to his honour sacrificed this day. - - Oh, Mars! Oh, red Bellona! he or she, - Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; - Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be - Not much more civilised than were those folk, - Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, - Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke. - For ye, blood-thirsty pair, we yet retain - Our ancient love, and hence on battle plain - With myriad victims we your names invoke. - - -The siege of Janjalla lasted five days, and during that period the -town was completely invested by the troops of Xuarez. As had been -foreseen by him, the _Columbus_, acting as a decoy, had drawn away the -ships of the Junta from protecting the harbour, and that same night -Xuarez, under cover of darkness, landed four thousand troops from his -transports. By an inconceivable oversight on the part of the -engineers, the city walls were unprovided with search-lights and -electric apparatus, so Don Hypolito was enabled to land boat-load -after boat-load of men without hindrance. By dawn six thousand men -were encamped on the beach, under the very guns of the forts. - -Had Xuarez attacked the capital, he would have been easily repulsed, -for in Tlatonac all the latest inventions for defence were to be found. -Krupp's guns pointed from the forts, powerful electric lights swept the -harbour, and the bed of the ocean in front of the sea-line was one vast -mass of torpedoes. The flower of the Cholacacan army were behind the -walls, armed with the latest invented rifles, and altogether a siege of -the capital would have lasted months. Don Hypolito, however, was too -crafty to waste his time so fruitlessly, and artfully attacked the -Republic in her weakest part. - -Janjalla was but ill defended by walls and cannon and but ill -garrisoned with capable men. By throwing on the devoted town an -overwhelming mass of troops he could hope to capture it within a few -days. Then making it his head-quarters, could gradually advance along -the plain towards the capital, eating up a town at every twenty miles. -He was already master of Acauhtzin in the north, and if he could only -reduce Janjalla and the four inland towns, he would be in complete -command of the whole inner country. Then, besieging Tlatonac by land -and sea, he could starve the capital into surrender. - -Promptness was Xuarez' great characteristic, and so rapidly had he -accomplished the transference of active operations from north to south -that he had completely taken the Junta by surprise. It was a fatal -mistake on the part of the Governmental party in leaving such an -incapable man as Gomez at the head of affairs. If, relying on the -strength of the capital to protect herself, he had sent all his -available soldiers to garrison Janjalla and defeat the rebels before -they could get a footing in the south, he would have probably crushed -the rebellion in the bud. Victorious in the lower part of the country, -he could have then reduced Acauhtzin at his leisure, and thus ended the -war within a few weeks. - -Unfortunately, Gomez lost his head at the critical period, and proved -himself quite unable to cope with the masterly activity of the rebel -leader. First of all, he committed the mistake of not concentrating his -troops at Janjalla, and then sent a few hundreds of men down at a time. -General Gigedo therefore found himself shut up in Janjalla with -scarcely a thousand troops, few guns, and insufficient ammunition. The -telegraph-wires having been cut, he was unable to communicate promptly -with the capital, and being in urgent need of reinforcements, was in -absolute despair as to what would occur in the near future. It was true -that Gomez had promised another thousand men in ten days; but, even if -they arrived earlier, it would be too late, as with the small garrison -at his disposal, it was impossible that he could hold out against a -force of six thousand for any lengthened period. - -He would have sent messengers to Tlatonac for aid, but the troops of -Don Hypolito completely encircled the city, and it was worse than -useless to try and break through that girdle of steel. He held a -council of war, but no decision could be arrived at, save that Janjalla -should hold out, if possible, until reinforcements arrived from the -capital. Day after day Gigedo and his staff swept the ocean with their -glasses, looking for the torpederas and the cruiser. None of them -appeared, and it could only be conjectured that they had captured -_The Columbus_, and taken her at once to Tlatonac, in the harbour -of which they were now doubtless lying. - -Meanwhile, the garrison fought with desperate valour, and with great -difficulty managed to keep the rebels at bay, but it could be easily -seen that such a state of things could not last. On the fourth day -preparations were made by Xuarez for a final assault, and everyone -instinctively guessed that the end had come. _The Cortes_ was lying -with the transports out of range of the fort-guns, and, by means of -their glasses, those shut up in the town could see that the warship -was making ready to bombard the city. - -Don Hypolito had come south again, with his new troops, and could be -now seen riding about the camp with a brilliant staff, seeing that all -things were ready for the assault. Jack, who, in company with Philip, -was leaning over the ramparts, noted the audacious rebel, and remarked -on his presence before the walls of Janjalla. - -"There goes the brain of the rebellion," he said touching Philip on the -shoulder. "If he could only be disposed of, the war would be over." - -"No doubt. But Xuarez knows his own value too well, and will therefore -keep out of danger. He has evidently made up his mind to finish the -siege to-day." - -"Unless help comes, I think he will succeed," replied Jack, gloomily. -"I cannot conceive what the President or Maraquando can be thinking -about to thus neglect Janjalla. If this town falls into the hands of -Xuarez, as it must do, unless a miracle takes place, Don Francisco will -find the war longer than he expects." - -"Gomez is a fool," said Philip, stamping his foot. "What the deuce is -the use of keeping all the army in the capital? There must be ten -thousand soldiers shut up in Tlatonac, and his Excellency evidently -intends to keep them there till Xuarez and his victorious troops arrive -before the walls." - -"Very likely the Indians are before the walls now, and are waiting for -Xuarez to join them." - -"It's not improbable. Things don't look promising for the Junta, and -all because they let Gomez muddle the business. See, the rebels are -marching up to the sea-gate. It is now noon. Before sundown they will -be within the walls, and masters of the city." - -"What about the garrison?" - -"Their lives depend on the caprice of Xuarez," said Philip, after a -pause. "He may let Gigedo march out with the remains of his troop, or -massacre every one of us." - -"I don't intend to be massacred," replied Jack, dryly; "and, what is -more, I don't intend to be seen by Xuarez. He must know by this time, -through his spies, that I escaped from Totatzine, but he is probably -ignorant that I am in Janjalla. I must escape unseen, Philip, else he -will send me back to be slaughtered by Ixtlilxochitli." - -"Hardly, Jack, while Tim is at hand!" - -"What do you mean?" - -"Don Hypolito," said Philip, sagely, "wishes to stand well with the -world. Tim is the medium through which his actions are reported to the -world. Were he to send an Englishman to be offered up by savages to a -barbaric deity, there would be trouble with England. Xuarez can't -afford to risk that, so he will let you go free." - -"He didn't do that in Acauhtzin." - -"In Acauhtzin, my friend, you were supposed by us to be killed in the -riot. He could do as he pleased with one, who, to the world was -practically a non-existing person. Here it is different. You are alive, -you are with your friends, one of whom is a correspondent of a great -English journal. He dare not seize you for his own ends in broad -daylight. No, my dear Jack, while we are beside you, Xuarez will think -twice before repeating his treachery of Acauhtzin. He will have to look -for a new victim for Ixtlilxochitli." - -"I fervently hope and trust so," answered Jack, looking at his revolver -to see that it was loaded. "And now I suppose we had better go to the -Plaza. The troops must be assembling just now. Hark! there goes the -trumpet. Where is Tim?" - -"In the telegraph-office, with Peter, wiring news to his paper." - -"Poor Peter," said Duval, as they left the ramparts; "he came here to -collect beetles, and finds himself plunged into an unpleasant war." - -"Never mind. There's nothing like experience, Jack. Peter will recount -his deeds of valour, even unto the third generation. We will come out -safe in the end. You will marry Dolores, I Eulalia, and all will be gas -and gaiters, _videlicet_ Nicholas Nickleby." - -Philip's gaiety was infectious, and Jack burst out laughing at his last -remark. They had no time, however, for further conversation, as the -trumpets were calling loudly in the Plaza, and they hurried to that -portion of the town to find the troops rapidly falling in. General -Gigedo made a speech to encourage his soldiers, assuring them that he -had communicated with Tlatonac, and that relief would shortly come to -the besieged town. - -"Is that true, or a lie?" asked Jack of Don Sebastian, who stood beside -him. - -"True," replied the Spaniard, smiling. "This morning carrier pigeons -were sent to his Excellency with messages of our deplorable state. We -shall certainly be relieved in a few days." - -"A few days!" echoed Philip, with a sneer. "My dear Seņor de Ahumada, a -few hours will see our troops evacuating Janjalla." - -"If we are forced to do that, Seņor, we can fall back on Centeotl." - -"What, with a few hundred men, and the Indians scouring the country?" - -"They are further north." - -"I assure you they are not," replied Cassim, emphatically. "We were -attacked near Centeotl, and by this time the savages are between that -town and this. Seņor de Ahumada, I assure you that if we evacuate -Janjalla, we shall fall into the hands of the Indians." - -"Dios!" cried Don Sebastian, suddenly. "_The Cortes_ has started -bombarding." Even as he spoke a bomb burst in the air directly over the -Plaza. At once Gigedo gave the signal to the troops to march to the -ramparts. In the distance they could hear the fierce cries of the -rebels as they marched out of camp, and a tremour passed through the -whole of the city as those within its walls recognised the desperate -state of affairs. Bomb after bomb exploded with deafening noises, the -troops manned the walls, the besiegers hurled themselves against the -sea-gate and planted ladders against the walls. The assault had -commenced. It was the beginning of the end. - -The full force at the disposal of General Gigedo, excluding the sick -and wounded, amounted to some nine hundred men. He divided this into -two portions: five hundred held the sea-facing portion of the town, -four hundred were stationed at the inland gate. Xuarez attacked the two -gates of the town simultaneously, and trusted, in the event of entering -at either portal, to be enabled to attack the loyalists in the rear, -and thus crush them between two armies. - -On the ramparts it was not so difficult to keep the foe back as it was -below. They planted ladders, and these were hurled with their burden -of climbing men into the ditch below. An incessant fusillade of -musketry crackled along the walls, and the cannon with depressed -muzzles hurled their balls with more or less damaging effect into the -dense throng massed on the beach below. The bombs from _The Cortes_ -did their deadly work skilfully, and the besiegers kept themselves as -widely apart as possible, so as to neutralise the effect of the shells -on compact masses. - -It was outside the sea-gate, however, that the siege was pressed most -hardly. Xuarez had cannon planted at the gate, to break down, if -possible, the huge wooden valves, clamped with iron. Through the -loop-holes low down in the walls the besiegers fired incessantly, -killing the rebel gunners as they strove to discharge the cannon. Above -the city hung a thick cloud of grey smoke, and at intervals, through -the misty veil, flared the red flame of a bomb bursting overhead. The -rattle of musketry, the booming of cannon, the cries of the wounded, -the shouts of besieged and besiegers, all made an infernal din -deafening to the ear. - -Tim and Peter were at the land-gate in company with Captain Velez and -Colonel Garibay, while Jack and Philip fought side by side in repelling -the attack from the sea front. After an incessant cannonading lasting -two hours, the rebels managed to smash the gates down with their -artillery, and rushed in only to find themselves confronted by a dense -mass of resolute soldiery. - -From the sea-gate the street arose suddenly, and on the top of the -incline Gigedo had planted cannon which cut lanes in the throng of -rebels pressing through the gate. At last the battle resolved itself -into a hand-to-hand fight in which the loyalists strove to beat back -the rebel forces from the gate. Xuarez saw this, and signalled to _The -Cortes_ to stand in closer and drop her shells into the centre of the -besieged. At once the warship did as she was commanded, and in a few -moments bombs were creating fearful havoc in the ranks of the -loyalists. In answer, the guns of the forts speedily opened fire on -the warship, but did little damage, as the besiegers were too busily -occupied in repelling the foe as they swarmed up the walls, to take -careful aim. - -What with the dense crowd pressing from without, the loss of men caused -by the incessant bursting of the bombs in their midst, the loyalists -began to fall back, and, in spite of the most desperate resistance, -were thrust beyond the line of cannon at the top of the street. A horde -of rebel soldiery rushed inside the gate, and proceeded to scale the -ramparts in order to aid their comrades who were climbing the outer -walls, and to silence the guns playing on _The Cortes_. - -Skilfully making use of all material he found to hand, Xuarez turned -the cannon taken from the loyalists on themselves. In the hurried -retreat, they had been unable to spike the guns, and now these, loaded -and fired by the rebels, were mowing them down in dozens. The soldiers -on the ramparts were either killed or beaten back, and the whole of the -sea front of Janjalla was in complete possession of Xuarez. One comfort -had the loyalists, namely, that they were protected in the rear by -their men defending the land-gate. - -Shortly, however, a roar of rage, and the cheers of the besiegers -announced that the town was captured on that side. The soldiers -retreated towards the Plaza in the centre of the town, and there found -their comrades who had fallen back from the sea-gate. Here there was -this handful of men shut up in the square, surrounded on all sides by -the victorious rebels. They could not possibly hold out long against -the dense masses converging to that centre from all parts of the town, -and it could be easily seen that the siege was practically over. - -During the fighting night had fallen, and now the battle was going on -in the dim twilight, rendered still darker by the heavily hanging -clouds of smoke enwrapping the town. Jack had received a nasty cut on -the shoulder; but Philip was unwounded, and in the general scrimmage -they managed to keep well together. When beaten back into the Plaza, -they made for the telegraph-office, where they hoped to find Tim and -Peter. This was the rendezvous appointed by Tim in case the battle went -in favour of the rebels, as he wished to send a final message to his -paper before clearing out of the town. With a handful of men, -principally those belonging to their own regiment, Philip and Jack -managed to throw themselves into the telegraph-office, and shortly -afterwards were joined by Tim. - -"Where's Peter?" asked Jack, as he saw the huge form of his friend -dashing through the door. - -"Just behind, with Don Sebastian," gasped Tim, throwing himself into a -chair. "It's all up, boys; the Opposidores are in full possession of -the land-gate." - -"And the sea-gate also," said Philip, who was reloading his revolver. -"All our men are in the Plaza, and can't hold out much longer. Whew! -there's another bomb." - -"We'd better get out of Janjalla, and make for Centeotl," cried Don -Sebastian, entering with his sword smashed in two; "all is over!" - -"Gigedo?" - -"Killed! Garibay is wounded, and taken prisoner!" - -"Where is Don Pedro?" - -"Here I am," cried Peter, darting into the room and closing the door. -"There's a regiment of rebels cutting their way through the crowd to -take the telegraph-office. Xuarez has particularly commanded it." - -"Anyhow, I'll have time to send another telegram, if I die for it," -said Tim, who was hastily scribbling notes. "Where's Manuel?" - -Manuel had vanished; so Tim, with a growl, sat down to work the -instrument himself. - -"Keep those devils out, with your men," he said to Philip, who was -barricading the windows with Jack. "I'll send one telegram, saying -Janjalla has fallen, and then we'll go off." - -"How the devil are we to get away?" asked Philip, angrily. - -"Easily. The cavalry barracks are behind here. We'll get round by the -back way and seize the horses, then cut our way out by the land-gate. -Once across the river, and we are safe." - -Philip did not wait for the conclusion of this speech, but, with a few -men, dashed out at the back of the house to see if the horses were -still there. Jack would have followed, but Peter stopped him. - -"I have my medicine-chest here. Let me bind up your shoulder." Jack was -unwilling, protesting he did not feel the wound. - -"Bosh, my dear boy, you are excited. You will feel it afterwards. If we -are to ride to Centeotl, you will need all the blood you have. Don -Sebastian can hold the telegraph-office." - -Don Sebastian had posted his men at the windows, and was firing at the -mass of rebels, now trying to take the house by storm. All this time -Tim was working the instrument and wiring the news of the fall of the -city to his editor. Through the yells outside, the rattle of the -musketry, and the curses of Don Sebastian could be heard the incessant -click, click, click of the telegraph-instrument. - -A bomb exploded on the roof of the house, and a few yards of plaster -fell from the ceiling. Peter had finished binding up Jack's wound, and -now they were both defending the windows and doors of the mansion. - -"How long, Jack?" - -"In two minutes the door will be down," cried Jack. "Do leave that -d----d instrument, Tim, and look for Philip." - -"I'll go!" said Peter, as Tim refused to leave his post. He turned to -make for the back way, when Philip came back with a radiant face. - -"Here is a dozen horses just outside, all saddled and fresh as daisies! -Come, Tim, quick! Jack. De Ahumada." - -"A moment," said Tim, and went on with his clicking. - -Crash! The door was down, and a number of fierce faces appeared at the -door. The room was full of smoke, and the rebels were firing freely -through the windows. Sebastian and his men threw themselves in front of -those trying to face the door, and Philip, seizing Tim by the shoulder, -dragged him away from the instrument. - -"Tim, you cursed fool. Come along!" - -"Just a second!" - -He turned back to the instrument in spite of Philip's protest, but had -just clicked twice when Don Sebastian and his men were forced back and -a crowd of the enemy rushed into the room. Philip, Jack, and Peter had -already disappeared through the back, and Tim was left alone with Don -Sebastian and the soldiers. The rebels threw themselves forward with -yells of delight, when Tim, catching up a heavy table, flung it fair on -the advancing mass, then bolted through the back door, dragging Don -Sebastian after him. Two of the soldiers followed, and promptly closed -the door when on the right side. At once the rebels commenced to beat -it down with the butts of their rifles, but the Irishman and his friend -had reached the back street. - -Here they found their friends already mounted and waiting for them. - -"Tim. De Ahumada! Mount at once!" cried Philip, pointing to three -horses waiting under the shelter of the wall. "Make for the land-gate, -and straight for the river." - -In another moment they were clattering towards the lower part of the -town, keeping close together for safety. The street down which they -were riding was quite deserted, as the fighting was principally -confined to the main thoroughfares of the town. They could hear the -brisk fire of musketry still kept up, the booming of the cannon, and -the bursting of the shells. Shrieks of women, and yells of the victors -broke incessantly through these noises, and the whole city was draped -in a thick veil of stinking smoke. - -"Oh, those poor women!" cried Philip, as he spurred his horse towards -the gate. "Now they are in the clutches of those fiends." - -"I'm glad we're not," muttered Dr. Grench, thankfully. - -"Anyhow," said Tim, cheerfully, "I've sent the fall of the city to the -paper." - -"Oh, hang your paper," said Jack, whose wound was making him fractious. -"Come along, De Ahumada." - -"Dios! How we have been beaten." - -Suddenly the street turned a sharp angle, and they found themselves -before the gate. Most of the attacking party had marched towards the -centre of the town to complete their victory, and only a few scattered -soldiery were on guard. These yelled loudly as they saw the small party -dash towards the gate. The valves were broken down; beyond was the -country, and between this and safety was but a score of men. - -Philip drew his sword, spurred his horse to its full speed, and made -for the gate, cutting down a man who tried to stay him. Jack emptied -two barrels of his revolver, and killed one man, wounding another. The -rebel soldiers fired freely, and breaking Sebastian's arm, also tumbled -one of his company off his horse. Tim seizing Peter's bridle-rein, -galloped wildly through the spare crowd, cursing freely. - -In their rush for the portal, they scattered them all. There were a few -musket-shots, a howl of rage from the disappointed rebels, and at top -speed they tore out of the gate, and made for the open country. - -"Twenty miles," cried Philip, settling himself in his saddle. "We can -do that easily. Hurrah!" - -"Provided we don't fall into the hands of the Indians," said Jack, -sagely. - -As for Don Sebastian, he turned round and shook his fist at Janjalla. - -"Carajo!" - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -THE FLIGHT TO TLATONAC. - - Boot and saddle, away! away! - We must be far e'er the breaking of day. - The standard is down, - The foe's in the town, - Forbidding us longer to stay, to stay. - - Boot and saddle! we ride! we ride! - Over the prairie land side by side, - Our foemen behind, - Speed swift as the wind, - And gain on us steadily, stride by stride. - - Boot and saddle! so fast! so fast! - We ride till the river be crossed and past; - Then over the plain, - With loose-hanging rein, - And find ourselves safe in the town at last. - - -Before them spread the plains, flat and desolate-looking, covered with -coarse grass, and stretching towards the horizon in vague immensity. -West-ward the faint flush of sunset, delicately pale, lingered low -down, but otherwise the sky was coldly clear, darkly blue, thick -sprinkled with chill-looking stars. To the right the leaden-hued waters -of the river moving sluggishly between low mud banks, and on the left -sandy wastes, alternating with hillocks and convex-shaped mounds. All -this desolation appearing ghostly under a veil of mist exhaled whitely -from the hot earth. - -Over these monotonous plains galloped the six fugitives. Philip and -Jack in the van, Don Sebastian and his one soldier in the rear; between -Tim, side by side with Peter. For some time they urged on their horses -in silence. Then a sudden flare of crimson caused them to turn in their -saddles. The low walls of Janjalla were crowned with smoke, beneath -which leaped tongues of flame, crimson and yellow. A rapid, disjointed -conversation ensued. - -"Those brutes are burning the city!" - -"It will only be some drunken soldiers. Xuarez will soon put a stop to -that. He cannot afford to lose his city of refuge, after paying so much -to gain it." - -"Must we swim our horses across the river?" called out Grench, -unexpectedly. - -"Not unless the bridge is down. It was standing when we came this way a -week ago." - -Philip answered the question, and then cast an anxious look at the sky. - -"I wish the moon would rise," he said disconsolately; "we need some -light." - -"What the deuce would be the good of that when we're on the high-road. -Hang it, the moon would only show Xuarez how to follow us." - -"Que dici?" asked Don Sebastian, looking at Jack. - -"The Seņor Correspoņsal thinks we might be pursued." - -"I doubt it, Don Juan. Xuarez will be too busy checking the excesses of -his soldiers. Besides, Seņor, as we escaped in the confusion, it may be -that we will not be missed for some hours." - -Peter, unaccustomed to riding, began to feel sore with this incessant -galloping, and raised his voice in protest. - -"I hope we will be able to rest at Centeotl. When do we reach it?" - -"Before midnight, probably. Then we will rest till dawn, get fresh -horses, and push on to Tlatonac." - -"Hope we'll get there," muttered Jack, shaking his reins. "But if the -Indians----" - -"Deuce take the Indians," retorted Philip, irritably. "Come on Jack, -and don't worry so much." - -Their horses were fortunately quite fresh, having been mewed up in -Janjalla without exercise for some weeks. Stretching their necks, they -clattered along at a breakneck speed. The road was as hard as flint, -and their iron-shod hoofs struck out sparks from the loose stones. The -riders, with their heads bent against the wind whizzing past their -ears, let the reins hang loosely, and pressed on with blind trust along -the highway leading to Centeotl. - -Here and there they passed a flat-roofed house, deserted by its -occupants, and standing up lonely, a white splotch amid the vague gloom -of its flat acreage. Clumps of trees loomed suddenly against the clear -sky, at times a ragged aloe sprang spectral-like from the reddish soil, -thorny thickets lay densely in the hollows, tall spear-grass waved on -the tops of undulating drifts of sand, and at intervals an oasis of -rank herbage would frame an oval pool thickly fringed with reeds. - -The road wound onward, turning now to right, now to left, dipping into -hollows, curving over eminences, stretching white and dusty towards the -horizon like a crooked winding river. On either side they could mark -the moving forms of animals, flying from the clatter of their horses' -hoofs, cattle, vicuņas, llamas, and flocks of sheep. The white peak of -Xicotencatl arose suddenly like a ghost from the shadows of forests -lying heavily along the verge of earth between plain and sky. A thin -vapour lay white over the plain, and gathered thickly along the banks -of the river. The horses stretched their necks and neighed loudly. They -smelt the water of the stream. - -"The bridge is down!" cried Jack, drawing rein at the verge of the -stream. "Indians!" - -"Or Xuarez!" added Philip, gravely. "I suspect the latter. Indians are -not sufficiently civilised to destroy bridges." - -The _débris_ of the bridge impeded the current, and here the waters -boiled white amid the black ruins. Jagged posts stretched in black rows -to the other side of the stream, but there was no foothold left by -which they could cross dry-shod. - -"Swim!" said Tim, briefly, and sent his steed down the bank. The others -followed, and in a few minutes the surface of the stream was dotted -with black figures. The river being sluggish, with little or no -current, they found no difficulty in crossing, and speedily gained the -opposite bank. Climbing the slope on to the flat land, they regained -the line of road, and once more urged their horses to full speed. - -The moon arose, round and bright, making the whole scene cheerful with -her kindly light. The fugitives looked back, but could see no sign of -pursuit. Even the town had vanished. Behind, before, lay nothing but -the immensity of the plains. It was as though they were in the midst of -a leaden-hued sea. The appearance of the moon raised their spirits, and -they redoubled their speed. Centeotl was now comparatively near. The -ground began to show signs of cultivation. Hedges of cacti ran along -the sides of the road, bearing fleshly looking flowers of tawny gold. -Right and left stretched gardens, environing country houses, and before -them arose a white line of wall. - -"Centeotl!" cried Don Sebastian, pushing forward. - -The gates were closed owing to the fear of the townspeople lest the -Indians should make a night attack. De Ahumada galloped on ahead, and -reined his horse immediately under the walls. At intervals the -sentinels called the one to the other, "Centinella alerte," to show -that they were awake. The noise of the approaching horses brought them -to the walls. - -"Quien vive!" - -"Amigos! From Janjalla." - -The red light of torches glared from the low battlements, and in a few -minutes the gates were opened. The officer in charge recognised Don -Sebastian, and was much depressed at learning Janjalla had fallen. - -"Dios! It is Centeotl next that Xuarez will capture," he said, -disconsolately, and then led the fugitives to the house of the Jefe -Politico. - -That individual received them kindly, and gave them food and beds. He -also promised them horses for the next morning, to push on to Tlatonac, -but feared lest they should fall into the hands of the Indians, whom he -believed were further north. The telegraph-wires between Centeotl and -Hermanita had been destroyed by the savages. His town was now quite -isolated in the plains. Only five hundred men were within its walls, -and he expected it would be shortly besieged and captured by Don -Hypolito, unless aid arrived from the capital. - -During the night straggling parties of soldiers arrived from Janjalla -for refuge. All brought the same tale. Janjalla was nearly in ruins, as -the rebels had fired many houses, and the bombs and cannon had smashed -others. Xuarez had kept all his men in the town, and was doing his best -to reduce them to order; but many were beyond his control. There was no -pursuit in any case. It was reported that he would throw forward two -regiments of cavalry next day, to attack Centeotl. - -"Santissima!" said the Jefe, in despair; "we are lost, Seņores. When -you arrive at Tlatonac, tell his Excellency that I am faithful to the -Junta, but that my town is too weak to hold out against the rebels." - -De Ahumada promised and shortly afterwards, thoroughly worn out, they -all composed themselves to sleep. It was impossible, however, to get -much repose, as the constant arrival of fugitives, the clattering of -horses through the streets, and the murmur of many voices, kept them -awake. At dawn they were up at once, mounted fresh horses, and rode -away from the town in the direction of Hermanita, twenty miles away. - -They reached that town in two hours, and found the inhabitants in a -state of terror. The Indians had been threatening for the last week, -and had been scouring the country to the south. Now they had gone -north, and, it was believed, with the intention of making an attack on -the Puebla de los Naranjos. Nor did the news brought by Jack and his -friends reassure them in any way. What with the Indians in the north, -and Xuarez threatening them in the south, there was no doubt that -Hermanita was in a terrible fix. As had Centeotl, they also implored -Don Sebastian to ask Gomez to send aid, lest they should fall victims -to the rebels or to the Indians. - -After taking a hurried meal, the fugitives once more proceeded on their -way to the north. Towards noon they struck Puebla de los Naranjos, and -found it a heap of ruins. Undefended as were the other towns by stone -walls, the town was surrounded by orange groves, and had therefore been -easily captured by the Indians. A few terrified survivors crept about -the ruins of their houses, the streets were thick with dead bodies, and -the whole place presented a scene of unexampled desolation. Those folks -who survived said that the Indians had plundered the town two days -previously, and had then departed with the intention of taking -Chichimec. As this city was only distant twenty miles from the capital, -the little party was quite appalled at the audacity of the savages. It -showed how little they cared for the power of the Republic. - -"If Gomez had crushed this rebellion at once, all would have been -well," said Jack, as they rode from the smoking ruins of Puebla de los -Naranjos; "but now it seems as though the Indians and Xuarez were going -to have it all their own way." - -"Gomez should have placed the command of affairs in the hands of a -competent man, and not meddled with them," replied Philip, impatiently. -"He keeps all his army in the capital, and lets the country be laid -waste. The end will be that all the inland towns will join with Xuarez, -and the capital will be besieged. With the whole of Cholacaca against -it, the capital must fall." - -"Unless the Junta can capture or sink the two remaining warships of -Xuarez," said Don Sebastian, who was fearfully enraged at the -destruction of the country. - -"True! Then Xuarez won't be able to get more troops from Acauhtzin." - -"He has got quite enough troops, as it is to make things unpleasant for -the capital," said Tim, in Spanish, for the benefit of Don Sebastian. -"Six thousand at Janjalla--five thousand Indians. Quite enough to -invest the town. The Junta has but eight thousand troops in Tlatonac." - -"Well, that's a good number!" - -"Yes; but what with his own troops and the savages, Xuarez has three -thousand to the good. Besides which, he is a capable general." - -"If the Indians could only be detached from his cause, the rebellion -might be crushed," said Jack, ponderingly. "It is the only way of -saving the present Government." - -"There is no chance of doing that," replied Tim, disconsolately. "The -Indians are mad about the loss of the opal, and will fight like fiends -to get it back." - -"Perhaps they can be quietened by means of the opal!" - -"Dios!" exclaimed Sebastian, turning in his saddle. "What mean you, -Seņor?" - -"I have an idea," replied Jack, quietly. "It was suggested to me by a -remark of Cocom's." - -"And this idea?" - -"I will not tell you at present, lest I should fail to carry it out, -and thus disappoint your hopes. Wait till we reach Tlatonac." - -"If we ever do get there," muttered Philip, savagely. "Now we are half -way to Chichimec, gentlemen. There, according to report, the Indians -are camped. I vote we make a detour, and reach Tlatonac in some other -way. Do you know of a road, Don Sebastian?" - -"No, Seņor. I know not this country." - -"I do!" cried Duval, suddenly. "I have been all over this portion. That -is a good idea of yours, Philip! We must avoid the Indians. I know a -road!" - -"Bueno! Take the lead." - -It was fortunate, indeed, that Philip suggested such an idea, and that -Jack's knowledge of the country enabled them to carry it out, else they -would assuredly have fallen into the hands of the Indians. Making a -detour towards the coast, they managed to avoid Chichimec by some -miles. They learned from a peon, whom they met making his way to -Tlatonac, that the town was entirely invested by the savages, but that -as yet, thanks to the strong walls, they had been unable to effect an -entrance. The Jefe Politico had sent this peon to the capital with a -request for immediate aid from Don Francisco. - -"What, in God's name, can the President be thinking about?" cried Jack, -on hearing this intelligence. "He is simply playing into the hands of -his enemies." - -"Things certainly look bad for the Junta, owing to his negligence. -Janjalla captured by Xuarez. Puebla de los Naranjos ravaged, Chichimec -invested. Perhaps, when the whole country is in the hands of Don -Hypolito, this very wise ruler will bestir himself." - -"Wait till I have a conversation with Don Miguel!" muttered Jack, -striking the spurs into his horse. "We are outsiders, and cannot -interfere with local politics; but it makes me sick to see how Gomez is -fooling away his chances. If I can only rouse Don Miguel into making -things hot for the President, I shall do so!" - -"A house divided against itself----" began Peter; but Tim cut him -short. - -"Hold your tongue, Peter. Jack is quite right. Unless a good man is put -at the head of affairs, Don Hypolito will enter Tlatonac within the -month. It's a mighty black look-out for the Government. Don Francisco -ought to be shunted at once." - -The peon ran alongside them, and kept up with their horses in the most -wonderful manner. It was noon when they left Puebla de los Naranjos, -and it was now late at night. In ten hours they had come nearly fifty -miles. Their horses were quite worn out, owing to the incessant -galloping. Now they were within a mile of the capital, and already, in -the dim light, could see the line of walls looming in the distance. -They were glad it was dark, or, rather, comparatively so, as it -afforded them a certain amount of protection from wandering Indian -scouts. - -"The luck holds!" said Philip, thankfully, as they rode towards the -Puerta de la Culebra. "We have not seen a single savage since we left -Janjalla." - -"Had it not been for your forethought, Philip, they would have had our -scalps by this time." - -"My thought, but your actions, Jack. It was lucky you knew the -country." - -"A mutual admiration society, you are!" cried Tim, whose spirits were -wonderfully light. "How do you feel, Peter?" - -"Worn out," replied the doctor, laconically. - -"Faith. I'm not astonished. I'm bumped to death also. A hundred miles -isn't bad for an inferior rider like myself." - -"Oh, you are a war correspondent," began Peter, fretfully, when his -remarks were cut short by an exclamation from Sebastian. - -"Dios! the gates are open! Soldiers are coming out!" - -"Reinforcements for Janjalla. I've no doubt," said Philip, grimly. -"They are a trifle late. Come, gentlemen, let us see the officer in -charge." - -They urged their jaded horses towards the gate. At the sight of the -little party, the soldiers halted, and an officer rode to the front. - -"From whence come you, Seņores?" he asked in surprise. - -"From Janjalla." - -"Janjalla? Why, we are just marching thither, Seņor." - -"You can spare yourself the trouble!" replied Jack, grimly. "Janjalla -has fallen." - -The news passed rapidly from mouth to mouth, and a cry of rage went up -from the throng. - -"Moreover," added Jack, quietly. "Puebla de los Naranjos has been -attacked and sacked by the Indians!" - -Another cry of rage. - -"And," concluded this bearer of bad news, "Chichimec is now invested by -six thousand savages." - -A low murmur of dismay ran through the lines. Calamity after calamity -seemed to be falling on the heads of the Government. Suddenly a man -rode through the gate at full speed, and pulling up his horse on its -haunches, as he faced the party, made the same inquiry as had the -officer. - -"Janjalla," cried Don Miguel Maraquando. - -Jack uttered the same reply. - -"Janjalla has fallen!" - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -EXIT DON FRANCISCO GOMEZ. - - Depart, incapable! - You are no pilot to be at the helm when the ship is in - danger; - The vessel of state labours in the turmoil of troublous - waters, - Rocks this side, that side, she is drifting to leeward, - shoals threaten her stout timbers. - Round her rage the tempests which would sink her in waves - of blood; - Only a skilful captain can pilot her into a safe haven. - You are not a skilful commander! - In fair weather you guided the ship in a meritorious fashion; - Now, when blow rebellious storms, you are not fit for the - steering; the danger renders you helpless--a child were - a better helmsman; - No longer can you hold the ship of Republican fortunes in her - right course. - Captain! President! you are Captain--President no longer! - Depart! give way to one who can steer with clear head and - keen eye. - Depart, incapable! - - -"Dear one!" cried Dolores, as Jack embraced her, in the patio. "At last -do I see you once more. Santissima! how pale! What ragged clothes! and -beards on all your faces." - -"Indeed, Dolores, a siege is not conducive to luxury. But we will go to -my house; bath, shave, and dress. When we return, you will behold us as -civilised beings." - -"You are wounded!" - -"It is nothing--a mere scratch. How delighted I am to see your dear -face once more, my Dolores." - -Eulalia put out her hand timidly under the shelter of her fan, and -touched Philip gently on the hand. She was unable to do more, as Doņa -Serafina, severe, and vigilant, was present. Their engagement had not -yet been made public. - -"Querido," she murmured, looking at her lover tenderly. "Constantly -have I prayed for thee." - -Philip kissed her hand, and then that of Doņa Serafina, to avert -suspicion. The old lady was voluble, and after the first greetings were -over, burst forth into speech with much dramatic gesture. - -"Alas, seņores! How sad look you all. Don Pedro! Pobrecito! And the -city is in the hands of the rebels. Ay di mi! Ah, the evil ones! Yet, -if they win on land, they lose at sea." - -"What is it you say, Seņora?" asked Tim, ever on the alert for news. - -"Have you not heard, Seņor Correspoņsal? No; you have been away. -Gracios á Dios! The torpederas have captured _The Columbus_." - -"Bravo!" cried Jack, delightedly; "this is indeed good news! And -Rafael?" - -"Rafael is here," said that young man, hastily entering the court. "Ah, -my dear friends, how delighted I am to behold you." - -"Even though we bring bad news?" - -"Yes; for I can tell you good. We followed _The Columbus_, and by -threatening to sink her with torpedoes, forced her to strike her flag. -Now she is lying in the harbour, with a crew of our own men. Her rebel -sailors are all in prison." - -"What about _The Iturbide_?" - -"She is there also, but in a crippled condition. One of her masts was -shot away by _The Columbus_ before she surrendered." - -"And what do you do now?" - -"Sail south to-morrow at dawn." - -"Alas!" said Jack, sadly, "you will be too late to relieve Janjalla." - -"Never mind," replied Rafael, hopefully; "we shall capture or sink -_The Cortes_, and bring her back to Tlatonac with the transports. Then -Don Hypolito will be irrevocably cut off from Acauhtzin." - -"That does not matter to him," interposed Philip, overhearing this -remark; "he has most of his troops at Janjalla, and will simply hold -the south instead of the north." - -"At all events, Seņor Felipe, we have crushed him by sea." - -"It will be a more difficult task to crush him by land, especially as -Don Francisco is so dilatory." - -"Don Francisco! Don Francisco!" cried Rafael, stamping his foot with -rage. "He is not fit to be President. Through him have we lost -Janjalla. Even my father, who was his firm supporter, has turned -against him." - -"What do you say, Rafael?" - -"I cannot tell you yet; but there will be a stormy meeting of the Junta -to-morrow." - -"You are going to depose Don Francisco." - -"It's not improbable." - -"More trouble," said Tim, reflectively. "There will be three Presidents -shortly. Don Francisco, Don Hypolito, and--Don Miguel!" - -"No more, mi amigo," said Rafael, doubtful even in his own house. "It -is dangerous to speak like that--as yet." - -He added the last words significantly, and turned away. Jack was saying -good night to Dolores, as he was quite worn out, and wanted to get back -to his own house for a good night's rest. - -"Dolores," he whispered, as he held her hand; "you have yet the opal?" - -"Yes; surely." - -"Can you bear to part with it for the sake of the city?" - -"You can do with it as you please, Juanito. But, what mean these -words?" - -"I have a plan whereby I can detach the Indians from the cause of Don -Hypolito, and thus weaken his army. But the carrying out of the plan -may entail the loss of the opal." - -"Let it go, so that it save Tlatonac," replied Dolores, heroically, -though, woman-like, she loved the jewel. "What is your plan?" - -"I must see Cocom about it first. Then I will tell you my secret; but -now we must go. Adios, querida." - -When the four friends left the Casa Maraquando, they were surprised to -find themselves followed by Maraquando and his son. On reaching Jack's -house, Don Miguel begged the Englishman to give him a few moments' -conversation, and explained how matters stood at Tlatonac. - -It appeared that Maraquando's party were disgusted at the way in which -the war was being conducted by Don Francisco, and wanted him to resign -the Presidential chair. This Gomez was unwilling to do, and as he had -yet many supporters, it was doubtful if they could force him into such -a course. Now, however, that the news of the fall of Janjalla, the sack -of Puebla de los Naranjos, and the investment of Chichimec had arrived, -Don Miguel thought that he would be able to show plainly that the -continuance of Don Francisco as President meant ruin to the Government. - -The next day there was to be a meeting of the Junta, and Maraquando, -explaining his designs to Jack, asked him for a full report of all that -had taken place in the south, so as to plainly prove the incapacity of -the President in conducting the war. The four friends thoroughly agreed -with Maraquando's view of the matter, and told him all that he wished -to know, after which they retired to rest. Don Miguel, on the contrary, -went back with Rafael to his own house, and there found a few members -of his party waiting him, whom he informed of the consequence of the -terrible series of blunders made by Gomez. - -The next day there was a stormy debate of the Junta in the Palacio -Nacional. - -"I blame his Excellency for all that has taken place," cried -Maraquando, at the conclusion of a long and fiery speech. "By his -negligence and timidity he has lost us our opportunity of crushing this -rebellion in the bud. Had a few thousand soldiers been sent to Janjalla -at the outbreak of the war, that city would not now be in the hands of -the rebels. Nay, they would not have even gained a footing in the -south. But, by withdrawing the garrisons from that seaport, from the -inland towns, his Excellency had laid them open to capture, and they -had been captured. Janjalla is in the power of Xuarez; by this time, -for aught we know, Centeotl may have surrendered to his victorious -army. Puebla de los Naranjos has been sacked by the Indian tribes, who -should have been crushed at once. Now Chichimec is surrounded, and may -fall at any time, yet no aid has been sent to the relief of the -citizens. All these terrible disasters have been caused by the -blundering of Don Francisco, by his incompetency. I call on him to -resign his command into more capable hands, else will we see the foe at -our gates, our city in ruins, and Cholacaca helpless, under the heel of -the tyrant Xuarez!" - -Don Francisco, bursting with indignation, replied, He had done his -best! If he had sent forward troops to Janjalla, they might have been -defeated, and then the capital would have fallen an easy prey to the -rebels, through lack of garrison. As it was, the city could hold out -for months; the walls were strong, the garrison were resolute, there -was plenty of provisions. - -He had held the army at Tlatonac to save the capital. Where, then, was -the blunder in that? By sea, the forces of the Republic had been -victorious. _The Pizarro_ had been sunk, _The Columbus_ captured, and -now the torpederas were on their way to Janjalla harbour to force _The -Cortes_ to strike her flag. He had succeeded by sea. He would succeed -on land. When the army of Xuarez was before the walls of Tlatonac the -fate of the country could be decided in one battle. He refused to -resign his position as President. - -The partisans of Maraquando, the supporters of Gomez, broke out into -noisy demonstrations, and the whole place was in an uproar. The one -called upon Gomez to resign, the other denounced Maraquando as a -traitor. It seemed as though neither would give in, as though the -capital would be divided into two hostile factions, when a solution of -the difficulty was proposed by Padre Ignatius. - -Making his appearance suddenly in the hall, the good priest first -stilled the tumult by holding up his crucifix, and then begged to lay -before the Junta a proposition which would suit all parties. It would -never do, said the Padre, to depose Don Francisco. The pretext for war, -alleged by Xuarez, was that Gomez ought to be deposed for breaking the -Constitution of Cholacaca. They knew that His Excellency had not done -so; that he had loyally upheld the freedom and laws of the Republic. If -deposed by his own party, such a deposition would give colour to -Xuarez's assertion that he had right on his side, and perhaps prejudice -the inland towns in his favour. Better it would be to let Don Francisco -still remain President till the date of the expiration of his office, -four months hence, and in the meantime entrust the conduct of the war -solely to Don Miguel Maraquando. By this arrangement his Excellency -would still continue nominal head of Cholacaca, and the war could be -conducted by Maraquando, without the responsibility resting on the -President. - -This proposition, seeming to be the only possible solution of the -problem, was unanimously accepted by both parties. It is true that -Gomez, who hated Maraquando like poison, sorely grudged giving up the -command of affairs to his rival; but as he saw that the Junta wished it -to be so, he was forced to yield. Don Miguel was, therefore, elected -General of the army of the Republic, and Don Francisco was permitted to -retain the civil rule. Then the meeting broke up, and Maraquando went -off to take measures for the immediate relief of Chichimec, while -Gomez, much mortified at the slight he had received, retired sullenly -to his palace. - -"What's the matter, Tim?" asked Jack, as they left the Palacio -Nacional. "You ought to be pleased at witnessing such a stirring scene, -instead of which you are like a bear with a sick head." - -"And haven't I a cause?" replied Tim, gruffly. "Look at all this shindy -going on, and I can't send a telegram to my paper." - -"Oh, that's it, is it? Well, then, ask Philip to lend you _The -Bohemian_, and go off to Truxillo at once." - -"Begad, that isn't a bad idea anyhow," cried Tim, stopping suddenly; -"but I don't want to leave Tlatonac just now." - -"Well, you may be pretty certain Philip won't go, nor I. Why not send -Peter? Write out your news here. Peter will take it, and old Benker -will look after the yacht." - -"How far is it to Truxillo?" - -"A trifle over three hundred miles." - -"Do you think Philip will lend me the yacht?" - -"I'm sure he will. Let us ask him at once. He is flirting with Doņa -Eulalia in Maraquando's patio." - -Tim, who had quite recovered his spirits at Jack's happy suggestion, -started off at once to the Casa Maraquando. There was no necessity, -however, for them to go so far, for they met their friend coming down -the Calle Otumba. He hailed them at once. - -"Tim! Jack! come along to the Puerta de la Culebra. News from -Chichimec." - -"What do you say?" roared Tim, plunging towards the speaker. - -"Cocom came to the Casa Maraquando a few minutes ago, and told me that -a messenger had arrived from Chichimec. He is at the Puerta de la -Culebra." - -"The deuce!" cried Jack, in alarm, as they hurried along towards the -gate; "perhaps it's another request for relief." - -"If so, they will soon have it," said Tim, quickly. "Don Miguel is -going to send three thousand men this day to finish off these savages." - -"Ah, that is something like!" said Philip, approvingly; "there will be -some chance of relieving the city with that force. I am glad Don Miguel -has matters now in his own hands." - -"So am I. He'll end the war in no time. I say, Philip, lend me the -yacht." - -"What for? You are not going to Janjalla again?" - -"No! I'm going further south. That is, I'm sending Peter with -despatches." - -"Where to?" - -"Truxillo! He can send off my telegrams from there. Lend me the yacht, -Philip, and I'll love you for ever more." - -"Oh, take her, by all means; but I hope she won't be smashed up by the -warships of Xuarez." - -"He's only got one now," replied Tim, coolly; "and she'll have her -hands full looking after the torpederas." - -"I forgot that! It's a good idea, Tim! Get all the news together you -can, and Peter shall go out with _The Bohemian_ to-night, both of -them in charge of Benker." - -"Do you think Peter will go?" said Jack, doubtfully. - -"Of course he will," said Tim, promptly. "The little man's of no use -here. I'll make him Queen's messenger for once in his life." - -"Hallo!" cried Philip, at this moment, "there's old Cocom making signs. -Ola, Cocom!" - -The old Indian, who was hobbling on the other side of the street, came -over to them with an excited look on his usually immobile face. - -"Carambo, Seņores! the news. The terrible news!" - -"What is it?" cried the three Englishmen simultaneously. - -"Chichimec has fallen!" - -Jack uttered an ejaculation of rage, and darted off to the gate, -followed by Tim and Philip. They found an excited throng of people -talking wildly together. Don Sebastian was just under the archway, with -his glasses to his eyes, looking towards the plains beyond. - -"Is the news true of Chichimec's fall?" asked Jack pushing his way -through the crowd. - -Don Sebastian turned slowly with a grave bow, and handed Jack the -glasses. - -"Quite true, Seņor. See! fugitives are arriving every moment." - -Jack clapped the glass to his eye, and saw that the plain was sprinkled -with people all making for the gate of Tlatonac. - -"Why don't you send out a regiment to protect them, De Ahumada?" - -"It is going now. Behold, Seņor." - -About five hundred men, well mounted, came trotting down the street, -and began to file through the archway out on to the plain. Jack stood -on one side and watched them go by in all their martial splendour. - -"How did the Indians take the town, De Ahumada?" - -"It was surprised last night," replied Don Sebastian, sadly. "I expect -the sentinels were worn out with constant watching. Dios! It is -frightful. First Puebla de los Naranjos, now Chichimec; Janjalla has -already fallen, and Tlatonac----" - -"Won't fall," interrupted Jack, abruptly, as the last of the cavalry -swept through the gate. "When things are at their worst, matters mend. -Just now they are very gloomy. To-morrow they may improve." - -Tim stayed behind to make inquiries about the fall of Chichimec for the -use of his paper, and Philip, in company with Jack, went off to look up -Peter, and ask him if he would consent to act as Tim's messenger to -Truxillo. They could not find him in their own house, and learned from -a servant that he had gone in search of them to the Casa Maraquando. At -once they repaired thither, and had just reached the door, when Peter, -with a look of alarm on his face, rushed out of the house, almost -falling into their arms in his hurry. - -"Philip! Jack! Have you heard?" - -"What is the matter, Peter?" - -"Don Francisco has shot himself! Don Miguel has just told me." - -Philip made a gesture of horror, and Jack ran into the house to see -Maraquando, and learn the particulars of the case. - -It was perfectly true. Unable to bear the disgrace of being deposed -from the active conduct of affairs, President Gomez had retired to his -room, and shot himself through the heart. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -THE INDIAN RAID. - - Painted braves came on the war-path, - Numerous as the leaves in summer, - Decked with feathers and with wampum, - All their faces fierce and fearless, - Streaked with colours like the sunset, - Rage was in their hearts of iron; - Spears grasped they, and bows and arrows, - And their horses, like the storm clouds, - Swiftly swept across the prairies, - Till the firm earth shook and trembled - 'Neath the thunder of their thousands. - Loud they sang the song of battle, - Sang the song of war and bloodshed; - While the nations, women-hearted, - Hid within their walled cities, - Like the rabbits in their burrows, - When they heard that chaunt triumphal. - - -Certainly, fate was dealing hardly with the Republic of Cholacaca. One -blow followed another, and it seemed as though the final catastrophe -would be the triumphal entry of Don Hypolito Xuarez into the capital. -Janjalla was in his possession; he now threatened Centeotl, and the two -towns of Puebla de los Naranjos and Chichimec had been destroyed by his -savage allies. The unexpected death of Don Francisco Gomez put the -finishing touch to this series of calamities, and the whole city was -pervaded by a feeling of dismay. Disquieting rumours crept among the -people that Xuarez had captured Centeotl and Hermanita--that he was now -on his way to Tlatonac--that the death of President Gomez was due to -his machinations. These fabrications, gaining additions as they flew -from mouth to mouth, carried fear into the hearts of the citizens, and -many were of the opinion that nothing was left save surrender to the -insolent conqueror. - -The Junta met within an hour of the intelligence of Don Francisco's -death, and unanimously elected Don Miguel Maraquando as President of -the Republic. Even the party of the dead ruler supported this election, -as they could not fail to see that Maraquando would make an -exceptionally vigorous and firm-handed President. Though there was no -doubt that Don Francisco had committed suicide out of pique at being -deposed from the active command of affairs, yet the Junta, ignoring the -manner of his death, and thinking only of his past services, decreed -the late President a state funeral. - -The houses of the city were draped in black, the flags floated -half-mast high, the minute guns boomed at intervals from the forts, -and, with all due formalities, President Gomez was interred in the -vaults of the Cathedral. When the ceremony was at an end, a weight -seemed to be lifted off the city. The bad fortune which had -persistently dogged the later months of Don Francisco's rule seemed to -be passing away, and, under the vigorous leadership of Maraquando, the -capital became wildly patriotic. One idea pervaded the minds of -all--that the war was to be ended at once, and that Xuarez was to be -crushed by prompt and well-conceived measures. - -After the Indians had sacked Chichimec, it was naturally expected that -they would march southward and join Don Hypolito before Centeotl. -Instead of this, however, the savages began to threaten the capital, -and daily bands of well-horsed braves would scour the plains before the -Puerta de la Culebra. Sometimes the soldiers on guard, exasperated by -this insolent defiance of the principal city of Cholacaca, would dash -out in small parties; but on such a sally being made, the Indians -always disappeared. The bulk of their army still lay (as was -ascertained by spies) at Chichimec, and it seemed as though these -scouting parties were anxious to draw the troops of the Junta from -behind the walls, so as to fall on them in the open plain. - -President Maraquando was anxious to march his whole army south, and -encounter Don Hypolito in the neighbourhood of Centeotl. In order to do -this, he would have to overcome the hordes of savages which formed a -living barrier between Tlatonac and Chichimec. This entailed some risk. -If beaten by the Indians, he would have to fall back on the capital in -a crippled condition, and thus give Xuarez time to increase and -discipline his army. Then, again, even if he did succeed in conquering -these bloodthirsty tribes, he would in all probability lose many of his -men, and be forced to encounter Don Hypolito's fresh soldiers with -jaded and diminished troops. - -At one time he thought of waiting until the return of the torpederas -from Janjalla, and then embarking his troops on _The Iturbide_, -proceed southward to attack Xuarez in the rear. Even there the savages -would have to be reckoned with, and during his absence, and that of -the greater portion of his troops, would perhaps attack the capital. -Besides, Maraquando did not wish to risk an expedition to Janjalla -unless _The Cortes_ were either sunk or captured. Altogether, he was -in a state of much perplexity, and the only way by which he could make -a move was to detach the Indians from the cause of Xuarez. This task -was accomplished by Jack Duval in what seemed to be almost a -miraculous fashion. - -The new President entertained a great opinion of Duval's abilities. He -invariably found him clear-headed and shrewd, capable of giving good -advice, and wonderfully prompt in coming to a decision in time of -emergency. Therefore, when, shortly after the death of Don Francisco, -the young man called to see him at the Casa Maraquando, with a view to -lay a certain proposition before him useful to the Republic, Don Miguel -interviewed him at once, and gave him his fullest attention. - -Some time since, Peter, with Tim's notes, had started in _The -Bohemian_ for Truxillo, and at the last moment Philip had decided to -go with him. Jack desired to confer with Maraquando about his proposed -scheme, and to be on the spot in order to carry it out. Tim was afraid -to leave the capital lest he should miss some stirring event likely -to be of value to his paper; but Philip had no special reason for -remaining constantly at Tlatonac, unless for the sake of Doņa Eulalia. -Dr. Grench did not object to go to Truxillo in _The Bohemian_, but on -observing that he would feel more at ease regarding the navigation of -the vessel if Philip commanded her, the baronet promptly decided to -go. It was a good thing for Peter that old Benker had not heard this -reflection on his seamanship, else he would have been much displeased. -At all events, Peter, by artfully putting the matter in this light, -secured Philip for his companion, and the yacht had departed the -previous day for Honduras. She was expected back in four days, and -Philip determined on his return voyage to stand in close to the shore -of Janjalla, and assure himself of the result of the expedition -against _The Cortes_. - -Jack made his appearance in the patio in the company of Cocom, whose -presence he required in the delicate proposal he had to make. He -intended to appeal to the superstitious side of the Indian character, -and wanted Cocom to back up his opinion so as to induce Don Miguel to -give his consent to an experiment he desired to attempt connected with -the harlequin opal. Don Miguel was on the azotea smoking endless -cigarettes, and glancing over some papers relating to the Civil -Government. His secretary was present, but when Duval appeared, the -President sent him below with the documents, and received Jack and his -factotum alone. Jack took a seat by the President, and Cocom, rolling a -cigarette, squatted on the floor, wrapped in his zarape. - -"Where is the Seņor Correspoņsal?" asked Don Miguel, solemnly, after -the first greetings had passed between them. - -"At the Puerta de la Culebra," replied Jack, taking the cigar offered -to him by the old gentleman. "I asked him to wait there, Seņor, as in -an hour or so the peon sent by your Excellency to Chichimec is expected -back." - -"Bueno! But what news do you expect by the peon?" - -"News that the Indians contemplate an advance on Tlatonac!" - -"Por todos Santos! Don Juan, such a thing cannot be. The Indians would -not dare to so insult the majesty of the Republic." - -Jack privately thought the majesty of the Republic had been pretty well -insulted already, but wisely refrained from giving voice to such an -opinion. - -"The Indians, Excelencia!" he said, smoothly, "are, according to -trustworthy reports, six thousand strong, and thus think themselves a -match for even the capital of Cholacaca. They have reduced Puebla de -los Naranjos to ashes, they have sacked Chichimec without hindrance, -and, excited by such victories, have rashly determined to attack -Tlatonac on their own account without waiting for the arrival of -Xuarez." - -"Do you really think they will dare to camp under our walls?" asked Don -Miguel, still incredulous. - -"I really do think so, Excelencia," replied Jack, frankly. "If you -think I am too rash in pronouncing such an opinion, question our friend -Cocom. He has already rendered great services to you and to the -Republic. Therefore, you must know that he speaks truth. Speak to him, -Seņor." - -The President turned his eyes towards the old Indian, who, impassive as -an idol, sat at his feet smoking a cigarette. He answered Maraquando's -inquiring look with a grunt of assent to Jack's remark. - -"I am a true Indian, Excelencia! Of the Mayas I am, and my name is that -of their kings. Cocom speaks now the truth. Don Xuarez is also an -Indian, he comes from the hidden city of Totatzine. He has an -understanding with the high-priest, Ixtlilxochitli. Don Hypolito said -war, and the Chalchuih Tlatonac, through the priests of -Huitzilopochtli, said war. Therefore are six thousand Indians in arms. -Now the opal is in the possession of the enemies of the god--in -Tlatonac, a city hated by Ixtlilxochitli and Xuarez. They have told -their fighting men that this war is a holy war, for the recovery of the -sacred shining stone. Were it not for the opal, the Indians would not -dare to come to Tlatonac even with six thousand braves. But it is a -holy war. They will dare anything to recover the sacred stone. -Therefore will they come here, Excelencia, and camp under your walls. -This is the truth, I swear by the shrine of the Holy Mother of God." - -"It might be so," said Maraquando, musingly; "the opal is in Tlatonac, -without doubt. My niece has it in her chamber, and knowing how sacred -the Indians hold the gem, I doubt but that they will fight boldly to -gain it again for the hidden shrine of their God, Huitzilopochtli." - -"Assuredly, Don Miguel. And to gain it they will come to Tlatonac." - -"That must not be!" cried the President, emphatically; "I will send an -army against them, and encounter their host at Chichimec." - -"With what result, Seņor? Even if you conquered, the victory would cost -you many men, and thus would your army be weakened to encounter -Xuarez." - -"True, true! Don Juan. But what then is to be done." - -"Let the Indian army come to Tlatonac. Let them camp under the walls. -Close the gates of the city, and make no hostile sign." - -"What say you, Seņor?" said Maraquando, in a fiery tone. "Would you -have me leave this savage foe in peace till joined by Don Hypolito--by -the rebel Xuarez?" - -"They will not be joined by Xuarez, Don Miguel. When the rebels arrive, -they will find no savage allies under the walls of Tlatonac." - -"If it could be so, it would be well. But how, Seņor, do you propose to -make this savage army vanish without a blow?" - -"By means of the Chalchuih Tlatonac." - -"I do not understand, mi amigo. Explain, if you will be so gracious. I -am all attention." - -Jack began to explain without further preamble. - -"Observe, Excelencia," he said slowly, so that Don Miguel could have no -difficulty in following his reasons, "It is now noon--this night, if I -mistake not, the Indian army will come to Tlatonac----" - -"Bueno!" interrupted Cocom, nodding his head like a mandarin, "I have -heard this thing spoken with many tongues. Your messenger, Excelencia, -will confirm what I say. The Indian army will march this night for -Tlatonac. At dawn will you see them encamped round the walls." - -"Proceed, Don Juan," said the President, gravely. - -"As you can see, Seņor Maraquando," pursued Jack, emphasising his -remarks with his finger, "the savages will not arrive till night, so as -it is now but noon, we will have time to make ready for their arrival." - -"Dios! You said make no preparations!" - -"Not hostile preparations! No, Seņor; listen, I pray you. We have the -Chalchuih Tlatonac, the properties of which are regarded with -superstitious reverence by the Indians. What the opal commands they -will do. When it glows red, they prepare for war. Let an azure ray -shine, and they know that the god commands peace, and, at whatever -cost, will lay down their arms." - -"How is this done, this glowing of red, of blue?" - -"I will explain, Seņor. In the hidden city I saw it. The opal hung by a -golden thread before the shrine of Huitzilopochtli, and this thread was -twisted in a certain way by the priests. By careful calculation, they -could tell how far it would untwist, so that the opal stone depended -motionless, showing the colour they wished. If they desired war, the -red side of the stone revealed itself--if peace the blue. To prophesy -plenty, the yellow ray came to the front, and so on with all the -tints." - -"Then you say, Don Juan, that if these Indians saw the opal glowing -blue, they would lay down their arms?" - -"Assuredly, Seņor! and withdraw at once to Totatzine, leaving Xuarez to -meet the forces of the Junta alone. If the stone glows blue, they know -it is the will of the god that they should not fight." - -Don Miguel smiled incredulously. - -"I doubt, Seņor, whether these warriors, flushed with the sacking of -Puebla de los Naranjos and Chichimec would obey the stone now, even -though it glowed blue and thus proclaimed peace." - -"Excelencia!" broke in Cocom, earnestly, "you know, not the power of -the Chalchuih Tlatonac. I, Seņor am a good Catholic. I believe not in -the devil stone; but my countrymen, Seņor, think that the spirit of the -god Huitzilopochtli dwells in the gem. They believe that he would -punish them with plagues unto death were they to disobey his will as -conveyed by the opal. The shining precious stone is the strongest thing -in the world to them. Believe me, Excelencia, that when the warriors -see the stone glow blue, even were they on the eve of entering -Tlatonac, they would lay down their arms and retire to the forests." - -"I trust this may be so," said Maraquando, addressing himself to Jack, -not unimpressed by the Indian's speech; "but where, Seņor Duval, do you -propose to let them see the opal?" - -"In the chapel of Padre Ignatius, outside the walls," replied Jack, -promptly. "Cocom knows where there is an image of the war-god. He will -set it up on the altar of the chapel. Before it, by a thread, we will -hang the sacred stone. At dawn all will be ready, and Cocom can so -twist the thread that when the opal hangs motionless it will glow blue. -The Indians will arrive during the night. At dawn they will spread -themselves through the suburbs, and enter the chapel of the good Padre. -There they will see the image of their god, the sacred splendour of the -opal. They will kneel down and worship, watching the twisting of the -gem. When it stops and glows blue, then will they know Huitzilopochtli -is satisfied with the sacking of the two towns, and now commands peace. -Before noon, Excelencia, there will not be a single Indian left before -the walls. They will retire into the forests, to the sacred city of -Totatzine, and thus will Xuarez lose his allies." - -Maraquando listened to this proposal in silence, his cheek resting in -the palm of his right hand, nor when Jack had concluded did he alter -his position. He mused long and deeply, neither of his guests -attempting to interrupt his meditations. This idea of detaching the -Indians from Xuarez, by means of the opal, seemed to him to be -childish. That an army of six thousand untutored savages flushed with -victory should voluntarily retire at the bidding of Huitzilopochtli -spoken through the stone, seemed improbable. But then Maraquando had -never been to Totatzine, he did not know in what extreme veneration the -opal was held by the Indians, and thus deemed Jack's proposition weak, -when in reality it could scarcely have been stronger. Nothing is so -powerful as superstition, and to work on the minds of the Indians -through their abject belief in the virtues of the shining precious -stone was a master-stroke on the part of Duval. - -"It seems to me," said Maraquando, at length raising his eyes, "that -the carrying out of this scheme will entail the loss of the opal." - -"Without doubt, Seņor," replied Duval, coolly; "but by such a sacrifice -you gain more than you lose. The Indians will desert Xuarez, you will -be able to march your army south, and conquer him in the neighbourhood -of Centeotl before he has time to approach nearer to the capital. Then -you can crush his nest of traitors in Acauhtzin. Better lose the opal -than Tlatonac, and if we do not succeed in getting rid of the Indians -it may be that the city will fall." - -"What says my niece Doņa Dolores?" - -"I have spoken to her, Seņor, and for the sake of the city, she is -willing to run the risk of losing the jewel." - -Don Miguel smiled approvingly. He was patriotic himself, and liked to -see the same quality displayed by all his family. At the same time, he -was a just man, and knowing how Dolores loved the gem, did not care -about taking advantage of her offer to sacrifice the same, unless she -voluntarily consented to surrender the sacred stone. - -"We will ask the lady herself," he said, rising from his chair. "One -moment, Seņor; I shall return with my niece." - -He disappeared down the staircase leading to the patio, and Jack was -left alone with Cocom. - -"It may be that the Indians will not dare to take the jewel," said -Jack, looking at the old man. - -Cocom uttered a grunt which might have meant anything. - -"Rest content, Don Juan. Once the Chalchuih Tlatonac leaves the walls -of the city, it will never return again. Back to the sacred shrine of -Totatzine shall it go. The high priest has ordered it be sought for far -and wide, lest the god afflict the people with plagues for its loss." - -"Still, if I remained in the chapel, and watched it." - -"You, Seņor? Nay, that, indeed, would be rash. The Indians would slay -you. Only one will watch the jewel; but that one cannot prevent the -worshippers seizing it." - -"You mean yourself?" - -"It is said. I speak of Cocom. He shall sit by the image of the god, -when the Indians enter the chapel of the good father." - -"But the Indians might slay you, Cocom." - -"That which is to be must be," replied the old man, stolidly. "Cocom -must watch the sacred gem, so that it sends the blue ray of peace from -its breast. The tribes have been told by Ixtlilxochitli that Cocom is a -traitor, and false to the worship of the old gods. When he is seen, he -must die." - -"But my friend, I----" - -"Be silent, Seņor. Not you nor any man can turn aside the spear of -Teoyamiqui. Why should I murmur if death be my portion? I am old, I am -mutilated, I am weary of life. If I die I die, and for the safety of -the white people. It may be, Seņor, that, as says the good Padre, Cocom -shall go to the heaven of the Christians. With the Virgin such going -rests." - -Jack found no words to reply to this speech, and remained silently -thinking of how he could save the old man from death. He had as yet -arrived at no conclusion, when Don Miguel appeared with his niece on -the floor of the azotea. Dolores ran towards Jack and threw herself -into his arms. - -"Querido," she said in a tender voice, "my good uncle tells me of your -scheme. It is that of which you spoke to me. It may save Tlatonac from -savage foes, and thus do I aid you to the extent of my powers." - -She held out the opal towards him. - -"You may lose it altogether, Dolores." - -"No matter, Juanito. It may save the city." - -"And you consent to this sacrifice, Don Miguel?" - -"Yes, Seņor. I think it will turn aside this host of savages. With them -away, we can hope to conquer Xuarez. Otherwise----" Maraquando stopped -suddenly, and made a gesture of despair. - -"Of course it is merely an experiment," said Jack, doubtfully. - -"But one which must be successful," cried Dolores, quickly. "Querido, -can you doubt that, after what we saw in the sacred city? As the god -speaks through the opal, so will the Indians act. Let it dart, then, -its blue ray, and drive them back to their forests." - -"You are sure you can make it shine blue, Cocom?" - -"Seņor," said the old man, with great dignity, "I give my life to prove -that this shall be so." - -Jack took the opal from the outstretched hand of Dolores. - -"So be it!" he cried, fervently. "The opal has brought the Indians to -Tlatonac; the opal shall send them back again to Totatzine." - -Tim suddenly made his appearance with a face full of excitement. - -"Jack! Seņor Maraquando!" he said, quickly, in Spanish, "the messenger -you sent to spy on the Indians at Chichimec has returned." - -"What does he say, Seņor Correspoņsal?" - -"That the whole host of Indians are marching from Chichimec, and will -be camped round the walls at dawn. Dios! We are lost!" - -"No," cried Jack, brightly, "we are saved!" - -"What the deuce will save us, Jack?" asked Tim, in English. - -"This!" - -Duval held up the harlequin opal. A ray of sunlight struck the jewel, -and a blue ray darted out like a tongue of steel. - -"Bueno!" said Cocom, stolidly, "the Chalchuih Tlatonac prophesies -peace." - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -THE LUCK OF THE OPAL. - - The red ray dies in the opal stone, - The god hath spoken, - Arrow and bow and spear be broken, - Red of war is the fiery token, - And lo! in the zone, - It pales, and fades, and faints, and dies, - As sunsets wane in the eastern skies. - - The blue ray glows in the opal's heart, - The god is smiling, - Victims no more need we be piling, - On altar stone for his dread beguiling; - The blue rays dart - To tell us war must surely cease, - So in the land let there be peace. - - -Jack at once proceeded to execute his project. Fortunately Padre -Ignatius had gone south in _The Iturbide_, thinking his ministrations -might be required by the wounded, else Duval would never have gained -the good priest's consent to such a desecration of his chapel. As it -was, Jack hoped to carry out his scheme, and restore the chapel to its -original state before the return of the old man. The actual elevation -of a heathen idol on the shrine of the Virgin, not being seen by Padre -Ignatius, he would think less of the sacrilegious act, more especially -when he would find on his return the altar in nearly the same state as -when he left it. Being a Protestant, Jack had no scruples about the -matter, and Cocom was such a queer mixture of paganism and Catholicism, -that his views were not very decided. He believed in the Virgin -certainly; but seeing that her altar was required to save the city, -Cocom thought that she surely would not object to the conversion for a -time of her chapel into a heathen temple. Besides, if this was not -done, the Indians would be sure to destroy the shrine, so it was best -to make an attempt to avert such a disaster, even in such an -illegitimate way, rather than risk the whole place being destroyed by -the savages. This was Cocom's idea in the matter, therefore he -proceeded to put an image of Huitzilopochtli in the place occupied by -the cross. Father Ignatius would have died of horror had he witnessed -such daring. - -All the afternoon they laboured to transfer the chapel into a semblance -of the temple of the war-god, and at length succeeded in making it a -very fair representation. Huitzilopochtli, his left foot decked with -humming-bird feathers, was set up on the shrine itself, a small altar -on which a fire was lighted burned before him, and the walls were -draped with mats of featherwork and pictured linen, whereon were -depicted the hideous forms of Aztec deities. From the roof, by a golden -thread, hung the famous opal, spinning in the dim light. After some -calculation, Cocom made a hole in the roof of the chapel, so that when -the sun rose over the walls of the city his beams would pour through -the opening and bathe the gem in floods of gold. - -Where Cocom had discovered all this idolatrous paraphernalia Jack could -not make out, nor would the old Indian tell. But it confirmed Duval in -his belief that in the near neighbourhood of Tlatonac the natives still -worshipped the gods of their ancestors, for the celerity with which -Cocom had produced statue, pictured linen, and altar, pointed to the -existence of some hidden temple close at hand. In fact, despite Cocom's -asseverations to the contrary, Jack began to be doubtful as to his -really being a Christian, for he betrayed far too much knowledge of -paganism in its worst form to be quite orthodox. One thing, however, -was certain, that, pagan or not, Cocom was greatly incensed against -Ixtlilxochitli for maiming him, and was doing his best to thwart the -plans of the savage old priest. - -Things having been thus arranged, towards sunset Jack tried to persuade -Cocom to return with him to the city, and leave the opal to work out -its own spell. This the obstinate octogenarian refused to do, averring -that without his personal superintendence the scheme would fail. Jack -unwilling that a man from whom he had derived so many benefits should -be left unprotected amid a horde of bloodthirsty savages, insisted on -remaining with him to keep vigil during the night. This offer Cocom -also refused, and implored Jack to return at once to the city, and have -the gates closed, as it was near sunset, and the Indian army would soon -be close at hand. - -"Leave me here, Seņor," he said, with quiet obstinacy. "It may be that -I fall not into their hands. They may take the opal--that is sure--but -they may not take me. If you remain, your white skin will attract their -fury, and they may sacrifice you before that very altar you have -assisted to rear. I am an Indian, a Maya. Dog does not bite dog. It may -be that I shall escape." - -"Not if Ixtlilxochitli can help it." - -"Oh, that evil one! He would have my blood, I know, Don Juan. But -behold, Seņor, if I--as the Indians, my countrymen, think--took the -opal from Totatzine, I now bring it back again. That may save me!" - -"But, Cocom----" - -"Depart, Seņor; I have my own plans. What says the proverb of the white -people? 'Every one is master of his own soul.' Go! I save mine as I -will!" - -It seemed to Jack that Cocom was desirous of wearing the crown of -martyrdom. However, it was useless to turn him from his purpose, as he -was obstinately set on daring the fury of the Indians. Jack, for a -moment, thought of employing force, and looked at the spare frame of -the old man, with the idea of picking him up and bearing him inside the -city. Perhaps something of his purpose showed itself in his eyes, for -Cocom suddenly darted out of the chapel and disappeared. Though he -searched everywhere, Jack was unable to find him, so proceeded to the -Puerta de la Culebra, and reported his arrival to Don Sebastian, who -was stationed there in command of the guard. - -"And the Indian, Seņor?" - -"Refuses to come within, Don Sebastian. He says he is safe outside." - -De Ahumada shrugged his shoulders, and made the same remark as had -Cocom some quarter of an hour before. - -"Bueno! Dog does not bite dog." - -Then he ordered the gates to be closed, which was accordingly done. It -was now too late to alter existing circumstances, and the whole chances -of detaching the Indian host from the cause of Xuarez lay with Cocom -and the opal. Jack went off to the Casa Maraquando, in order to inform -Don Miguel of all that had been done, and then rewarded himself for -that wearisome afternoon by chatting with Dolores. It had been deemed -advisable, by Don Miguel, to keep Jack's scheme secret, lest, should -the attempt fail, and the opal be lost, the populace should lose heart -in the forthcoming struggle with Xuarez. So long as the opal was in the -city, they deemed themselves invincible; so, whether the attempt to -detach the Indians succeeded or failed, Maraquando determined that the -people of Tlatonac should still think that the sacred stone was in the -possession of his niece. - -Late that night Jack went on the walls with Tim, and together they -watched the Indians gather round the walls. Above the Puerta de la -Culebra was fixed a powerful electric light, which irradiated a -considerable portion of the space beyond the gate. Without the walls -there was quite a town, as the huts of the peons stretched away in long -lines, alternating with palms, cacti, aloes, and densely foliaged ombú -trees. Close to the gate these huts clustered thickly together, but -after a time became scattered, and finally ceased on the verge of the -plains, where the ground was thickly covered with brushwood. - -The Indians, fearful of the guns protruding from the walls, and -doubtful of the weird glare of the electric light, kept away beyond the -line of huts, and finally camped in the open ground beyond. -Notwithstanding the distance they kept from the town the powerful rays -of electric light blazed full on their camp, and caused them -considerable uneasiness. The two Englishmen could see their tall, dark -forms, gliding like ghosts through the white radiance, and at times a -mounted troop of horsemen would dash furiously across the circle of -light, disappearing into the further darkness. Just below, a stone's -throw from the wall, arose the little chapel of Father Ignatius, -beneath whose roof Cocom, with the opal, awaited the dawn. - -For some hours Jack watched the strange sight that savage picture, -starting out of the surrounding darkness, and ultimately retired to his -house, hopeful that before noon of the next day all the Indians would -have disappeared. Tim remained behind, talking to Don Sebastian, and -scribbling notes in his book; but at last he also went to rest, and the -wall was left in possession of De Ahumada and his guard. All night long -the electric light flashed its beams on the camp, so as to guard -against an unexpected attack by the Indians. - -At dawn, the savages were up and doing before sunrise. They gathered -together in groups, and talked of how they were to attack this -formidable city, whose colossal walls bid defiance to their puny -weapons. They could see soldiers moving along the ramparts, the black -muzzles of the guns frowning fiercely down, and wondered at the -absolute indifference of the Republic, who thus permitted her -hereditary enemies to camp before the gates of her principal city. -Everything within the town was quiet, the gates were firmly closed, no -peons were to be seen moving about the suburbs, and the Indians, -blackening the plain with their thousands of men and horses stood -perplexed before this intensely silent town. - -The east was flaming redly over the ocean waves. The Indians could see -the long line of battlements black against the clear crimson sky. No -wind blew across the desert, and the great banner of the opal hung -motionless from its tall staff. Suddenly, in the red sky, a yellow beam -shot up into the cold blue of the zenith; another and another followed, -spreading like a gigantic fan. The savages threw themselves on their -knees, and held up their hands in supplication to the great deity, who -was even now being invoked with sacrifice in the hidden town of -Totatzine. - -The gold of the sky seemed to boil up behind the walls of the town, as -though it would run over in yellow streams. Then the dazzling orb -appeared, and fierce arrows shot across the green suburbs to the sandy -desert, where those thousands of naked Indians were kneeling. Suddenly -a man started in surprise, and looked inquiringly at his companions. -They listened as he had done, and also looked astonished. In a -miraculously short space of time the whole host were in a state of -commotion. Those in front stood still in a listening attitude, those -behind pressed forward to hear this miracle which had startled their -companions. Loud and shrill arose the song from the chapel of Padre -Ignatius. It was the hymn of the opal daily chaunted by the priests of -Huitzilopochtli in the city of Totatzine. - -The chiefs hastily gathered together, and consulted as to the meaning -of this prodigy. Never before had the sacred song been heard beyond the -shrine of the sacred city, and now its music was thrilling through the -still morning air under the very walls of the capital. The mystery must -be solved at any cost, and commanding their warriors to wait in the -camp, all five chiefs, the leaders of the host, flung themselves on -their horses, and galloped bravely up to the chapel. It was a dangerous -thing to do, for at any moment those terrible guns might vomit forth -fire and death; but the chiefs did not care. Fanaticism, dread of the -gods, was their most powerful characteristic, and dismounting from -their horses, they entered the door of the chapel whence the chaunt of -the opal proceeded. - -At the entrance they stood transfixed with surprise, and for the moment -deemed they were in the Shrine of the Opal at Totatzine. Half-veiled by -clouds of white smoke rolling upward from a small altar, they could see -the terrible features of Huitzilopochtli, in all his blood-stained -glory. The mats of feather-work hung glittering from the walls; they -marked the grotesque visages of their deities scowling from pictured -walls, and behind the altar, the hidden minstrel chaunted the hymn of -the opal. - -The opal! There it hung in the centre of the white smoke. A ray of -golden light, like a finger from heaven, smote it with terrible glory. -It was turning rapidly, as they had seen it in the temple of the god at -Totatzine. - -"Chalchuih Tlatonac!" they cried, and all five prostrated themselves -before the sacred gem. High and shrill rang out the song from the -hidden singer, and the chiefs, with reverential awe, watched the -spinning opal. Red, yellow, blue, green, the rays flashed out jets of -many-coloured fire every second. It began to revolve more slowly. -Slower and slower! a pause!--it hung motionless, and a ray of azure -shone benignly from its breast. - -The song ceased, and a tall man, arrayed in white garments, came from -behind the shrine, holding a blue cloak full length in his arms. This -was the ritual prescribed at the shrine of Huitzilopochtli when the god -spoke through the opal. - -"The god proclaims peace!" - -His voice broke the spell. The Indians dashed forward, and strove to -seize him, but he eluded their grip, and vanished. - -"Peace! Peace! Peace!" they heard him cry three times. Their attention -was fixed on the opal, and they did not pursue him. - -"The sacred stone!" cried the supreme chief; "we must bear it back to -the shrine of the god. Forgive us, oh, holy one." - -He snapped the stone off the string, and darted out of the door, -followed by his four companions. At the door an old Indian, now -divested of his sacerdotal garments, met them, and rushed on their -principal with a cry of anger. - -"The opal! Give me back the sacred gem!" - -"Cocom!" cried the chief, raising his tomahawk. "It was thou who -thieved the gem! Die, vile wretch, who desecrated the shrine of the -god." - -His companions restrained his wrath. The fear of the opal was on them. - -"Nay, Tezuco. The god says peace! The stone burns blue rays." - -"Bind him, then, and we will take him to Totatzine; there to be -sacrificed on the altar of the offended god." - -In a moment Cocom, in spite of his struggles, was thrown across the -back of the horse of one of the chiefs, and they all rode off rapidly -towards the camp. In the centre of the throng, Tezuco halted, and held -up his hand. Therein flashed the opal, and a cry of delight arose from -the host, who in a moment recognised the gem, and at once prostrated -themselves before its glory. - -"Children of the war-god. This hath been given to us again. We saw the -stone revolve--we saw it stay. Blue was the ray of the gem. Blue, my -children, is the sign of peace. Huitzilopochtli, the lord of war, is -appeased. He proclaims peace. No longer wait we here. To Totatzine!" - -"To Totatzine!" roared the vast host, and, at a signal, rushed for -their horses. War, plunder, Xuarez, all was forgotten. The blue ray of -the opal proclaimed peace, and this vast host, laying down its arms, -departed at the bidding of the god. - -The townspeople on the walls of the city saw with amazement the Indians -suddenly, without any apparent reason, strike their camp, and file off -in long lines towards the north. Astonished at the sight, Don Sebastian -sent off a message to the President. - -In a quarter of an hour he arrived at the Puerta de la Culebra, -followed by Jack and Tim. - -"Behold, Seņor!" cried Jack, triumphantly pointing to the myriads -tramping across the plain. "Did I not speak truly? The opal has done -its work." - -"The opal! The opal!" murmured those around him, and the cry being -caught up by the populace, passed from one mouth to another. The crowd -on the walls, seeing in the departure of the Indians the influence of -the opal, began to cry out madly. They deemed that the opal was still -within the walls of Tlatonac. - -"Viva el opale! El Chalchuih Tlatonac!" - -"Bueno!" said Maraquando, with satisfaction, shaking Jack by the hand; -"you were right, Seņor. The Indians will give us no more trouble. Now -we can crush Xuarez in the south. Seņor de Ahumada open the gates!" - -In a few moments His Excellency, followed by Jack, Tim, and Don -Sebastian, was galloping in the direction of the chapel. They reached -it, dismounted, and entered. The opal was gone and Cocom also! - -"I knew we would lose the opal," said Jack, cheerfully; "but I thought -they would kill Cocom. Fortunately they have only taken him prisoner." - -"To reserve him for a more cruel death in Totatzine, Seņor," replied -Maraquando, his delight slightly damped. "He has served the Republic -well. I would he could have been saved." - -"Poor devil!" murmured Tim, in English, as they remounted their horses. -"In any case, Jack, his death has saved the Republic. Now the savages -have gone away, it won't be difficult to thrash Don Hypolito." - -At the city gates a new surprise awaited them. Don Rafael, mounted on a -mustang, came galloping through the gate, and reined up his steed in -front of his astonished father. - -"My father! Great news; good news! I have just returned in _The -Montezuma_. We have captured _The Cortes_ and the transports." - -Don Miguel looked incredulous. This news, coming after the departure of -the Indians, seemed too good to be true. - -"It is true, my father," said Rafael, proudly. "By noon to-day you will -see them in the harbour. Now Don Hypolito has no fleet." - -"Hurrah!" cried Jack, tossing his hat in the air. "The luck of the -opal!" - -Those near repeated his exclamation. It swelled into a roar, and -throughout Tlatonac only one cry could be heard, "Vive el opale." - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -UNDER THE OPAL FLAG. - - Marching away; joyous and gay, - Rank upon rank with a splendid display, - Leaving the city at breaking of day. - - Riding along, gallant and strong, - Round us the populace tearfully throng, - Greeting our going with patriot's song. - - Under our feet, flower-buds sweet; - Tread we in marching through plaza and street, - Never our kinsfolk again may we meet. - - Laurels to earn; foemen to spurn; - Only for glory we anxiously yearn, - Conquerors all we will hither return. - - -"Juan," said Dolores, seriously, "I believe the opal brought us bad -fortune. While it was in the city, Janjalla fell, Don Francisco died, -and all went wrong. Now it is lost, the Indians have departed, the -fleet of Xuarez is destroyed, and everything promises well for the -future." - -"That is true, in one sense, yet wrong in another," replied Jack, -smiling. "You must not forget that it was through the opal the Indians -departed, and while it was in Tlatonac, _The Pizarro_ was sunk, and -the two other warships captured." - -"I suppose never again shall I behold the opal, Juanito?" - -"Not unless you care to pay a second visit to Totatzine." - -Dolores shuddered. The memory of their peril in the hidden city was a -painful one. Recent events had not obliterated the recollection of that -terrible journey to the coast through the tropical forest. - -"I would certainly not care about seeing Totatzine again, querido. And -yet I would--if only to save Cocom!" - -"It is impossible to save Cocom," responded Jack, a trifle sadly. "The -only way to do so would be to lead an army to the hidden city, and -rescue him. But how can such a thing be done in that narrow, secret -way? Our soldiers would be cut to pieces in those rocky defiles." - -"There is no other way, I suppose?" - -"I am not sure, Dolores. That caņon road leads to the outer world. If -we could only enter the valley where Totatzine is built by that way, we -might succeed in capturing the city; but I am afraid such an entrance -will never be discovered." - -"Ay di mi. Then poor Cocom is lost." - -"It is his own fault, querida. I tried to save him; but he refused to -obey my orders. Still, there is one chance of aiding him, though I am -afraid but a faint one." - -"And that, my Juan?" - -"Listen, angelito! The sacrifice of the cycle does not take place for -two months. I have escaped it, but Cocom may now be selected by -Ixtlilxochitli as the victim. If we can crush Xuarez and finish the war -within the next few weeks, it may be that we can march troops to the -sacred city, and save his life." - -"But how can you get to the city? By the secret way?" - -"No; by the caņon road. See, Dolores! I have an idea!" - -They were sitting on the azotea, two days after the Indians had -retreated from Tlatonac. Rafael had just left them, full of glee at the -proposed expedition to Janjalla, and it was then that Dolores had made -the remark about the opal which lead to the conversation regarding -Cocom, Totatzine, and the caņon road. - -In her lap Dolores had a pile of flowers, which she was arranging for -the use of the house. Jack took a handful of these, and, kneeling down -on the floor of the azotea, proceeded to illustrate his theory by -constructing a map with the blossoms. - -"Behold, my own!" he said, deftly placing a bud here and there, "this -rose is Totatzine, situate fifty miles from the coast in a straight -line. Here is Tlatonac, indicated by this scarlet verbena. From the -point where we embarked in the canoe to the capital is twenty miles." - -"I understand," said Dolores, much interested in this explanation. - -"From Totatzine to the point where we embarked, and from thence to -Tlatonac, is what we call a right angle. Now, if I draw a straight line -from the capital in a slanting direction, you can see that it passes -through Totatzine." - -"I see that, querido! but the third line is longer than the other two." - -"It is longer than each of the other two lines if you take them -separately. Shorter if you take them together. You do not know Euclid, -Dolores, else you would discover that any two sides of a triangle are -together greater than the third side." - -"Wait a moment, Juanito!" exclaimed Dolores, vivaciously. "From -Totatzine to the point where we embarked is fifty miles, from thence to -Tlatonac twenty miles--in all, seventy miles. But by your reasoning -this third line is not seventy miles." - -"Of course not! Still I believe it is quite seventy miles from Tlatonac -to Totatzine by this new way." - -"How so?" - -"Because we cannot go thither in a straight line. If we went by this -one I have drawn, the distance would be much shorter than by the secret -way of the sea. But as we have to follow the railway it is a longer -journey--quite seventy miles. See! This is Cuavaca, at the foot of -Xicotencatl--thirty miles from Tlatonac; from Cuavaca to the terminus -of the railway it is twenty miles; from thence to Totatzine possibly -another twenty--in all seventy miles. So you see that the distance each -way, owing to the configuration of the country, is precisely the same." - -"Yes; but what of that?" - -"Can you not see? At the point where the railway stops it is only -twenty miles to Totatzine. Now, if, as I suspect, there is a road -leading up the caņon to the city, the distance from the termination of -the railway works to that road cannot be very far. If, therefore, we -discover the hidden road, we can take our troops up by rail, march the -rest of the distance, and enter Totatzine through the mouth of the -caņon." - -"Oh!" cried Dolores, astonished at this idea. "And you propose to -attempt this entrance?" - -"If it can be found. Unfortunately Cocom is the only Indian who could -supply such information, and he is a prisoner to Ixtlilxochitli." - -"But if he knew of this caņon road, why did he not lead us by that way -instead of towards the coast?" - -"You forget the whole country is overrun by Indians. We could not have -disguised ourselves as pilgrims had we gone by the caņon road. That is -evidently the secular path. The other way to the coast is sacred." - -"It might be done, Juanito." - -"Yes; but it cannot be done till Xuarez is conquered and the war is -ended." - -"Santissima!" sighed Dolores, sadly; "and when will that be?" - -"Very shortly. Now we have succeeded in getting rid of the Indians, we -shall be able to crush Xuarez at one blow." - -"When do you march south?" - -"To-morrow at the latest." - -"Will Seņor Felipe be back?" - -"No, I am afraid not. In three days I expect the yacht will return. By -that time who knows but what we may not have conquered the rebels?" - -Shortly afterwards this conversation came to an abrupt conclusion as -Don Miguel sent a special messenger to call Jack to the Palacio -Nacional. In those days Jack was a very important personage. Maraquando -was so impressed by the way in which the Indians had been dealt with -that he entertained a higher opinion than ever of Duval's capabilities, -and frequently appealed to him for advice. Nor did this create any -jealousy, for the Cholacacans were now beginning to regard Duval as one -of themselves. He was going to marry the niece of their President; he -was the engineer who had constructed the railway; he was deeply -interested in the future of the Republic; so it was generally supposed -that when the war was at an end he would be naturalized, a citizen of -Cholacaca, and take up his abode there altogether. A clever, brilliant -young man like Jack was a distinct acquisition to the country, and the -liberal-minded Cholacacans welcomed him accordingly. - -From the deepest despair the city had passed into a state of great -elation. With the death of Gomez, all the bad fortune of the Republic -seemed to have vanished. Since Maraquando had seated himself in the -Presidential chair, all had gone well, and the superstitious -Tlatonacians looked upon him as a ruler likely to bring good fortune to -the Republic. Nor was such a belief to be wondered at, seeing how -suddenly the tide of fortune had turned within the last few days in -favour of the governmental party. - -The Indians had departed, and thus was Don Hypolito deprived at one -swoop of half his power. _The Cortes_ menaced by _The Columbus_, _The -Iturbide_ and the torpederas had surrendered, and now with the -transports were lying in the harbour of the capital. Xuarez, by the -loss of his fleet, was cut off completely from the north, and shut up -in Janjalla with but six thousand troops. - -After these events had transpired, the Junta met in the hall of the -Palacio Nacional to map out the coming campaign. The whole of the -members were on the side of Maraquando. Before the peril which -threatened the Republic in the south all party differences had -disappeared, and the representatives of the several provinces united in -upholding the policy of Don Miguel. This judicious unity was the -salvation of the Republic. - -The capital was garrisoned by ten thousand troops plentifully supplied -with cannon, ammunition, and rifles. This force was under the command -of General Benito, who had been elevated to the command after the death -of the ill-fated Gigedo at Janjalla. The troops were in a great state -of excitement, as it was well known that they were no longer to be held -back within the walls of the capital. Maraquando had decided to throw -forward nine thousand men as far as Centeotl, and leaving one thousand -to defend Tlatonac, try conclusions with the rebels in the open plains. - -At the second conference of the Junta, this decision was somewhat -modified by the advice of Benito. That astute commander pointed out -that in Janjalla lay the strength of Xuarez. If he was defeated at -Centeotl, he could fall back on the southern capital, whereas, if that -was in the power of the Government, he would have no chance of retreat, -and be thus crushed at one blow. The main thing, therefore, was to -capture Janjalla, and deprive the rebels of this last refuge in case of -defeat. - -It was Rafael who supported the General, and proposed a plan by which -the southern city could be taken. - -"Seņores," cried Rafael, vehemently, "what General Benito says is -true. We must leave Xuarez no refuge. He must be crushed between our -armies in the north and south. Behold, Seņores, in the harbour of our -city lie two warships taken from the enemy, now manned by faithful -sailors of the Junta. Also the armed cruiser _Iturbide_, and the two -torpedo-boats _Zuloaga_ and _Montezuma_, one of which I have the -honour of commanding. Give us, Seņores, the order to steam south. Put -two thousand troops on board of the transports. Then we will lie in -the harbour of Janjalla, and bombard the town. As Don Hypolito has -probably gone north with the bulk of his army to Centeotl, the town -will be ill defended. In the end it must surrender, and then we can -land our troops and push forward to gain the rear of the rebels. From -the north, Seņores, seven thousand men will march under the command of -General Benito. Thus Xuarez will find himself between two armies, and -be forced to surrender or submit to be cut to pieces. The rebels will -be defeated and the war will be ended." - -This proposition commended itself to the Junta, and was ultimately -adopted. At once the fleet, under the command of Captain Pedraza, was -sent south, with instructions to bombard and capture Janjalla. Then to -lead the troops and push forward to effect a conjunction with General -Benito at Centeotl. The warships, the cruiser, torpederas, and -transports, left the harbour of the capital that afternoon amid great -excitement, and then the populace rolled from sea-gate to land-gate in -order to witness the departure of the army for the south. - -As yet _The Bohemian_ had not returned from Truxillo, a delay which -vexed Tim mightily, as he wanted to send the boat off again with fresh -despatches. Besides, he knew that Philip would be annoyed at missing -the battle which was to decide the fate of the war. When he had left -for Truxillo, there had been no chance of the loyalists and rebels -meeting in open battle; but of late events had developed so rapidly -that it was impossible to delay matters further. The army was marching -for Centeotl, and Philip was absent at Truxillo. - -Only one person was pleased at this. Eulalia was afraid of losing her -lover in what promised to be a terribly sanguinary affair, and was -therefore pleased that he was out of danger. She had not the Spartan -spirit of her cousin, who, though downcast at the prospect of being -separated from Jack, yet bade him march forward with the army to -conquer the rebels, and made no attempt to detain him by her side. - -Two thousand infantry had embarked on board the transports for -Janjalla, and now the army, consisting of five thousand foot and two -thousand horse, left for the front by the Puerta de la Culebra. -Maraquando was nominally Commander-in-Chief of the forces, but, his -presence being required at Tlatonac, he left the conduct of the -campaign to General Benito. The army of Janjalla, proceeding thither by -sea, was commanded by Colonel Palo, and he was directed, when the -southern city was captured, to march to Centeotl, and effect, if -possible, a junction with the troops from the north. There were also -forty field-guns, and a battery of gatlings, with a corps of engineers. -Thus provided, the army of the Government deemed themselves invincible. - -When they set out, Maraquando solemnly delivered to Benito the great -standard of the opal, which had never before left the walls of the -capital. Now, in all its splendour, it floated over the heads of the -soldiers, a shining star, with its glitter of feather-work and jewels, -leading them south to victory. With that standard the army could -scarcely conceive that there was any chance of defeat. - -All signs of the Indians had disappeared. There was no doubt that, -obeying the opal, they had retired to the sacred city, and there -delivered the recovered treasure to the high priest. Doubtless -Ixtlilxochitli, still desirous of aiding Xuarez, would stir them up to -war; but before they could again emerge from the forests, General -Benito hoped to cut the army of Don Hypolito to pieces, reduce the -south to order, and then marching north, defeat the savage forces under -the walls of the capital. The great strength of the Republic lay in the -fact that by strategy they had succeeded in isolating Xuarez in the -south. Owing to the loss of his fleet, he could no longer depend upon -help from Acauhtzin, and now that his Indian allies had deserted him, -he was forced to meet the Royalist army with a comparatively small -army. - -On Monday afternoon the transports, filled with troops, and convoyed by -the warships, left for Janjalla, and at dawn on Wednesday the army -began to march out of the Puerta de la Culebra on its way to the south. -Jack took a fond farewell of Dolores, and soothed her with promises of -his speedy return. Don Miguel, with some members of the Junta, -accompanied Benito some miles on his way, and then returned to the -capital to wait the upshot of this bold attempt to end the war at a -single blow. - -From Tlatonac the army marched to Chichimec, which they found in ruins. -Hardly a soul was left in the town, for those who survived the massacre -had fled southward to Puebla de los Naranjos. It was true that there, -also, they would find but ruins. This they did not know, as the -telegraph-wires had been cut by the Indians, but as those savages were -between Chichimec and the capital, the unfortunate townspeople were -only able to escape southward. - -Leaving Chichimec, Benito marched to Puebla de los Naranjos, and there -found a considerable number of fugitives from the former city. He was -informed that Centeotl still held out against the rebels, though Xuarez -was besieging it hotly, and that Hermanita was untouched by either -savage or rebel. This news was very comforting, and desirous of -reaching that town by nightfall, the General pushed forward his troops -by forced marches. By eight o'clock the army came in sight of -Hermanita, and were joyfully greeted by its citizens, who threw open -their gates to receive these whom they justly regarded as their -deliverers. That night the troops occupied the town. - -Centeotl was but twenty miles further on, and Benito was desirous of -ascertaining the position of Xuarez before venturing to give battle. -He sent out Indian spies, and these speedily brought reports as to the -numerical strength of the rebels. It appeared that Xuarez had in all -about seven thousand troops, as he had been joined by several of the -smaller towns of the Republic. He had left but five hundred to -garrison Janjalla, never for a moment dreaming that, guarded as was -the town by _The Cortes_, it would be attacked by the loyalists from -the sea. Now having lost his sole remaining warship, he could not help -seeing that his position was desperate. By his spies, he learned that -the army under Benito was camped at Hermanita, and that Janjalla was -being bombarded by the fleet of the Junta. - -At one time he thought of falling back on Janjalla, concentrating all -his force within its walls, and holding out against the loyalists, -until reinforced by his Indian allies. As yet he knew not that they had -deserted him and withdrawn to their forests. Had he been aware of his -isolated position, he might have come to terms with the Junta, but -relying on the aid of the savages, and trusting to Ixtlilxochitli's -promises, he felt confident that he would gain a victory. As Janjalla -was being bombarded by the warships, he decided not to fall back there, -as he would but expose his troops to a double danger: the land army of -Benito and the bombs from the sea. - -What he proposed to do was to meet Benito at Centeotl, defeat his army, -and then either occupy that town, and hold out till his allies came -south, or march north to effect a conjunction with them before the -capital. As to Janjalla, he could do nothing to relieve it. It was -absolutely necessary that he should keep his troops together, so as to -meet the army of the Republic under Benito. Before Janjalla fell into -the hands of the Junta, he hoped to conquer the land forces. It was all -a chance, and he fully recognised that his position was most perilous. -The only hope he had of turning the tide of fortune in his favour was -to be joined by the Indians from the north. - -The warships had left Tlatonac on Monday afternoon, and General Benito, -knowing the weak garrison at Janjalla, calculated that the city would -succumb to the bombardment by Friday at the latest. It was now the -morning of that day, and he determined to march his troops forward to -meet the rebel army. From Janjalla, from Hermanita to Centeotl, it was -but twenty miles each way; and assuming that Janjalla was captured, as -there was every reason to believe, General Benito hoped that the two -thousand troops from the south, and his own forces from the north would -meet at Centeotl about the same time. - -With this idea, he marched with his full strength to Centeotl, for now -that the Indians had vanished, he had no fear of being attacked in the -rear, and if forced to retreat, could fall back on Hermanita, that city -being defended by its ordinary garrison. Don Hypolito, so as not to -expose his troops to the double fire of town and plain, left the -shelter of the walls, and occupied a low range of hillocks running at -right angles from the city. Between him and Benito flowed the river -broad and sluggish. - -By noon the armies faced one another. At one o'clock the first shot was -fired, and the battle of Centeotl began. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -THE BATTLE OF CENTEOTL. - - The squadrons move across the plain, - Beneath a rain - Of deadly missiles falling, falling. - Oh, could we gain - Those heights beyond, where guns are calling, - Of deeds appalling, - One to the other not in vain, - Then might we conquer in the fray, - And victors be e'er close of day. - - -The stream lying between the two armies was called the Rio Tardo, from -its slow-flowing current, and emerging from the interior mountains, -pursued its way in many windings to the sea. Centeotl was built on the -left bank, so that the loyalists were unable to occupy the town without -crossing the river, and to do so they would have had to force a passage -at the point of the sword. The battle took place about three miles from -the city, on a large plain streaked here and there with low ranges of -sandy hills, and intersected by the broad stream of the Rio Tardo. - -On one of these ranges Don Hypolito had planted his artillery, and -swept the river with his heavy guns. He also disposed his infantry -along the banks, whence they kept up a regular fire of musketry on the -loyalists. The bridge at Centeotl had been destroyed prior to the -arrival of Benito, so that there was no way of crossing, save under -fire from the foot soldiers, or in the teeth of the battery posted on -the sandy ridges. - -Behind this battery Xuarez held his cavalry in reserve, lest the -loyalists should accomplish the passage of the river, and the -combatants come to closer quarters. Between Centeotl and the position -he had taken up, he placed a line of some thousand horse, with the -object of preventing an attack by the besieged in his rear. In the -disposition of his troops, he showed a wonderful skill in taking -advantage of the capabilities of the ground, and General Benito saw -plainly that it would be with considerable difficulty that he could -effect a crossing of the Rio Tardo. - -On his side there were no ranges of hills upon which he could post his -artillery, or by which he could protect his men. Nothing but a desolate -plain covered with brushwood incapable of offering the least shelter -against the devastating fire of the insurgents. His only way of -crossing the river was to silence the battery on the sandhills. With -this object, he brought up his field-guns, and opened a heavy cannonade -on the heights beyond. The rebels replied, and for over two hours this -cross fire went on without intermission on either side. Benito trusted -by this gunnery to deceive the insurgents as to his real purpose, which -was to attempt a crossing with five hundred horse three miles further -up the stream, near the ruins of the bridge. By doing so he could take -Xuarez in the rear, and while the rebels were employed in facing this -new danger from an unexpected quarter, hoped to cross the river with -his full force. - -Don Hypolito evidently suspected this stratagem, for he kept a sharp -eye on the disposition of the loyalist army in the direction of -Centeotl. When he saw a body of horse move citywards to effect a -crossing, he at once sent a troop of cavalry to dispute the passage. -Benito seeing this, despatched a battery of six gatlings to support his -troops, trusting that under the cover of these guns playing on the -enemy they could force the stream. At once Xuarez brought up his -field-artillery, and in a short space of time the cannonading lower -down the river was being repeated further up at the ruins of the -bridge. - -The right wing of the loyalist army, consisting entirely of infantry, -was thrown forward in the direction of Centeotl, and kept up a -fusillade, under cover of which the cavalry in scattered groups tried -to cross. The insurgents, however, could not be dislodged from the -opposite bank, and it was impossible to accomplish the passage under -their persistent musketry. For close on three miles along the banks of -the river this line of sharp-shooters extended, and at each end of the -line artillery thundered incessantly. Men on either side were dropping -every moment, and it seemed as though each army would annihilate the -other without either crossing the stream. For four hours the battle had -been raging without the combatants coming to close quarters, and -Xuarez's soldiers remaining ever on the defensive, began to grow -impatient. On the other hand, the Royalists trying to carry the passage -of the stream by dash after dash, were warming up to their work. - -It would have been madness for Don Hypolito to cross the stream, and -with his few attack the many of the loyalists. The river was his great -safeguard, and so long as that interposed its waters between him and -the enemy, he felt comparatively safe, trusting to hold his position -until the arrival of the Indians from the north, whom he counted upon -taking the enemy in the rear. He saw plainly that his men were growing -weary of remaining solely on the defensive, and submitting to be cut to -pieces by the fire of Benito's artillery; but, until he saw a prospect -of being reinforced by the Indians, he was powerless to do anything but -stubbornly prevent the loyalists from fording the stream. - -General Benito saw that the rebel leader was unaware of the -disaffection of the allies, and relied on their arriving shortly to -turn the tide of war in his favour. With a view, therefore, to -dishearten him, he ordered an Indian scout, attached to his staff, to -ford the river if possible, below the battery point, present himself to -Xuarez as a deserter from the loyalists, and inform him that the -Indians had retreated. The scout at once obeyed, and attempted to swim -the river, but just as he was close on the opposite bank, a rifle-shot -struck him, and it was with the greatest difficulty that he regained -the shore. Several rebel soldiers ran up to finish him with their -bayonets, but he implored them to take him to Xuarez, as he was in -possession of certain facts relating to the allies. - -On being brought into the presence of the rebel leader, he had just -time to tell Don Hypolito of the uselessness of counting on the -Indians, and shortly afterwards expired. Xuarez thought at first it was -a device of the loyalists to gain time, but as hour after hour went on, -and no Indians appeared, he began to believe that he was indeed foolish -to depend upon help from that quarter. The full terror of his position -came on him at once. He saw that, deserted by the Indians, cut off from -Acauhtzin, the whole success of the rebellion against the Junta -depended upon his cutting the army of Benito to pieces. Janjalla was -behind him, and he several times thought of falling back on that town, -but the knowledge that it was being bombarded by the loyalist fleet -withheld him from committing such a folly. Centeotl was held in the -interests of the Junta. There was no chance of safety there, so he saw -that he must remain in his present position, and either tire out Benito -by holding his position stubbornly, or dash across the river with the -main portion of his troops, and try the fortune of war in a -hand-to-hand fight. - -With characteristic boldness he decided on the latter of these -alternatives, and sent forward a thousand cavalry to cross the river, -and carry the war into the enemy's camp. Midway between the two -batteries, which still kept up their fire, he brought fifteen -field-guns to bear on the masses of infantry on the other bank, armed -only with their rifles, hoping to cut them to pieces, and thus afford -his cavalry a safe landing. Benito ordered five gatling guns to silence -the field battery, and prevent, if possible, the landing of the -insurgent cavalry. Unfortunately, his orders could not be accomplished -smartly enough, and before the gatlings could be brought into position, -the field-guns of Xuarez had opened a heavy fire on the infantry, under -cover of which five hundred horse-men crossed the stream. The landing -once effected, others followed, and the cavalry rode down the infantry -like sheep, while right and left the balls from the field-guns of -Xuarez cut passages in the crowded masses. For the moment the advantage -was decidedly with Don Hypolito. - -At once a thousand cavalry, held in reserve behind the battery, were -hurled forward on the horsemen of the rebels. Five hundred had now -crossed the stream, and there held the loyalists at bay while their -comrades formed. The rebel regiment pierced like a wedge into the mass -of infantry, and met the cavalry of Benito some distance from the bank -of the river. What with these horsemen, and the incessant firing of the -field-guns, the infantry of Benito were thoroughly demoralised, and -flying in all directions. The cavalry of Xuarez, with admirable -discipline, formed into lines as soon as they crossed the river, and -steadily drove the horsemen of the loyalists backward. - -Xuarez at once took advantage of this gain, and, behind his cavalry, -sent regiment after regiment of infantry with orders to carry the -battery of Benito by storm. In vain the foot-soldiers of the loyalists -were hurled against the advancing mass of rebel horse and foot now -marching steadily for the battery. They did not give way one inch. -Xuarez hoped to capture the battery, turn the guns against the -loyalists, and then bringing the rest of his troops across the stream. - -This unexpected manoeuvre had taken Benito by surprise, and there was -but little doubt that if the battery were captured a panic would ensue -amongst his own men, and thus give Xuarez a decided advantage. The -columns of rebels pouring across the stream pierced the host of -loyalists like a wedge and bore steadily down on the battery which was -still under the heavy fire of the insurgent artillery posted on the -sandhills. - -Things looked black at that moment for the loyalist army, but at this -critical juncture the troops of Benito succeeded in forcing the passage -of the stream further up near the city. What the Opposidores had done -in the centre of the line they did at its end, and, under cover of a -heavy fire from their gatlings, managed to cross the stream and capture -the field-guns of the enemy. These were at once utilised and turned on -the rebels, and in a few minutes were pouring a deadly fire into the -masses of cavalry and infantry sent to hold the bridge passage by -Xuarez. An officer galloped post-haste to Benito, informing him of the -crossing of the stream, and the General recognising that he might cut -off the forces of Xuarez on the left bank, sent to the bridge all the -soldiers he could spare, amounting to some fifteen hundred. - -Meanwhile the cavalry of Xuarez, supported by several regiments of -infantry, were trying to carry the battery of the loyalists by storm. -Their own artillery was now silent, as so inextricably mingled were -rebels and loyalists round the battery that it was impossible for the -gunners of Xuarez to fire without cutting their own men to pieces. The -rebels were still steadily pouring, column after column, across the -stream in the rear of the cavalry, when suddenly their line was cut in -two by the victorious loyalists from the bridge. - -These had utterly beaten the rebels defending the passage, by turning -their own guns on them, and now those latter were flying towards the -centre of the scene of operations, followed by a scattered body of -cavalry, cutting them down in all directions. The loyalist infantry -quickly crossed the river, and followed in the rear of the horsemen, -but, being on foot, were necessarily far behind. The rebels attempted -to re-form and reach the point where their columns were fording the -stream but, flushed with victory, the cavalry of Benito passed clean -through the mass, cutting off all further rebels from joining their -comrades on the opposite shore. - -At the same time, owing to the deadly fire of the loyalist battery, the -invading soldiers of Xuarez were beginning to give way, and slowly fell -back inch by inch towards the point where they had crossed. They were -unable to get back, however, as the cavalry of Benito held them in -check on the opposite bank, and seeing this, the General threw forward -two regiments across the stream further up, where the bank, owing to -the clean sweep made by his cavalry, was undefended. - -The rebels now found themselves between two masses of their foes, -between two fires, with nothing but the river between. They slowly -retreated before the infantry, pressing forward from the direction of -the battery, and falling back on the right bank of the river, found -themselves unable to cross in the teeth of the loyalist cavalry holding -the opposite bank, while the foot-soldiers behind fought viciously with -the rebels. The cavalry and infantry of Xuarez thus caught became -demoralized, and unable to keep a firm front to the loyalists, broke up -into terrified masses, which were either cut to pieces, or forced into -the stream, where they were shot down by their enemies on the opposite -bank. - -It was now close on six o'clock, and, after five hours' incessant -fighting, the advantage was now with the army of the Junta. Benito held -the passage of the bridge near Centeotl, and from thence down to the -battery, the banks of the stream on both sides were held by his own -men. The enemy beaten on the right bank, were slowly falling back on -the left, and concentrating themselves round the hillocks, from which -thundered their artillery. Behind the battery, Xuarez still held three -thousand men in reserve, and these he brought forward, with the -intention of hurling them in one last effort of despair, against the -advancing masses of the loyalists. - -General Benito no longer held back his army, but in person led his -soldiers across the river. In a miraculously short space of time the -combat was transferred from the right to the left bank of the Rio -Tardo, and the whole force of the loyalists, with the exception of the -corps of engineers attending to the battery, had crossed the river, and -were pressing forward to carry the citadel of Xuarez by storm. - -What with killed and wounded, and prisoners taken, the number of -fighting men on either side was terribly reduced; yet, numerically -speaking, the advantage lay with the loyalists, who could oppose seven -thousand men to four thousand on the part of Xuarez. Confident in his -position, and in the shelter afforded by the sandhills, Don Hypolito -gathered his four thousand round the base of his batteries, and played -his guns with deadly effect on the advancing masses of the loyalists -over the heads of his own men. It was now a hand-to-hand struggle, and -though the loyalists had the advantage over the rebels in numbers, yet -as they were unable to bring their guns across the river, the combat -was more or less equalised. The deadly fire from the sandhills played -havoc with their ranks, and they were mowed down in hundreds. Having no -artillery to oppose these guns, and being unable to silence them by the -battery on the opposite bank, the only hope of thrashing the enemy lay -in carrying the sandhills by storm. This Benito, with desperate -courage, now proceeded to do. - -As yet, Xuarez had managed to keep the loyalists in front, and -gathering his lines from the river bank to some distance into the -plain, desperately resisted the attempts of the attacking force to -break through and storm the battery. To protect his rear from the river -side, he sent two hundred cavalry to the back of the sandhills, to -guard the stream lest any straggling parties of loyalists should cross -at that point and assail him unexpectedly. He was now entirely on the -defensive, and, unless he succeeded in putting the loyalists to flight -with his artillery, saw not how he could hope to win the victory. - -How bitterly did he regret the desertion of the Indians, the cause of -which disaffection he could not understand. With them coming from the -north, he might have effected a conjunction by crossing the river as he -had done, and thus captured the battery of Benito. As it was, however, -his soldiers had been beaten back, the loyalists had crossed the river, -and now his whole force was concentrated round the sandhills, upon -which was placed his artillery. - -In his despair, Don Hypolito longed for the darkness, in the hope that -under cover of the night he might be enabled to fall back on Janjalla. -Long since he would have done this but for the timely information that -the town was blockaded by the warships of the Junta. It seemed like -madness to retreat into such a death-trap, and yet if it could hold out -against the bombardment until he arrived, he would at least have walls -behind which to fight. He regretted intensely that he had not captured -Centeotl and thrown himself therein to defend himself against the -loyalists. Surrounded by stone walls, he could hope to wear out the -troops of the Republic, and perhaps destroy them in detachments, but as -it was he had no shelter. His whole front was being assaulted by the -loyalists, and behind he had but his battery and a possible chance of -falling back on Janjalla in the night-time. - -The whole plain from Centeotl to the point of action was now in the -hands of the loyalists, and seeing this the Jefe Politico of the city -threw open the gates and sent forward men with provisions and wine to -the wearied troops. Three hundred soldiers yet remained within the -walls, and these also marched out to join the army of the Republic, and -attack Xuarez in his last position. It was now past seven o'clock, and -the darkness was rapidly coming on. Don Hypolito hoped that the -loyalists would withdraw and renew the combat next day. In the -interval, his men could rest and sustain themselves with food or fall -back at once on Janjalla. - -This respite, however, Benito declined to give. While the light lasted, -he determined to keep up the fight, and if possible dislodge Xuarez -from his position before the morning. Deeply did he regret that he had -no electric lights, by the glare of which to conduct the battle; but as -it was he took advantage of the clear twilight, and pushed forward his -men vigorously in attempting to break down the stubborn line of defence -offered by Don Hypolito. - -It is questionable how long this state of things would have lasted, as -the rebels obstinately fought on, and though Benito hurled column after -column against them, not one inch would they yield. The artillery also, -from the heights above, was sweeping down his rearward troops. He sent -one thousand across the river again, to attempt the rear of the enemy, -under cover of the fire of fifteen gatlings, but Xuarez turned four -heavy guns on the passage of the river, and stopped the crossing with -ease. - -"Carrajo!" muttered Benito, shutting up his glass in a rage, "they will -hold out till it is dark, and then we must stop. During the night they -will fall back on Janjalla." - -"And into the hands of our men!" replied Jack, who was standing beside -the general. "No, Seņor, Don Hypolito knows it is worse than useless to -retreat from his present position. When the morning dawns, you will -find him still on those hills." - -"Bueno! All the same, Don Juan, I would like to finish him off -to-night." - -"Then send scouts from Centeotl to see if our men are advancing from -Janjalla." - -"It might be that the city is not taken." - -"That is true. On the other hand, it might be that the city is." - -Coincidences occur in real life as well as in novels and here occurred -a case in point. Tim, who had been to Centeotl to make inquiries, -galloped up to Benito at this moment and saluted. - -"General," he said rapidly, "messengers have just arrived from -Janjalla. The city is in the hands of the Junta, and our troops, to the -number of two thousand, are pushing forward by forced marches." - -"Janjalla in our hands?" cried Benito, joyfully. "Then Xuarez has no -refuge on which to fall back." - -The army shouted on hearing this cheering news, and looked upon the -destruction of the rebels as a foregone conclusion, as indeed it was. -Xuarez heard the shouting, and, becoming aware of the cause by the -frequent cries of "Janjalla," ground his teeth with rage, as he saw how -fortune was against him. - -"Seņores," he said to his officers, "we are condemned to stay here. -There is now no hope of falling back on the seaport. We can but face -the enemy, and fight bravely. I should have heard of this fall before, -as my scouts are all over the country to Janjalla." - -Nevertheless, in spite of this discouraging news, he urged his men to -fight bravely, hoping that the night would come, and force the -loyalists to withdraw for some hours. In that time his army could rest -and eat, while he himself might think of some plan by which to -circumvent the tactics of General Benito. He was quite ignorant that -two thousand men were marching from Janjalla to attack him in the rear. - -The last glimmer of the sunset had long since died out of the sky, and -it was now comparatively dark. As yet, the reinforcements from Janjalla -had not arrived and Benito was almost on the point of ceasing the fight -till dawn, when the moon arose in the west. Her appearance was welcomed -by him with joy, for her light was quite brilliant enough to enable the -assaulting party to continue fighting; and incessantly pressing on the -wearied troops of Xuarez seemed the only chance of beating him from the -sandhills and scattering his army. Don Hypolito cursed the moon -audibly, for he saw that his last chance of escaping in the darkness -was gone. Nothing remained for him but to fight on doggedly. - -Then his scouts arrived, and he learned that in an hour two thousand -men would attack him in the rear. With a cry of rage, he hurled his -field-glass down the hill. - -"Fortune is against me," he muttered, biting his lip with wrath; "my -star goes down in blood. Attacked front and rear, I cannot hold out -much longer." - -Yet he was too brave to give in, and, seeing that the town of Centeotl -was left defenceless, as its garrison had joined Benito, he hoped to -make a detour, and throw himself with his remaining troops into the -city. One thousand men he could leave to defend the battery and draw -off the attention of the loyalists, and with his remaining two thousand -march silently away to the south, then make a detour for the city. Then -the reinforcements would come up in vain, for he and his men would have -slipped away like an eel from between the two armies. He never thought -of the fate of the thousand men he was leaving behind. But at that -moment he would have given anything to gain time to reconstruct his -plans, and would have sacrificed a million lives so that his campaign -should not end in disaster. - -This mad scheme to occupy Centeotl in the teeth of the enemy was -destined to fail for lack of time. Before he could move a single column -towards the city, the sound of distant firing was heard, and the -reinforcements came up in the rear at a quick trot. The whole force of -Xuarez was disposed along the front of the battery, protecting it from -the assaults of Benito's army. Undefended in the rear, save for two -hundred cavalry guarding the river, it offered itself freely to the -reinforcements for storming. Don Hypolito brought round troops rapidly -from the front to oppose this new danger. The cavalry dashed recklessly -between the battery and the advancing infantry from Janjalla. Three -guns, with depressed muzzles, rained down shot on the masses of -infantry. It was all in vain. The fresh troops, elated by the fall of -Janjalla, and the crossing of the river by General Benito, passed clean -over the thin line of cavalry drawn up to beat them back. A mass of men -obliterating man and horse, rolled upward towards the hastily formed -lines of weary soldiers, brought round from the front to protect the -rear. These succumbed in a few minutes, and the guns no longer being -able to do damage by reason of the enemy being directly under their -muzzles, the reinforcements swarmed up the slanting slope of the -sandhills with cries of victory. - -Benito heard those cries, and at once guessed that the troops from -Janjalla were carrying the battery by storm. Hitherto he had been -holding five hundred cavalry and two thousand infantry in reserve. -These were now brought forward and hurled on the soldiers of Xuarez -massed at the foot of the sandhills. The rebels looked in front, and -saw this mass threatening to overwhelm them; they looked behind, and -lo! over the brow of the sandhills poured a black crowd of men over -whose heads floated the yellow standard of the Republic. The guns were -silenced, the gunners bayoneted, and the red flag of Xuarez dragged -from its pole at the top of the hill. Xuarez himself, surrounded by a -ring of his officers, waved his sword for a moment, and then the wave -of men passed over him. A cry spread throughout the host of rebels that -he was lost. The men at the base of the sandhills, seeing the wave of -men rolling downward, lost heart and broke up into scattered masses. On -came the army of Benito, and between the two forces the insurgents -crumpled up like paper. - -In all directions they fled like sheep, and were chased for miles by -the victorious Republicans. Benito, a merciful man, strove to restrain -the zeal of his soldiers. It was all in vain, they were drunken with -victory, and sabred and shot the wretched fugitives without mercy. The -smoke hung heavily over the field of battle, and when it cleared away, -the victorious troops of the Junta saw the great standard of the -Republic floating proudly in the place lately occupied by the battery -of the enemy. - -Don Hypolito had disappeared, his army, broken to pieces, was flying in -all directions. From the triumphant army massed round the sandhills, -rose a roar of joy which made the earth tremble. The wind which had -blown away the smoke, shook out the folds of the opal flag, and the -Cholacacans saluted the invincible banner with cheers. - -"Viva el opale! Viva el Republica!" - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -THE TRIUMPH OF THE REPUBLIC. - - Mars, god of war, - Whom we abhor, - Hath doffed his helm, - And laid his lance and shield aside. - He will no more - Lay waste our store, - Nor overwhelm - Our lands beneath his crimson tide. - - Peace comes anon, - Now war hath gone, - Her olive bough - Of gentleness and quiet she brings - Beneath her sway, - No deadly fray - Can fright us now; - From battle plains the harvest springs. - - -Three weeks after that memorable victory at Centeotl, the city of -Tlatonac was holding high festival in honour of the triumphant Junta. -Every street was illuminated and decorated with flowers. In the -principal places, fireworks, so dear to the hearts of the Cholacacans -were being let off, and the ships lying in the harbour were brilliant -with lights. The populace in their gayest attire walked singing through -the streets, visited the pulque shops, and gathered in groups to -indulge in their national dances. Bands stationed in different squares, -played the Opal Fandango, The March of Zuloaga, and soldiers, the -heroes of the hour, were to be seen everywhere, being fęted and -caressed by the grateful citizens. - -Before the Palacio Nacional a dense crowd had collected, and the place -itself, brilliantly lighted up, was occupied by a gaily dressed throng. -His Excellency the President was giving a ball in honour of the -establishment of peace. On one of the balconies Jack and Dolores were -seated, watching the varied throng below, and talking of past events. -For the hundredth time Dolores was asking Jack about the battle, and -all that had taken place thereat. - -"I am sure, Dolores, you must be wearied of this more than twice-told -tale." - -"No, Juanito! It is a tale of which I never weary. Come, querido, tell -me once more. Begin, 'After the battle----'" - -"After the battle," repeated Jack, humouring her fancy. "Well, the -first thing we did after the battle was to search for the body of Don -Xuarez. He had been last seen on the summit of the sandhill by his -battery. When the reinforcements took that position by storm, Xuarez -vanished, and though we searched everywhere for his body, it could not -be found." - -"So then you knew that he had escaped?" - -"It was presumed so; but even now we are not certain as to what has -become of him. However, he had vanished; and giving up the search for -him, dead or alive, in despair, General Benito left a few hundred men -to garrison Centeotl, and pushed on at once to Janjalla. In the harbour -we found the fleet, which had captured the town by bombarding it, and -Captain Pedraza, under instructions from Benito, took the ships back to -Tlatonac." - -"Ah, I remember how joyful we were when they entered the harbour and -announced the victory. Everyone in Tlatonac was mad with joy." - -"Dios! They are mad enough to-night," said Jack, smiling, as he looked -down on the crowd; "but under the circumstances, I think it is -excusable. The fall of Acauhtzin, the last stronghold of the -Opposidores, is worth being excited about. Did Rafael tell you all -about it, Dolores?" - -"Not so much as he might have done," pouted Dolores, unfurling her fan; -"but you see, Juan, there is Doņa Carmencita----" - -"Of course! Poor girl! Fancy her father being killed when the city was -being bombarded!" - -"A great loss, was it not?" sighed Dolores, her eyes filling with -tears. "Ay di mi. How sad would I feel had I lost my dear uncle." - -"It is the fortune of war," said Jack, calmly. "Instead of our troops -capturing Acauhtzin and killing Tejada, it might have been Xuarez -storming Tlatonac and shooting Don Miguel. One thing, at least, Doņa -Carmencita has to be grateful for: Rafael rescued her unharmed from the -burning city, and now she is to be his wife." - -"And I am to be yours!" - -"Yes; and Eulalia is to be Philip's," finished Jack, promptly. "I -thought Don Miguel would never give his consent to that marriage." - -"Eh, Juanito!" said Dolores, with a mischievous smile, "I think my -uncle did so to console Don Felipe for losing his chance of being at -the battle." - -"Poor Philip! Only one battle of any consequence, and he missed it by -being away at Truxillo." - -At this moment Dolores was summoned away from her lover by Doņa -Serafina. The old lady was a very severe duenna when not asleep, and as -Dolores was yet unmarried, did not approve of her being too much in the -society of her future husband. A little jealousy was mingled with this -strict regard for etiquette, as Doņa Serafina had utterly failed to -fascinate Peter. All her smiles and insinuating remarks had been quite -thrown away on the little doctor, who showed no disposition for -matrimony, and scrupulously ignored the languishing looks of his -elderly admirer. Finally, Serafina gave up the pursuit of this medical -male as a bad job, and revenged herself indirectly on the sex by being -particularly sharp with Eulalia and Dolores, both of whom were rarely -permitted to be more than a few minutes with their respective lovers. -These last blamed Peter in no measured terms for thus depriving them of -the society of their future wives; but the doctor absolutely refused to -sacrifice himself any longer on the altar of friendship. He announced -this in a conversation which took place in the patio of Casa Maraquando -after the ball. - -"I would do anything for you I could," he explained plaintively to Jack -and Philip; "but I really cannot go on paying attention to Doņa -Serafina. She thinks I am in earnest!" - -"And so you ought to be, you little monster," said Tim, quickly. "It's -time you were married." - -"Well, then, why don't you set the example?" - -"It's easy talking! I have no one to love me." - -"Journalism is a jealous mistress," observed Philip, laughing. "Tim is -devoted to 'Articles from a Special Correspondent.'" - -"True for you," replied Tim, complacently; "but my occupation's gone. -Didn't I send my last article about 'The Fall of Acauhtzin' from -Janjalla? and isn't the war over?" - -"The war is certainly over!" said Jack, lighting a cigarette; "but the -danger of another war is not yet past." - -"What do you mean, Jack?" - -"Don Hypolito still lives; and while he lives, the Republic is not -safe." - -"Still lives!" echoed Philip, in surprise. "Why, Jack, I don't see how -you can make that out. He was not found on the field of battle, nor in -Janjalla, nor in Acauhtzin. He must be dead!" - -"No; Don Hypolito is not the man to die so easily. Where he is, I do -not know, but I am certain he is yet alive." - -There was silence for a few minutes, as each was busy with his own -thoughts regarding the probable resurrection of Xuarez. After the -battle of Centeotl, he had vanished utterly from the face of the earth. -It was thought he had fled to Janjalla, or perchance to Acauhtzin; but -in neither of those towns could he be discovered. After a bombardment -of five hours, the latter city had surrendered to the warships. Don -Josč, the Governor, in the absence of Xuarez, had been killed by the -bursting of a bomb, and many of his officers had shared the same fate. -Of Xuarez, however, nothing could be discovered, and Don Miguel was -much disturbed thereat. With a restless spirit like the rebel leader -still working in secret, the danger was not yet at an end, and the -President was determined to spare no effort to bring Xuarez, to -justice. While the four friends were thinking over this matter, Don -Rafael, who had been holding a private conversation with his father, -entered the patio. - -That young man was the hero of the bombardment of Acauhtzin. He had -recovered Doņa Carmencita; his father had consented to his speedy -marriage with that lady, and he was idolised by his fellow-citizens. -With all this good fortune, he should have been gay and lighthearted; -but as he entered the patio, he certainly looked anything but happy. - -"Dios! What ails you, Rafael?" asked Jack, as his friend threw himself -into a seat, and sighed heavily. "Anything wrong?" - -"Carambo! Everything is wrong. My father refuses his consent to our -marriages." - -"What?" interrupted Philip and Jack, in dismay. - -"Till Xuarez is discovered and punished," finished Rafael, dismally. - -"Ah!" said Philip, with a breath of relief, "it might have been worse. -I thought you were about to say Don Miguel had refused his consent -altogether." - -"Dios! I don't know if it does not amount to that," replied Rafael, -shrugging his shoulders. "How are we to find this ladron of a Xuarez? -He is not at Acauhtzin. He is not in the south. Where then are we to -look for him?" - -"Can you not find out?----" - -"I can find out nothing, mi amigo. For my part, I believe he is dead." - -"For my part, Seņor Rafael, I believe he is alive," retorted Tim, -gruffly. - -"Eh! And where do you think he is to be found, Seņor Correspoņsal?" - -"Quien sabe," said Tim, carelessly. "But you know, Seņor, that after -the battle of Centeotl, I rode to Janjalla, to wire my report to -England?" - -"Yes." - -"While there, I heard two prisoners talking. They, deeming me to be a -foreigner, and not knowing that I was conversant with Spanish, spoke -freely." - -"Bueno! And they said?----" - -"Nothing about Don Hypolito, but talked of Pepe." - -"Pepe!" echoed Philip, quickly. "The zambo who decoyed Dolores from -Tlatonac--the lover of Marina?" - -"The same. Pepe, it appears, had followed Xuarez to Janjalla, being, -as we know, the prince of spies. When _The Cortes_ was taken, and -Xuarez was thus cut off from getting back to Acauhtzin, Pepe happened -to be in Janjalla. The troops of Xuarez were wondering, in the case of -defeat, how they could escape from the hands of our men. Pepe laughed, -on hearing their doubts, and said he could easily escape to Totatzine." - -"To Totatzine?" - -"To the sacred city. He said no one could follow him there, and that he -knew of a secret way in the south, which would take him thither." - -"But, Jack, the secret way you came is to the north of Tlatonac," said -Philip turning towards Duval. - -"Very true! But for a long time I have had my suspicions that there is -a second way to that city, by the caņon road, of which I told you. It -is by that way, to my mind, that Pepe intended to go." - -"Yes, mi amigo!" said Rafael, triumphantly; "but you quite forget. Pepe -was captured in the south, after the battle of Centeotl, and is now in -prison at Tlatonac, awaiting punishment." - -"Very true! He did not escape to Totatzine, as he intended. But where -was he captured? At the battle of Centeotl. Now, seeing that Don -Hypolito has disappeared, it is just possible that Pepe told him of the -second secret way to the sacred city, and that Xuarez may have escaped -thence." - -"Dios!" exclaimed Rafael, springing to his feet. "Think you, Seņor -Correspoņsal, that this dog is now at Totatzine?" - -"I am not sure, but it might be so. Ixtlilxochitli is his friend. There -he would be safe, and if at the battle of Centeotl Pepe told him of -this southern way to the city, when he saw that all was lost, he -probably took advantage of the information." - -"Why not find out if this is so, from Pepe?" suggested Jack, when Tim -ceased speaking. - -"He will tell nothing," replied Rafael, in disgust. "This zambo is a -mule for obstinacy." - -"We might try, at all events," said Philip, cheerfully. "Where is Pepe, -mi amigo?" - -"In the prison of the Palacio Nacional. If you think, Seņores, there is -any chance of getting information from the zambo, let us seek him now." - -"Why to-night?" said Peter, looking at his watch, "or rather this -morning. It is two o'clock. You are all weary with the ball. Better -wait till to-morrow." - -"No!" exclaimed Rafael, throwing his heavy cloak over his shoulder. "We -will go now. My father absolutely refuses to let any of us marry until -we discover Xuarez. I want to know where he is to be found at once, -otherwise I shall get no rest. As for you, seņor----" - -"I will come, by all means," said Philip, putting on his sombrero. "It -is also to my interest to find Xuarez, else I may not marry your -sister, Rafael." - -"We will all go!" said Jack, rising to his feet. "Tim, you may get some -copy, and make an article of it--'The Confessions of a Spy.' Peter, you -can go to bed, as this matter does not interest you in the least." - -"Oh, doesn't it?" said Peter, indignantly. "I am as anxious as you are -to see you married, Jack. But with your permission, I shall go to bed, -because I do not think you'll get any information out of Pepe." - -"We'll try, at all events," observed Philip, emphatically. "I want to -marry Eulalia." - -"And I," said Juan, following his friends to the door, "want to do -three things, none of which I can accomplish unless Pepe tells us of -the secret way." - -"And the three things, Jack?" asked Tim, curiously. - -"First, I want to marry Dolores. Second, I desire to save the life of -Cocom, who is a prisoner at Totatzine; and, third, I am anxious to -obtain possession again of the harlequin opal." - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -THE CAŅON ROAD. - - This is a tropical forest, - Where myriad leaves forming a roof overhead, keep out the - effulgence of sunlight, - So that beneath is the region of shadows and dimness; - Yet in this spectral twilight rise cities, magnificent, - lonely; - Built in the far-distant days of giants--great architects - they! - Sky-piercing pyramids, plinth, and column, and capital. - Line upon line of pillars, that loom in the darkness eternal, - Staircases huge, vast halls, and temples majestical; - Now no longer receiving the throngs of worshippers holy, - Only the bat flits through the ruins; ravenous beasts now - wander - Through street, and square, and palaces gorgeous. - Who built all these splendours? We know not who built them. - Yet do they loom in the twilight region of shadows, - Encircled by tropical forests. - - -As a rule, Dr. Grench was an early riser, and denied himself the -luxurious idleness of morning slumbers, but on this special occasion he -did not wake at his usual hour. The dancing of the previous night had -proved too much for the virtuous Peter, who always went to bed early, -consequently he was very tired, and by no means pleased at being -awakened unexpectedly by Jack. Peter was in the middle of a delightful -dream, in which he was hunting unusually large beetles. After a time, -however, the beetles began to hunt Peter, and one, having caught him, -was shaking him severely. The shaking woke him up, and the beetle -changed to Jack, who was trying to pull Peter out of bed. - -"What's matter?" grumbled Peter vaguely, struggling into a sitting -position. "I don't want to get up." - -"You must," said Jack, serenely, "or we shall start without you." - -"Start? what? where? when? Beetle-hunting?" - -"Peter, you are not awake! What do you mean by such delirious talk? Put -on your clothes, and come down to breakfast. We're all waiting." - -Jack vanished, and Peter, wondering what was the matter, got out of bed -with manifest reluctance. A cold bath drove the fumes of sleep from his -head, and dressing rapidly, he repaired to the dining-room, where he -found his friends and Rafael making a hasty meal. Peter stared, and -began to ask questions. - -"Now what is----?" - -"Oh, here's Peter," said Philip, looking up with a smile. "Come on, -sluggard, and have something to eat. We are going to Cuavaca by train." - -"Train!" repeated the doctor, taking his seat. "What train?" - -"Jack's train, you idiot," said Tim, giving Peter a dig in the ribs. -"Your wits are wandering!" - -"I think yours must be," retorted Peter, addressing the company -collectively. "What is the meaning of this early rising?" - -"We are going to Cuavaca." - -"Never heard of it." - -"Then you hear of it now," said Jack, crossly; "how stupid you are, -Peter. I will explain: we saw Pepe, the zambo, last night, and on -condition that his life is spared, he has promised to guide us to the -city of Totatzine by this second secret way." - -"Oh! and Cuavaca?" - -"Cuavaca is a town thirty miles inland. The railway line is laid down -to that place, and twenty miles beyond. We are taking a thousand troops -to Cuavaca, and intend to leave them there, while Pepe shows us the -caņon road. Then we will lead them by that way to Totatzine, save -Cocom, take Xuarez prisoner, and secure the opal." - -"But," said Peter, argumentatively, "is the end of your railway near -this hidden city? or does a trackless forest lie between the terminus -and the caņon road?" - -Jack made a diagram on the tablecloth with knives and plates. - -"Look, Peter! This is Tlatonac. This Cuavaca. We go to the latter place -by rail. From Cuavaca the railway is constructed another twenty miles, -and stops in the middle of a vast forest. Here, according to Pepe, is -Totatzine, sunken out of sight in its hollow valley. Between the end of -the railway and Totatzine is a distance of twenty miles, more or -less----" - -"Of tangled forest and brushwood!" - -"Nothing of the sort. Don't I tell you Pepe has promised to show us the -secret way--the other secret way? The entrance is from a ruined city, -about a mile to the right of the railway works. We find out that city, -take our men from Cuavaca to it, and thence march up the caņon road to -Totatzine." - -"Dios! Don Juan!" exclaimed Rafael, who had been looking at Jack's -table-map. "It seems to me that if the railway goes on it will pass by -and reveal this hidden city." - -"Not it. Had there been a chance of its doing so, we would have had -trouble with the Indians pulling up the rails. No, mi amigo. The line -is surveyed a long distance further on. If it turned to the right, it -might certainly hit Totatzine; but, as you see, it trends to the left, -and if used for a century could never reveal the existence of the -sacred city. Ixtlilxochitli saw that, and did not mind the railway -passing, so to speak, by his door. The city is too well hidden by its -encircling mountains and by the windings of the caņon to be discovered -without special exploration." - -"But it seems to me awfully stupid that the priests should take so much -trouble over the one secret way and never bother about the other." - -This observation of Philip's seemed to strike Jack, and he reflected a -few moments before he replied. - -"What you say is very true, Philip," he replied slowly; "the secret way -leading to the sea is very complicated, and even then the priests -always blindfold pilgrims on the platform. This other road, leading -from the ruined city, must be blocked up by rubbish, and what not. -There is a wall across the entrance to the caņon, but it is pierced by -a gate always open. No one comes by the narrow track, so I expect the -entrance to that road has been choked up, and the way fallen into -disuse." - -"Then how did Pepe find it out?" - -"Lord knows! But the secret must be his alone else the priests would -have destroyed the caņon path leading to the pierced wall, and so cut -off communication entirely from that side of the town." - -"I hope Pepe is not leading us into an ambush," said Peter, anxiously, -as they arose to go. - -"If he does, it will cost him his life," replied Philip, grimly. "Pepe, -my dear doctor, marches before us with a pistol at his head. The first -signs of treachery, and he falls dead. I don't think he'll risk that -catastrophe." - -By this time Peter had concluded his breakfast, and they all set out to -the Puerta de la Culebra, near which, beyond the walls, was the railway -station. On the previous night Pepe, under promise of his life being -spared, had admitted that Don Hypolito had fled northward overland to -Totatzine, gaining the city by the inland secret way. This road Pepe -promised to reveal on condition that the President spared his life. -Next morning, Rafael told his father of the offer, and, as Don Miguel -was anxious to capture Xuarez, he readily assented to the proposition -of the zambo. - -Of course the six thousand Indians, who had been disbanded by the -influence of the opal, were not in the sacred city. Their villages were -far to the north, near Acauhtzin, and as they only came south to the -festivals of the opal, by the secret way of the sea, it was unlikely -that the troops led by Rafael and Jack would encounter any resistance. -The forests where the railway ended, and where, according to Pepe, the -caņon road began, were singularly devoid of population. This might have -been caused by the jealousy of the priests, lest some wandering Indians -should find the entrance to the caņon road from the ruined city. If so, -this jealous suspicion caused their ruin; for, had the district been -infested with Indians, they, seeing an unusual concourse of soldiers at -Cuavaca, would at once have warned the priests of the intended invasion -of Totatzine. Then the caņon road could have been easily defended -against the troops from Tlatonac by a small body of defenders, and the -disaster averted. As it was, however, the inhabitants of the sacred -city were entirely ignorant of their danger until the foe was under -their walls. - -The railway line was completed as far as Cuavaca, a little inland -village which promised to shortly develop into a city, owing to its -being the future starting place, whence lines were to run north and -south throughout the whole length of Cholacaca. From the capital to -this terminus extended a vast plain for over thirty miles, so that -there was no difficulty in laying the line, and it had been speedily -completed under the vigorous superintendence of Jack. There were no -engineering difficulties to be overcome, and the railway ran easily in -a straight line over the plains to the foot of the volcano Xicotencatl, -where Cuavaca was situated. From this point began a rugged and -mountainous country, which extended northward as far as Acauhtzin. -Twenty miles of railway had been constructed with great difficulty, as, -owing to the configuration of the country, the line was singularly -curving and irregular. Bridges had to be built across caņons, tunnels -had to be pierced through solid rock, and embankments, faced with stone -walls, constructed where the ground fell away rapidly to moderately -sized plains. The district was situated in the tierra templada, about -ten thousand feet above sea level; but, the grade constantly ascending -as the iron road went northward, it was calculated by Jack that the -last portion of the way would run some short distance below the snow -line of the tierra friá. - -This expedition to capture Totatzine was not without its dangers. It -was the season of festival and the sacred city would doubtless be -filled with fanatical worshippers, who would fiercely resist the -attempted seizure of their shrines. A thousand well-armed infantry were -sent to Cuavaca by Don Miguel, and, leaving these quartered in the -village, Jack, with his three friends and Rafael, guided by Pepe, went -forward to search for the secret entrance. When this was found, they -intended to return and take the troops by railway twenty miles, and -thence lead them by the secret entrance up the caņon road. When this -was done, a reinforcement of another thousand soldiers was to arrive at -Cuavaca, and await instructions there, lest the first should fail to -capture the city. The engines running on the line from Cuavaca were -singularly powerful machines, strongly built, so as to ascend the -gradient to the northward, and there were plenty of trucks in which -troops could be taken to the end of the railway. Jack also had a few -carriages shifted from the Cuavaca line to that running northward, so -that the whole body of soldiers now stationed at the little town could -be conveyed to the hoped-for entrance of the caņon road in a remarkably -short space of time. - -By noon all the troops were quartered at Cuavaca, and then Jack started -by the northern line for the caņon road. He only took an engine with -one carriage, so as to travel as rapidly as possible. At first he -wanted to go forward himself with Pepe, but Philip would in no way -consent to his doing this. - -"You can't trust that zambo, Jack," he said, decisively; "he might take -advantage of your being alone, and knock you on the head." - -"Scarcely, when I am armed and he is not. If only we two go, we can -travel on the engine. If you all come, I must fix on a carriage." - -"Well, that won't make much difference," retorted Philip, quickly. "We -are all keen on the business, and want to see how matters turn out. -Tim, Peter, Rafael, and myself are all coming with you, Jack; so hitch -on a carriage to your engine right away." - -This was accordingly done without further objection on the part of -Duval, and they left Cuavaca about one o'clock, travelling rapidly so -as to reach the terminus with as little delay as possible. According to -Pepe, it would take some hours for them to discover the ruined city, -and they did not expect to return before six o'clock. Then it would -have to be decided whether they would take the troops on to the ruined -city at once, or wait till the next day. - -Cuavaca was situate at the base of the great volcano Xicotencatl, which -reared its white peak high above the surrounding mountains. North and -south stretched ranges from the central point with summits more or less -covered with snow, and from Cuavaca began dense forests which clothed -the slopes of these mighty hills. Leaving the village by the side -towards the north, the engine with its solitary carriage ran through a -moderately long tunnel piercing a high range of hills, which shot -outward at right angles from the principal mountains. From thence it -emerged on to a deep valley, and skirted the side of the hills in a -winding track cut out of the solid rock. Jack was on board the engine -with the driver, personally superintending the journey, and his three -friends with Rafael were admiring the view from the windows of the -carriage. Pepe, guarded by two soldiers, was seated at the end of the -carriage, and looked anything but cheerful under such surveillance. - -The scenery was truly wonderful. Sliding along the side of the -mountains, those in the carriage looking out, saw not the line on which -they were running, but looked down eight or nine hundred feet into the -depths below. Sometimes the line was built of solid masonry clamped -with iron, and it was anything but pleasant to think how the train was -clinging like a fly to the perpendicular sides of the giant hills. -Below swirled rapid torrents raging over black rocks, or flowing in -broad streams between flat mud-banks. The engine would proceed along a -level for some distance, then pant slowly up an ascending gradient; -suddenly turning a sharp curve, she would shoot breathlessly down a -decline on to a long narrow bridge thrown across a wide expanse of -river bed intersected by thin streams, which at time of rain joined -their forces into one vast flood. Owing to the infinite windings of the -line, it was built on the narrow gauge system, so as to permit the -quick turning of curves, and when the engine, leaning to one side, shot -round these turnings, the sensation was anything but pleasant. - -"It's a most wonderful line, so far as engineering goes," said Philip, -drawing back from the window with a sudden qualm, as the carriage -rocked dangerously; "but it is devilishly unpleasant. If we went over!" - -"There wouldn't be much of us left," said Tim grimly. "Begad, Philip, -I've been in a mighty lot of railway trains, but this line of Jack's -beats Banagher, and Banagher beats the devil." - -"Santissima!" said Rafael, uneasily, "I trust, Seņores this devil of an -engine will not fall over the cliff." - -"I'd never travel on this line for pleasure," cried Peter, who was -seated on the opposite side to the precipice for safety; "nor do I -think it will be much patronised by people when opened." - -"The sea for me," remarked Philip, thankfully; "anything but being -boxed up in this place, with a chance of falling five or six thousand -feet without hope of getting out of the carriage." - -In truth the journey was singularly unpleasant in many places. Jack had -constructed his line thoroughly well; but there was no denying that the -sudden turns, the unexpected descents, the narrow bridges, and the -frequent tunnels, were enough to shake the nerves of the strongest man. -On all sides arose the snow-clad peaks, far below ran rivers, spread -forests, gaped caņons and between heaven and earth crawled the train, -holding on to the sides of mountains. The colours and lights sweeping -over the scenery were exquisite, the landscape below, above, was grand -and impressive, but the four men in the carriage felt somewhat nervous -at this tremendous journey. In ordinary cases, they were brave enough, -and prepared for any emergency; but boxed up in this carriage they felt -helpless should an accident occur. As to Jack, he was used to such -travelling, and looked at his work with great pride. - -At length the engine shot from a deep and narrow cutting into the -depths of a broad-spreading forest, clothing a deep valley. Through its -centre ran a torrent, and the line skirted this to the left, through -dense woodland, towards the high peaks of a mountain in the far -distance. Midway in this valley the engine slowed down, and ultimately -stopped. Philip, looking out of the window, saw a wide clearing, with -upturned soil, fallen trees, and here and there huts erected. It was -the terminus of the railway; and, thankful to have arrived in safety, -they all jumped out on to the sward with alacrity. - -Beyond this clearing appeared a track cut through the forest, trending -in the direction of the distant peaks, but the line stopped at the -beginning of this avenue. Scattered rails, piles of sleepers, the -abrupt termination of the line, showed that it went no further. Between -this point and the unknown city of Totatzine intervened a distance of -twenty miles. The little party, with their guns and revolvers all in -order, stood looking around them at the unfinished line. Pepe, guarded -by the two soldiers, was sullen and watchful. - -"And where is Totatzine?" said Rafael, staring round this wilderness of -trees. - -Pepe pointed to the north-east, beyond the peaks. - -"It is there, Seņor. In the hollow of the hills." - -"And the buried city?" - -"Bueno! I will show it to you, Seņores." - -"One moment, Pepe," said Jack, staying the zambo, as he turned off to -the left, "how can you tell the way to this city from here?" - -"Dios! Seņor Americano, I escaped from Totatzine to this place four -months ago. I was sent by Don Hypolito before the war to the priest -Ixtlilxochitli, and he detained me in the city. I could not find the -secret way to the sea, and one night went out through the wall on to -the caņon road. It led me many miles along the side of the cliffs, then -down a staircase into a forest; at length, Seņores, it took me through -a tunnel. I had to climb over some rubbish of stones and earth up -another staircase, and found myself in a large city of ruins. Leaving -that, I pushed through the forest to the left, and came upon this -clearing, where I found the men of the Seņor Americano at work. They -took me to Tlatonac, and there I remained till I went to Acauhtzin with -Marina, as the Seņor knows." - -"Did you tell my men of your discovery of this way?" asked Jack, -abruptly. - -"No, Seņor Americano. I feared the vengeance of the priests." - -"Was the railway at this point four months ago, Jack?" asked Philip, -looking round at the clearing. - -"Yes. There was a possibility of war, and I was just going to England -to get you to come here. The works were left in the condition you now -see them. If this zambo escaped, as he says, he could easily have -reached Tlatonac from this point." - -"Bueno!" said Rafael, in a satisfied tone, "thus far his story is true. -Let us go forward, amigos." - -Jack made a sign to Pepe, who at once proceeded to walk towards the -woods on the left, guarded by the two soldiers. His escort was well -armed, so the zambo did not try to escape, knowing that before he could -run a few yards he would have a bullet in his skull. The rest of the -party followed, keeping their revolvers handy, in case of a possible -surprise from Indians. They saw none, however, as the forest was -completely deserted by all humanity. Pepe pushed forward through the -brushwood, and they followed. In case they should lose their way, they -blazed the trees with the hatchets with which they had taken care to -provide themselves. Jack was resolved not to trust the zambo too far. - -For about a mile they proceeded through a comparatively well-defined -track in a north-western direction, then suddenly turned so as to face -the distant peaks some fifteen miles away. This new path gradually -broadened out into a wide avenue, and at the end of three miles, -buildings, and ruins of walls began to make their appearance in a -scattered fashion. At length, at the conclusion of another mile, they -entered a paved road, adorned on either side by statues of Aztec -deities, similar to those on the platform facing the sea. - -"I cannot believe that this city is unknown," said Jack to Philip, as -they marched on abreast behind Pepe and his guards. - -"Why not? No one would suspect its existence from the railway -clearing." - -"No, that is true! But occasionally there must be some tribes of -Indians about here, and they would be sure to hit upon it. Between the -clearing and the beginning of this broad road it is but four miles, and -the tracks seemed pretty well defined--clear enough at all events, to -guide anyone hither. Once in this avenue, and it is easy to strike the -city--as now." - -They had emerged suddenly into a vast space, built over with mansions, -palaces, temples, and mighty walls. A pyramid of earth, surmounted by a -ruined teocalli, was placed in the centre of the city and the wide -streets shot off from this omphalos in a similar way to those of -Totatzine. In fact, on exploring the city thoroughly, Jack came to the -conclusion that those who had built Totatzine had also constructed this -place. The plan was precisely the same, and, judging from the massive -buildings, the carven faįades of the walls, the broad terraces, and the -enormous flights of steps, it must have been a populous place of some -importance. - -"Judging from what we see, I think it must be a royal city," said -Philip, looking awestruck at these colossal works of the dead. "Here, -perchance, the king had his seat, and the secret way was constructed -from this place to the sacred city of Totatzine, where the god -Huitzilopochtli had his shrine." - -"At all events, I have no doubt that this city is well known to the -Indians of the present day," replied Jack, decisively; "though -doubtless the entrance to the caņon road, choked up by rubbish, has -escaped their notice. Did they know of its existence, Ixtlilxochitli -would have closed up the narrow track leading round the precipice into -the interior wall." - -It was now between four and five o'clock, so they had not much time to -lose if they desired to find the entrance before sunset. The engine, in -charge of the driver, had been left in the clearing, Jack judging it -would be quite safe there, as no Indians seemed to be in the vicinity. -They had brought provisions with them, and if it was necessary, could -camp out in the clearing till dawn, when they could go back to Cuavaca -to bring the troops. - -Pepe marched forward into the central square, and then led them towards -the extreme end of the city. Here a surprise awaited them, for they -found that the town was built against a vast cliff, some eighty or -ninety feet in height. A lengthy temple, reached by a flight of steps, -was cut out of the solid rock, with ranges of pillars massive in the -design and architecture. - -"Wonderful!" cried Philip, in amazement, as he surveyed the Cyclopean -ruins; "these temples are like those of Petra. What great men must they -have been who built such shrines! A great civilisation once flourished -here, Jack." - -"Without doubt," said Tim, who was much impressed by these grand -remains; "these Toltecs, or whatever you call them, were greater than -the Aztecs. Cortes, to my mind, found a vastly inferior civilisation -than had been when these cities were built." - -"Carajo, Seņor Correspoņsal!" cried Rafael, overhearing his remarks; -"we have nothing like this in Tlatonac." - -"Nor are likely to have," said Peter, dryly; "the Toltecs were greater -builders than the Spaniards." - -Guided by Pepe, they entered into this rock-hewn temple, and found -themselves in a vast hall. At the back of the shrine, now unoccupied by -any idol, appeared a ruined archway choked up with rubbish. The -explorers had taken the precaution of bringing torches with them, -knowing there was a tunnel to be gone through. From this entrance, as -Pepe informed them, it was fifteen miles to the hidden city of -Totatzine. Lighting the torches, they climbed over the rubbish and -fallen stones heaped in front of the archway, and began to ascend an -immense staircase. Jack and Philip went first of all, followed by Pepe -and his guards, after whom came the three remaining members of the -party. - -Up this staircase they ascended, and, at length emerging into the light -of day, found themselves on a vast plateau, thickly covered with -forests. A well-paved road, still gently ascending, stretched through -these woods into the infinite distance. It was overgrown with brushwood -and giant trees; still they found no difficulty in getting along, owing -to the admirable way in which the stone blocks had been laid. This road -ran for five miles, and then suddenly disappeared down a shallow flight -of steps, under a low archway. Here Pepe stopped, and pointed downward. - -"These steps, Seņor Americano," he said, addressing Jack, "lead down -for a quarter of a mile, then along a tunnel for three-quarters of a -mile. It brings you out on to the bed of the torrent flowing through -the caņon. The narrow path leads from its mouth for nine miles to the -pierced wall. When there, you are just below the walls of Totatzine." - -Jack and his friends held a consultation as to the wisdom of proceeding -further that night. The darkness was coming on, and it would be as well -to get back to the clearing before the night. There they could camp -out, and return to Cuavaca for the troops at dawn. - -"For my part," said Philip, quietly, "I do not think we need explore -further on our own account. Pepe has spoken truly up to the present, -and without doubt this tunnel leads to the torrent of the caņon and the -narrow path, as he describes. Let us return to the clearing, go back to -Cuavaca, and bring on the troops. They can camp in the ruined city -to-morrow night, and next morning can march to Totatzine." - -The rest of the party agreed to this plan, and, leaving the shallow -tunnel at the foot of the protecting range of the Totatzine mountains, -they returned to the camp. Now that he had shown them the way, Pepe -wanted to be set free; but this the whole party unanimously refused to -do. - -"No, no, my friend," said Rafael, making himself the mouthpiece of the -others, "you may warn the Indians we are coming. Till Totatzine be -taken by our troops, you are a prisoner." - -Pepe was forced to abide by this decision, and composed himself to -sleep in the clearing, watched vigilantly by his guards, who, knowing -that his escape might bring the savages on them, kept a keen eye on his -slumbers. - -"To-morrow," said Jack, as they turned in, "we will return to Cuavaca -for the troops, and before nightfall they shall camp in the ruined -city." - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -THE DESTINY OF THE OPAL. - - The spirit of fire, - The sylph of the air, - The gnome of the earth, - The dangerous wave-dwelling fay; - All madly desire, - The opal-stone rare, - Which at its birth, - They gifted with rainbow hues gay. - - Earth-gnome caressed it, - Sylph did enfold it, - Wave-nymph doth chain it, - In spite of the flame spirit's desire; - Two have possessed it, - Now doth one hold it, - Yet will he gain it, - The terrible spirit of fire. - - -There were many Indians in Cuavaca, and had these entertained any -suspicion that there was a second secret way to the sacred city by the -caņon road, they would have at once warned Ixtlilxochitli of the -impending danger to the Chalchuih Tlatonac. As it was, however, they -could not conceive the reason of the troops leaving Cuavaca for the -interior of the country. From their wanderings in that district, they -knew perfectly well that the line stopped suddenly in the midst of a -dense forest, and there appeared to be no reason that soldiers should -be sent thither. The generally received opinion among them was, that as -the Indians of the north had been on the war-trail, these soldiers were -sent up by the Government to punish such rebellion. With this idea, the -peons of Cuavaca took no heed of the expedition, knowing that it would -be impossible for civilised troops to discover their brethren in the -vast forests among the rugged mountains. - -Thus, when next day at noon the explorers returned to lead the soldiers -to the buried city, none of the Indians suspected the truth. Indeed, -the troops themselves were in absolute ignorance as to their -destination, as Rafael, thinking the Indians of Cuavaca might learn too -much, ordered the soldiers to blindly obey his orders, and not question -as to where they were going. Thus he hoped to camp a thousand men that -night within the streets of the ruined city, and surprise Totatzine by -dawn, when the priests and the populace would be engaged in worshipping -the opal. The wall towards the caņon would be quite undefended, as -never within the memory of the priests had anyone come into this city -from that direction. Ixtlilxochitli thought that the way was quite -blocked up, and never for a moment deemed that his bitterest foes would -capture the city from the caņon road. - -All that day the trains went back and forward between Cuavaca and the -clearing, taking troops into the interior of the country. So soon as -they arrived at the railway terminus, they were marched off through the -woods to the buried city, and there ordered to camp for the night, or -at least till such time as their leaders chose to guide them forward. -By sunset a thousand well-armed, well-disciplined troops were bestowed -in the ruined city of the Toltecs, within fifteen miles of the opal -shrine, and yet not a soul, save the leaders, knew that this was the -case. - -The troops having been brought thus far, Rafael, as leader of the -expedition, held a council of war as to the advisability of remaining -there for the night, or pushing on to the narrow path of the caņon so -as to surprise the inhabitants of Totatzine by dawn. Jack and Tim were -strongly in favour of marching at once, and as Philip afterwards came -round to this opinion, Rafael almost made up his mind to move forward -without delay. - -"From here to the caņon torrent it is mostly tunnels," urged Jack, -persuasively; "so whether we go by day or night it does not matter, as -we must carry torches. We can easily march along that road on the -plateau between the two tunnels, and when we enter the last one, can -arrive at the bed of the torrent about midnight. Let us camp there with -as many men as possible, and then march along the narrow path at the -first glimpse of daylight. Thus we will be able to assemble on the -platform under the pierced wall while the populace and priests are in -the great square of the teocalli. They will be unprepared, and we can -capture the city without almost a blow." - -"But they will be equally unprepared during the day," said Rafael, with -some hesitation, "so why not wait here till dawn?" - -"They will not be unprepared during the day," replied Jack, decisively, -"that pierced wall has people on it occasionally. Sometimes they come -out on to the platform overlooking the torrent. If these saw our -soldiers coming two abreast along the narrow path they would give the -alarm, and the defenders of the city could kill our advance guard and -block up the road. Now, if we can get five or six hundred on to the -platform by sunrise, they can keep the populace at bay until the rest -of our men arrive, then the city will be easily taken." - -"Only two men can walk abreast on the path?" asked Philip, dubiously. - -"As a matter of fact, three can walk abreast, but it is safer with two. -The path is cut out of the side of the caņon, and is very dangerous. It -must be attempted by daylight. Nine miles of narrow path in the dark -would end in our losing our men. Besides, who knows but what that -infernal Ixtlilxochitli, to make things quite safe, may not have -destroyed portions of the path?" - -"If he's done that, there won't be much chance of our taking the city," -said Tim, in disgust. - -"True, Seņor Correspoņsal," replied Rafael, gravely; "all things -considering, I think it will be best to take Don Juan's advice, and -march two or three hundred men to the torrent camping-ground to-night." - -This plan being adopted, the council broke up at once. It was decided -that Jack and Rafael should push on with three hundred men guided by -Pepe. These were to camp at the entrance of the tunnel where it led to -the narrow path by the torrent. At dawn the remaining seven hundred -men, under the leadership of Philip, Tim, and Captain Martez, should -follow, and by the time they arrived at the torrent camping-ground, the -advance troop would have reached the platform under the pierced wall, -which they could hold till the reinforcements arrived. As a matter of -fact, Jack and Rafael hoped to have the full strength of their men on -the platform and in the city before the inhabitants took the alarm; -but, in any event, three hundred could hold the narrow path entrance to -the platform while the rear came up steadily. Having settled these -important details, they all made a hearty meal, and, after bidding -their friends an affectionate farewell, Jack and Rafael, with their -little band, pushed forward. - -The men now knew that their destination was Totatzine, and so many -rumours were current in Cholacaca over the amount of treasure concealed -in this sacred city that they were madly desirous of getting to the -town. Without hesitation they followed Don Rafael and the Englishman up -the grand staircase, from the entrance whence all rubbish had been -cleared away. On arriving at the top, they saw the broad paved road -stretching straight before them in the semi-darkness, and still keeping -their torches lighted to guide them on their way, marched steadily -along the five miles until they arrived at the foot of the great peaks. -Here was the shallow tunnel, also choked up by rubbish. This was -speedily cleared away by a hundred willing hands, and then the leaders -making Pepe go down into the darkness between his guards, followed with -their men. The zambo made no attempt to escape, as now seeing the power -of the Junta, and knowing that his life was safe, he had quite gone -over to the side of Don Hypolito's enemies. - -The staircase led downward into the bowels of the earth for over a -quarter of a mile, then suddenly admitted them into a vast gallery -through which the air blew keenly. Jack was unable to restrain his -admiration at the mechanical skill which the Toltecs--if they had been -the engineers--displayed in thus piercing these vast tunnels through -the solid rock. The red glare of the torches showed them that the sides -were cased in brick painted with images of the gods, and the path under -their feet was smoothly paved with stonework, worn by the feet of -countless generations. To accomplish such marvels, these long-dead -nations must have possessed wonderful engineering capabilities, and -employed thousands and thousands of slaves. The latter might have been -taken in war, and forced to labour at these colossal works, but where -the Toltecs learned engineering was more than Jack could discover. - -The tunnel was only a mile long, and in a short space of time they -emerged on to a vast natural platform at the very bottom of the caņon. -To the left, looking from the tunnel, the great gap ended at the -distance of a quarter of a mile, and through the opening they could see -the flat extent of plains, and the distant pinnacles of mountains. On -the right the caņon turned suddenly to one side, and they saw -themselves shut in, so to speak, by vast rocky walls towering up to the -height of some thousands of feet. The torrent gushed and raged a little -distance below the natural terrace, and on one side of it arose a -narrow flight of steps leading to the path which ended at the sacred -city itself. - -So difficult had been the way that it was now nearly midnight, so the -wearied troops camped on the terrace, and made a meal as best they -could. There was but little chance of their presence being discovered -by any human being in that desolate caņon, but Rafael, judging it best -to be on the safe side, forbade them to light fires. Fortunately the -night was warm, every man possessed a zarape, and they slept in -comparative comfort. - -It was a critical period, as discovery by any wandering Indian meant -death to the whole band in that narrow gulch; but, to Rafael's relief, -the dawn broke showing not a human being to be in sight. They saw the -narrow path winding like a thread along the rocks in the distance, and -it looked a dangerous way to go. It was, however, the only way to the -city, and once they arrived under the pierced wall, they could keep the -path open for their reinforcements to follow. - -Jack made the men eat a hearty meal before starting, and would liked to -have made them drink hot coffee, but that there was a risk in lighting -fires. At the first faint light of morning, which was about six -o'clock, the men having finished their meal, looked to their rifles and -ammunition, flung their zarapes round their shoulders, and prepared to -ascend the narrow staircase. - -Still keeping Pepe before all as guide, lest he should send them -forward into some unknown danger, the two young men mounted to the -path, and in the space of an hour the whole company were winding along -two abreast. Below they looked down thousands of feet, above the cliffs -arose stern and precipitous, but the path, though narrow, was well-made -and safe, so, two by two, they marched forward in silence. - -"In a couple of hours the rest of the troops will reach the torrent," -said Jack to Rafael, as they walked along; "and by the time we gain the -pierced wall, they will not be far behind." - -"Once we are on the platform you speak of, I do not care, Juan," -replied Rafael, grimly; "but I hope by all the saints the Indians will -not see us before we can get off this path. They could cut us off with -the greatest of ease." - -"Never fear," said Duval, casting an anxious look at the sky, still -cold and grey; "at sunrise they will all be in the great square -worshipping the opal. Totatzine, you know, Rafael, is a sacred city, -and it is death for any inhabitant to remain away from the morning -sacrifice. That is how the priests keep their hold on the people." - -"But the women?" - -"They will be present also." - -"It must be a large plaza," said Rafael, disbelievingly. - -"Very large. Much larger than the Plaza de los Hombres Ilustres at -Tlatonac." - -"Dios! What clever people those Toltecs must have been." - -As they proceeded, the caņon wound to right and left, shutting itself -in at every curve with its own walls, so that they never saw more than -a short distance before them. Jack feared lest the path should suddenly -come to an end behind one of the curves; but as Pepe, who knew the way, -marched boldly on, this did not seem possible. The grey sky began to -flash crimson, and the stars to the eastward died out in the rosy hues -of dawn. They could see the torrent far below like a white thread, and -hear its voice, hoarse and incessant, rising upward. The serrated -summits of the caņon rocks loomed black against the changing sky. - -On, on, and on. The road never seemed to come to an end, but stretched -ever before them narrow and perilous-looking, a hanging-way between -heaven and earth. - -"I hope to the Lord none of the men will grow dizzy, and fall over," -said Jack, anxiously; "the path is so narrow, the depth so terrible." - -"No fear of that, mi amigo," replied Rafael, cheerfully; "they are all -too determined to get gold and silver in Totatzine to lose the chance -of not arriving there. Believe me, Juan, they are as anxious as we are -to get to the end of this infernal path. By the way, Martez and Seņor -Felipe must be on it by now, with their men." - -Jack glanced at his watch. - -"Yes; we have been over two hours now, marching. I expect Martez will -press onward as quickly as possible, so as to join us without delay. -Hullo!" - -"What is the matter?" - -"I saw a glimpse of green just now. We are nearly at the end of the -journey." - -The word passed along the narrow line of men, and they grasped their -rifles tighter, with fierce joy at the thought that they would soon be -in the heart of the golden city, so famous throughout Cholacaca. The -path began to slope downward gently. It turned round a corner sharply, -and lo! before them, Jack and his friend saw the sacred town, sparkling -like a jewel, in the hollow of the green valley. A wall, glistening -like silver, stretched along the whole front of the caņon, and before -this was a broad stone platform, on which a thousand men could assemble -with ease. Below was the torrent, and on this side of the rocks was a -narrow path, ending abruptly in a precipice. Jack pointed out this -latter to Rafael. - -"Do you see that, my friend?" he said, slowly; "it leads from the -secret entrance to the other path below the bridge, in the centre of -the town. If you took that way, you would fall into the torrent, and be -lost for ever." - -"Dios!" said Rafael, awestruck, "what devils are these priests." - -The platform and wall were absolutely deserted. The gates were wide -open, and through the vast arch-way they could see into the streets of -the town. A rosy flame, with yellow shafts, appeared behind the arid -peaks of the east, and loud and shrill the invaders heard the sacred -hymn, saluting the rising luminary. For centuries that song had not -been heard by the white man--not since Montezuma's altars had ceased to -smoke had civilised beings seen what they now saw. A vast pyramid in -the centre of the city, crowned with a silver temple, and dotted at the -summit with tiny figures invoking the gods. It was the last time that -song would ever rise; the last time the sun would be saluted with -bleeding victims and rolling incense; for the last stronghold of the -Aztec deities was discovered. The waves of advancing civilisation were -about to roll over this primeval city, and blot it and its fierce -deities out for ever. - -Silently, with anxious hearts, the little band turning the last corner -of the path, stepped downward on to the platform. When Jack found -himself there, he breathed a sigh of relief. Even though the Indians -found them now, they could not stop them in their onward course. His -men poured on to the platform, fell into line silently, and thus -established a defence at the mouth of the narrow path, while their -comrades rapidly came onward to their assistance. The city was as good -as won. But Xuarez---- - -"We must take care that Don Hypolito does not escape, Seņor," said -Rafael, anxiously, as the troops massed themselves under the pierced -wall. - -"Leave that to me, Rafael. I have an account to settle with Xuarez. He -shall not escape me." - -"Shall we attack the city at once?" - -"I think so. It will be as well to get inside the walls, lest we should -be discovered and the gates closed. Leave fifty men on the platform, mi -amigo, so as to hold it open for the reinforcements, then we can -penetrate into the town." - -"Making for what point?" - -"The great square. We must capture the bridges, and so hold the people -who are now worshipping on one side of the city. They shall thus not be -able to get their weapons." - -"The reinforcements will arrive shortly." - -"In about an hour, I fancy. I told Martez to march as rapidly as -possible, and I have no doubt he is pushing on with all speed. Come, -then, Rafael! Let us march into the city, and don't forget to seize -Xuarez and the opal! Also we must rescue Cocom." - -"What about Ixtlilxochitli?" - -"Oh, throw him into the torrent," said Jack, savagely; "he was going to -offer me up to that infernal deity of his. I believe he is making a -sacrifice now." - -"Perhaps it's Xuarez." - -"I hope so! We will be spared the trouble of shooting him." - -By this time the full number of men had arrived on the terrace, and -leaving fifty men to guard the path, Jack, in company with Rafael, -pushed forward through the gate into the city. No sooner had they got -inside, and were marching down the street leading to the principal -bridge, than some women saw them. Thunderstruck at their appearance, -these paused, and then began to yell loudly. Rafael sent forward some -soldiers to seize them, but they disappeared, running in the direction -of the great square. - -"Carajo!" muttered Maraquando, savagely; "they will alarm the town. -Forward, men! Keep close together. Seņor Duval, take fifty men, and -hold the lower bridge. I, with one hundred, will keep the middle one, -and you, Seņor Riconada, can hold the bridge near the wall with the -rest of our forces. Thus we will be able to keep all the Indians in the -square till the arrival of our friends." - -Jack and Riconada hastened to obey these orders and blockaded the three -bridges. Scarcely had they established themselves when the serpent-skin -drums on the summit of the teocalli began to roll out the alarm. -Frantic with rage and astonishment, the worshippers streamed towards -the three bridges so as to repel the daring foes. No one could -understand how these invaders had entered the city, and Ixtlilxochitli -smitten with fear, called on the children of Huitzilopochtli to defend -their god. The crowd pouring towards the bridges were driven back by -the soldiers, and as they were without weapons, owing to having gone to -the square for sacrifical purposes, they could do nothing. -Ixtlilxochitli was equal to the occasion, and from some secret store -produced shields and spears, bows and arrows, and swords of obsidian. -The drums rolled, the trumpets shrilled, and the priests on the -platform of the teocalli frantically invoked the god, while those whom -they had aroused desperately attempted to force the bridges. - -A feeling of superstitious terror was in the breasts of the Indians. -These terrible white men, whom no obstacle seemed to hinder, had -entered Totatzine as though by magic. How they had evaded the spies and -overcome the difficulties of the secret way none knew, much less how -they had discovered the passage. No one thought of the caņon road, not -even Ixtlilxochitli, who never dreamed of danger from that quarter. All -the inhabitants of Totatzine knew was that their worst foes were in the -heart of their sacred city, and that, unless they drove them forth at -once, the Shrine of the Opal would be lost for ever. - -Flights of arrows fell round the soldiers holding the three bridges, -and many were killed, as they had no shields with which to protect -themselves. On the other hand, the round bucklers held up by the -savages were no hindrance to the bullets of the invaders, and as the -soldiers kept up a steady fire into the dense mass of worshippers, the -ground was soon cumbered with the dead and dying. - -Jack in vain looked for Xuarez, but could see no sign of him. On the -summit of the teocalli he saw a vast crowd of priests crying on the -war-god to defend his shrine, and thought for a moment, as the black -mass parted, that a man was lying on the stone of sacrifice. But the -next instant the throng closed together again, and he was forced to -give his attention to the task of defending the causeway. His soul -revolted against this butchery, and he ordered his soldiers to deal as -gently as possible with the comparatively defenceless enemy. -Nevertheless, he knew that the safety of himself and his friends -depended on keeping the Indians blockaded until the reinforcements -arrived, and was forced to massacre the crowds which hurled themselves -with fanatical devotion against his men. - -Owing to the depth of the torrent, there was no way of crossing it save -by the bridges, and these being held by the invaders, it was impossible -for the Indians to fight to any advantage. Wave after wave rolled -across the narrow bridges, and midway were repelled by the incessant -fire of the Tlatonacians. The spears and arrows of the Indians did -deadly work, and the centre of the causeways were soon filled with -corpses, white men and red men mingled promiscuously together. Jack saw -plainly that the three bridges could be held by them for hours, yet -wished from his soul that Martez and Philip would come up with the -reinforcements, if only to put a stop to this wholesale massacre. - -Thousands of Indians were pent up in the square of the sacrifice, all -arrayed in festal robes of white with chaplets of flowers. These latter -were now torn off and cast underfoot, the white garments were spotted -with blood--the blood of their friends--and, frantic with rage, the -multitude did all that valour could do to break through the handful of -men holding the bridges. The drums were rolling their thunder -incessantly, the trumpets shrieked like human beings, priests bellowed, -the worshippers yelled, and constantly could be heard the ominous -cracking of the rifles, as every shot carried death into the white mass -heaving tumultuously in the square. - -All at once a trumpet beyond the walls rang out clear and thin. - -"Hurrah!" cried Jack, waving his sword, "the reinforcements at last." - -It was indeed the seven hundred men, who had arrived sooner than was -expected. Martez, anxious to aid his leader as speedily as possible, -had marched his men rapidly along the narrow path, and now they were -steadily streaming through the gate, making for the several bridges -where the fight seemed hottest. As the priests were shouting down -encouragements to the people below, Rafael decided to attack the -teocalli, and stop this work. Once the shrine was taken, and it was -possible the Indians might yield without further trouble, a thing he -heartily desired, as, like Jack, he was weary of this massacre. - -Tim and Martez stayed with Don Rafael, while Philip joined Jack, and -Peter, who was quite war-like in appearance, went to the town bridge, -where Riconada was fighting. At a given signal, all three bodies of -soldiers commenced to converge towards a single point, that being the -teocalli. The priests saw this manoeuvre, and bellowed with fear. -Many threw themselves down the steep sides of the pyramid, in vain -offering themselves to the war-god in the hope that he would decree -victory to their fellow-countrymen. The women in the square were -shrieking wildly, and hurling stones, wrenched from the houses, at the -soldiers as they pushed the mass of men steadily before them. From the -summit of the pyramid a cloud of incense rolled heavenward, and -Ixtlilxochitli, in the red robe of sacrifice, stepped forward to the -verge of the steps, holding up the opal in order to encourage his -people. - -A yell arose from friend and foe alike as they saw the glint of the -stone, and the Indians closed resolutely round the base of the teocalli -in a vain attempt to prevent the enemy from taking it by storm. All -their valour and self-sacrifice was in vain. The three compact bodies -of men pushed forward, shoulder to shoulder, through the white mass, -leaving behind three several streaks of red and yellow, the uniformed -bodies of their fellow-countrymen. Ixtlilxochitli saw these rivers of -fierce soldiery converge towards the staircase of the teocalli, and -yelling aloud to Huitzilopochtli, flashed the opal incessantly in the -sun. - -"There is Xuarez!" panted Philip, in the ear of Jack, as they cut their -way onward. - -"Where?" - -"By Ixtlilxochitli. That chap in red. He is bound. By Jove, Jack, I -believe the old fiend meant to sacrifice him." - -"Pity he didn't," retorted Jack, grimly; "look out Philip. Ah, there is -Tim. Hurrah, Tim! See which of us will reach the staircase first." - -Even in the midst of danger, Jack could not help joking, and Tim burst -out laughing as he hurled his huge form by Rafael through the crowd. - -All at once their mirth ended. At the foot of the teocalli they -stumbled over a nude corpse with a ragged wound in the breast. It was -the body of Cocom. - -"He has been sacrificed," cried Jack, fiercely. "Forward men! Avenge -his death." - -The advancing troops cheered loudly, and pressed steadily on towards -the great pyramid. - -The soldiers in the other part of the city had set fire to the -dwellings, and already the flames were rising heavenward. Mad with -rage, the Indians fought on doggedly, but could do nothing against the -discipline of regular troops; inch by inch they gave way before the -line of steel pressed against their breasts. The invaders stepped over -corpses on their way to the teocalli, and those lying on the ground not -yet dead, twining their arms round the legs of their foes, strove to -throw them. The noise was something deafening, and the whole square was -one vast field of carnage. - -Jack and Rafael, with their respective troops, reached the foot of the -staircase at the same time, and began to climb up. The priests, frantic -with terror, threw down huge stones, tore the tiles off the shrine, and -hurled them viciously at their foes. The drum was still beating, the -incense rolling, and high above the din could be heard the strident -voice of the old high-priest calling on his gods. - -"Jack! Rafael! keep your eye on Xuarez; he is free," replied Philip, as -they fought their way upward. - -Such, indeed, was the case. Don Hypolito had managed to get his hands -free, and was now struggling with Ixtlilxochitli. Why he did so, none -of the Englishmen could make out, unless it was to kill the old man for -trying to sacrifice him to Huitzilopochtli. The attendant priests -closed round the struggling figures to help their head, and thus -omitting to defend the teocalli, in a few moments the assailants were -on the top. - -Jack sprang up first on to the platform, closely followed by Tim. The -crowd of priests rolled on either side, rolled over the sides of the -pyramid, falling into the frantic mass below. Then they saw the design -of Xuarez. - -"Catch him Tim; he has the opal!" - -Xuarez, with torn clothing and pale, blood-stained face, stood against -the shrine with the opal flashing in one hand and a spear in the other. -Jack dashed forward to seize him, and Xuarez, with a yell of rage, -hurled the spear. In a second Tim had thrown himself between the weapon -and Jack, receiving it full in his breast. He fell back with a cry into -Philip's arms, and Jack, mad with anger at his friend's disaster, flung -himself forward on Xuarez. The rebel leader dashed to one side, and -threw himself over the smooth side of the pyramid, sliding downward on -his back. Jack, with his revolver firmly grasped in his right hand, -followed in the same way; but before he reached the ground a red mass -shot rapidly past him. - -"Ixtlilxochitli." - -The rebel leader, holding the opal on high, dashed through the crowd of -Indians, who opened a path before the sacred gem, followed closely by -the red figure of the high priest. Jack saw the idea Xuarez had in his -head. He was making for the secret way under the bridge, hoping to -escape to the mountains with his booty. At once he followed the flying -figures, but the crowd closed around him, and he had much to do to -protect himself. Martez saw his danger and sent a body of soldiers to -his assistance. In a few minutes, he was safe on the bridge surrounded -by his friends. Xuarez and Ixtlilxochitli had disappeared through the -secret entrance. - -Determined to revenge the wound of Tim and secure the opal, Jack would -have followed, when he heard a hundred voices on the platform beyond -the pierced wall shout out the name of Xuarez. Wondering the reason of -this, he darted up the street, followed by a few troops, and on gaining -the platform, looked over to where the soldiers were pointing. - -On the rocky ledge below, he saw two men struggling for the possession -of the opal. Xuarez, hotly pursued by the old priest, had taken the -wrong turning below the bridge, and they were now reeling on the verge -of destruction. Nearer and nearer they came to the brink, then Xuarez, -evidently seeing he was lost, threw the harlequin opal into the -torrent. The great gem described a curve in the air, flashed rainbow -hues in the sunlight, then dropped sheer into the boiling torrent -below--lost for ever to the world. In another second, Ixtlilxochitli -had forced Xuarez over the ledge, and the two men, locked in one -another's arms, shared the fate of the gem. - -Jack stood on the edge of the platform, looking in silent horror at the -fate of the rebel leader, when he heard his name cried out loudly, and -turned to see Peter hurrying towards him with a face of horror. - -"Jack! Jack! Tim!" - -"Tim!" echoed Jack, with a pang of fear, "is he wounded?" - -"He is dead." - -Jack waited to hear no more, but, followed by Peter, raced back to the -teocalli. With the fall of the shrine had fallen the city, and Jack, -crossing the square untouched, ran up the staircase rapidly. There, on -the summit, supported in Philip's arms, with Philip's tears dropping on -his dead face, lay Tim, merry-hearted Tim, whom they all loved so -truly. - -"Oh, Tim!" cried Jack, with a burst of anguish, and fell on his knees -beside the dead body. - -Below the tumult continued, the incense still rolled upward; but the -last sacrifice had taken place in the teocalli of Totatzine, and Tim -was the victim. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -FAREWELL, TLATONAC. - - Let us sail eastward, where the sun - Slow rises o'er the crimson wave, - Our western toils at last are done, - And rest, for ever, rest we crave. - - Oh, see the shore fades far away, - A dim spot in the distant blue, - And eastward breaks the coming day - Which bids our life-day dawn anew. - - Old times are at an end,--our lives - Have had their share of sighs and tears; - Now, loyal friends, with loving wives, - We hopeful look to coming years. - - -A cheer arose from the crowd at the sea-gate, the warships dipped their -flags in salutation, the guns thundered from the forts, and _The -Bohemian_ steamed slowly out of Tlatonac Harbour. At her mainmast -fluttered the Union Jack, over her stern drooped the Opal flag, for the -daughter and niece of His Excellency Don Miguel Maraquando were on -board, on their way to England, with their husbands, Sir Philip Cassim -and Jack Duval. That same day had they been married by Padre Ignatius, -and were now departing for the honeymoon, therefore did the guns -thunder, the people cheer, the flags dip. - -Six weeks had elapsed since the fall of Totatzine, since the death of -poor Tim, and many events had taken place during that interval. When -the teocalli was captured and the priests slain, the Indians, deprived -at one blow of gods and leaders, yielded in despair to their -conquerors. Don Hypolito dead, Cocom sacrificed, the opal lost, nothing -more could be obtained from the town, so Rafael withdrew his troops by -the caņon road, and returned to announce to the Junta that they need no -more fear the restless ambition of Xuarez. - -Poor Tim's body was taken back to Tlatonac by his sorrowing friends. -For a long time they could scarcely believe that he was dead. Tim, who -was so light-hearted and full of spirits; but alas! there was no doubt -that he had died almost instantaneously on the platform of the -teocalli. The spear, thrown with vigorous hate by Xuarez, and intended -for the breast of Jack, had dealt a fatal wound, and Tim had but time -to grasp Philip's hand in faint farewell before he passed away. The -three survivors were wild with grief at this loss, so cruel, so -unexpected, and reverentially carried the body of their old -schoolfellow to the capital for burial. In view of Tim's services -during the war, and the regard entertained for him by the Cholacacans -one and all, the Junta decreed a public funeral to the remains; so -Tim's body, with much pomp, was consigned to the vaults of the -cathedral, amid the firing of cannon, the knolling of bells. - -It was some weeks before the three Englishmen could recover -sufficiently from this cruel blow to attend to necessary matters. Now -that the country was at peace, and Don Hypolito slain, the President -gave his hearty consent to the marriages of Dolores, Eulalia, and -Carmencita. The weddings were very quietly celebrated, as neither Jack -nor Philip felt inclined for revelry now that Tim was dead; and, -indeed, so many of the Tlatonacians had lost relatives in the late -war, that public festivities would have been out of place. Therefore -the weddings were celebrated by Padre Ignatius in a very quiet -fashion, and afterwards Jack and Philip, with their respective brides, -departed for England in _The Bohemian_, while Don Rafael and -Carmencita went north to Acauhtzin in a warship. - -It was Philip's intention to establish himself and Eulalia in his -ancestral home in Kent, and live the useful life of a country -gentleman, varied by occasional voyages in _The Bohemian_. He could -not make up his mind to part with the yacht, nor did Eulalia wish him -to do so, and having proved herself to be a capital sailor, she took -as much interest in the boat as did Sir Philip himself. Eulalia, -having been shut up all her life in Tlatonac, now showed a decided -desire for rambling, so it seemed as though even marriage would not -cure Philip of his gipsy proclivities. Still before such matters were -decided upon, the baronet deemed it advisable to instal his Spanish -wife in the family mansion, and introduce Lady Cassim to the country -people. - -As to Jack and Dolores, they were only paying a flying visit to the old -country for a few weeks, as Duval had finally made up his mind to -settle in Tlatonac, and become a naturalized citizen of that city. The -life suited him; he was married to a native lady of the place, and, -moreover, the Junta had given him full control of all engineering works -connected with the country; so Jack, with the full approval of Peter -and Philip, thought he could not do better than establish himself in -this new land. The country was rich in natural productions, in timber, -ores, and precious stones, so when Jack's railways opened it up -throughout the whole length, there was no doubt but that Cholacaca -would become one of the most flourishing Republics of the Americas. - -Owing to the severe lesson at Totatzine, it was anticipated that the -Indians would be too cowed to give the Government further trouble, and -this proved to be the case. The last stronghold of the old gods had -fallen, and the sacred city, which had been the centre of incessant -conspiracy against the Republic was quite broken up. With the vanishing -of the opal, it lost its character of a sacred town, and now being -thrown open to the world by the discovery of the secret paths, no -longer possessed any mysterious charm for the Indians. With no centre, -with no crafty priesthood, the power of the tribes, instead of being -concentrated, became scattered, and there is no doubt that in the near -future, when the country is a network of railways, that the savage -tribes will vanish before the advancing flood of civilisation. - -Peter did not come in _The Bohemian_, as he had accepted the -invitation of a celebrated naturalist to visit him up Mexico way, and -hunt beetles and butterflies in company. Faithless Peter, he refused -to marry Doņa Serafina, and fled the smiles of his elderly charmer, -for they, to him, dearer delights of entomology. Baffled in one -quarter, Doņa Serafina was successful in another, for she turned her -attention to Don Alfonso Cebrian, and succeeded, after some -difficulty, in marrying the Intendante of Xicotencatl, who had for -some years been a widower. Serafina found on marriage that she -possessed a step-daughter, with whom she could not agree, but speedily -settled her future by marrying her off to Captain Velez, who thus -became the Intendante's son-in-law after all. - -After leaving Tlatonac, the four people on board _The Bohemian_ were -talking of these things on deck, in the warm sunshine. It was the -afternoon of a perfect day, and the yacht steamed merrily along -towards the distant ocean. To the surprise of Philip and Jack, the -ladies proved to be excellent sailors, and were quite fascinated with -the yacht, much to the gratification of old Benker, who, for the first -time in his crusty old life, approved of the existence of the female -sex. - -When they were tired roaming about and making inquiries about this, -that, and the other thing, they settled down in comfortable deck-chairs -to talk about the future with their respective husbands. Dolores and -Jack were returning to Tlatonac shortly, so had but the same life to -look forward to; but Eulalia was secretly dismayed at the prospect of -being an English lady. - -"Querido!" she said to Philip, looking at him over the top of her big -black fan, "I cannot talk your tongue. And your English ladies! I hear -they are so cold. And your climate. Oh, Felipe, I fear your climate." - -"Who told you all these nice things, Eulalia?" asked Philip, smiling. - -"Don Pedro." - -"My dear girl, you must not believe what Peter says. He doesn't know a -thing, except what relates to beetles. You are learning to talk English -very quickly, and as to the English ladies--they will all fall in love -with you." - -"And the climate of England," added Jack, wickedly, "is the best in the -world." - -"No!" replied Philip, laughing, "I cannot conscientiously say that. But -neither Eulalia nor myself will stay much in England. We shall travel." - -Eulalia clapped her hands with glee on hearing this delightful -proposal, and Dolores settled the future course of such travelling. - -"Wherever you may go, Seņor Felipe," she said smiling, "forget not that -Juan and myself dwell in Tlatonac, and shall expect you both once a -year." - -"More or less!" cried Jack, lazily. "Come in a year, Philip, and you -will see how Cholacaca is going ahead. I will have that railway to -Acauhtzin ready before you know where you are. All those little forest -towns will soon be in communication with the outside world----" - -"And Totatzine?" - -"Ah, Totatzine has lost its mysterious charm of the unknown. I'll turn -it into a resort for invalids, or a Central American Monte Carlo. Where -Huitzilopochtli was worshipped, future generations will adore the -goddess of play." - -"At that rate, you will still have victims offered at the shrine," said -Philip, grimly; "but, after all, Jack, it was a pity we lost the opal." - -"Can it not be found again?" asked Dolores, who deeply regretted the -vanished jewel. - -Jack shook his head. - -"I am afraid not. Xuarez threw it into the torrent. Heaven only knows -in what profound depths it now lies. Perhaps it is best so. While it -was on earth, it caused nothing but trouble, from the time it was in -the possession of Montezuma, to the death of Xuarez." - -"Now it is lost, I suppose the superstition will die out!" - -"Superstition dies hard. All kinds of legends will grow up about that -famous gem. It will still be remembered for many years, the more -especially as Tlatonac is still, and ever shall be, the City of the -Opal." - -"And Dolores is still the guardian of the opal," said Eulalia, -pensively. - -"A guardian of a stone that has now no existence," replied Dolores, -laughing; "but, after all, I had rather the jewel was lost than my -Juan." - -"Ah, Dolores!" said Jack, with a sad smile, "had it not been for the -Seņor Correspoņsal, your Juan would have been lost." - -"Poor Tim," muttered Philip, softly, turning away to conceal his -emotion. - -The tears sprang to Dolores' eyes, and Eulalia was scarcely less -affected. It seemed too terrible that they should all be so happy, when -poor Tim, whom they loved so much, should be lying in the grave. The -bitterest part of it was that the death had taken place just when the -war was over. Tim had escaped the siege of Janjalla, the battle of -Centeotl, only to fall in a skirmish at the obscure town of Totatzine. -It was fate! - -They remained silent for a few minutes, thinking of the dead man, and -then Philip aroused himself with an effort. - -"Come!" he said, with a smile. "We must not be melancholy on our -wedding-day. Poor Tim himself would have been the last to countenance -such folly. We can talk of other things. Of Rafael, for instance." - -"There is not much to talk about Rafael," said his sister, lightly; "he -is married to Doņa Carmencita. He is now Governor of Acauhtzin, and -when Cholacaca has a fleet, he shall be its almirante. I think Rafael -is very fortunate, Felipe." - -"Not so fortunate as I am," replied the baronet looking at her fondly. - -"Nor as I!" cried Jack, slipping his arm round Dolores' waist. "Ah, -Philip, how many things have taken place since we sailed over these -waters! Did I not tell you you would bring home a bride?" - -"You did, and I half believed you. For once, you have prophesied -correctly. I am grateful to you, Jack, for having led me to secure this -prize. When you came back to England, I was settling down into a crusty -old bachelor; but now you will find me a devoted husband--all through -your coming to England." - -"Say, rather, all through the agreement we made at Bedford School, so -many years ago. That boyish freak has brought us good fortune and -charming wives." - -"Yet Peter is still a bachelor." - -"Oh, Peter will marry a beetle! I expect we shall see him in England -shortly. For myself, I do not complain of Fate; nor does Dolores." - -Jack bent down tenderly, and kissed Dolores, which example seemed so -good to Philip that he at once followed suit. - -The sun was setting in the west, and the sky was one blaze of colours. -Pale rose, tawny-yellow, and high above, the delicate blue of the -departing day. The sky, the sea were all glittering with rainbow hues -of unexampled brilliancy. The yacht, leaving all this splendour behind, -steamed steadily onward towards the coming night. - -"It is like the Chalchuih Tlatonac," said Dolores, pointing to the -sunset. - -"And we are leaving it behind," replied Jack, taking her hand; "but I -do not regret it, querida. If Fate has denied me the harlequin opal, -she has given me a dearer and more precious gift--yourself." - - -THE END. - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Harlequin Opal, Vol. 3 (of 3), by Fergus Hume - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HARLEQUIN OPAL, VOL. 3 (OF 3) *** - -***** This file should be named 43189-8.txt or 43189-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/1/8/43189/ - -Produced by Suzanne Shell and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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