CHAPTER XXIV. THE SUN CHILDREN'S PERIL.
Not until the two young men passed beneath those heavy curtains dideither one of the Sun Children really give thought to their own possibleperil, but stood close together, arm of mother about daughter as theylistened to the ominous sounds without, so rapidly growing in force andnumber.
Then, just as the deep tones of the war-drum boomed forth upon the nightair, the fallen Aztec betrayed signs of rallying wits, giving a lowsound which might have been groan of pain or curse of baffled rage. Bethat as it may, the sound served one purpose: Victoria Edgecombe (toappend her correct name for the first time) drew her child farther away,her right hand reaching forth to pluck a light yet effective spear fromwhere it lay against the wall.
"Mother, mother!" faintly panted the maiden, plainly at a loss tocomprehend all that had so recently transpired. "What is it? What doesit all mean? Surely that was Ixtli; and--the other?"
"A messenger from your father, child, and--"
"My father? I thought--he is not--not dead?"
"Thanks be to heaven, not dead!" with hysterical joy in face as invoice. "Alive, and seeking us, Gladys! Coming to rescue us from thisdeath in life, and now--to your knees, my daughter; to thy knees, andlift thanks unto the good Father who has at last listened to my moans!"
Again the war-drum boomed forth in an awesome roll, but all unheedingthat ominous sound, paying no attention to the stirring of yondersavage, whose lacerated scalp was painting his face a deeper red thaneven nature intended, mother and daughter sank to their knees, liftinghands and hearts towards the All-Powerful, even as their gratitudefloated towards the Throne of Grace.
Then arose the hoarse tones of Huatzin, bidding his allies find and slaywithout mercy; cursing the treacherous Aztec who had thus guided one ofa strange tribe into the very heart of their beloved city.
With a short, fierce ejaculation, Victo sprang to her feet, right handonce again grasping shaft of javelin, its copper point gleaming ruddilyin the rays of lamp as though already moistened by the heart-blood ofyonder villain.
Far differently acted the maiden, her figure trembling with fear andwonder commingled, her lips slightly blanched as she clung closer to hermother. Yet through all ran a touch of girlish curiosity which helpedshape the words now crossing her lips.
"Who was it, mother? Who could the stranger be? And whither has hegone?"
"With Ixtli, my child, and may the good God of our own people grantthem both life and liberty! If I thought--your father, Gladys! Aliveand looking for his beloved ones! See! from his own dear hand, and hesays--Hold! who comes there?"
But the alarm appeared to be without actual foundation, for the soundscame no closer, remaining beyond the drapery past which Lord Hua hadstaggered only a few brief seconds before.
Gladys rallied more speedily than one might have expected, and she spokewith even greater interest than at first.
"My dear father, and alive? Oh, mother, why is he not here to--whyshould he send another? And that one--he spoke our dear language,mother; surely he is not--not as Ixtli?"
"No; he was of our own people, child, and I can hardly conceive how hecame hither, save that Ixtli must have acted as guide."
"And those awful warriors!" shivering as the war-cries followed themuffled roar of the great drum. "If found, he will be slain! Do youthink there is any hope for him, mother? And he seemed so--so--"
"He is gone with Ixtli, and Ixtli is true to the very core," Victohastened to give assurance. "I would rather trust him than many anotherof thrice his years and warlike experience. Ixtli is true; ay, as trueand tried as his father, Aztotl!"
"Who loves you, mother, and would win--"
"Hush, child!" just a bit sharply interposed the elder woman, yet at thesame time tightening that loving clasp. "Merely as the daughter of hisSun God, Quetzalcoatl, and--ha!"
Once again there came the echoes of rapid foot-falls beyond the heavydraperies, and again this Amazonian mother drew her superb form in frontof her shrinking child, poising the javelin in readiness for stroke orcasting, as might serve best.
A strong arm brushed the curtains aside sufficiently to admit itsowner's passage, but the armed warrior stopped short at sighting the SunChildren, his proud head lowering, hands crossing over his broad bosomin token of adoration,--for it surely was more than mere submission toone held his superior.
With a low cry, Victo drew back a bit, weapon lowering as she recognisedfriend in place of enemy.
"It is you, Aztotl?" she spoke, in mellow tones. "I thought--did youremove the usual guards, this evening?"
"The blame falls to my share, Sun Child," the Red Heron made answer,with a meekness strange in one of his build and general appearance, thatof a king among ordinary warriors.
"Not justly, nor through fault of your own, my good and true friend,"the elder woman made haste to give assurance. "Not even thy lips shallspeak slander of Aztotl the True-heart, my brother."
With a swift advance the Red Heron caught the unarmed hand, to bend overit until his lips barely brushed the soft, perfumed skin. Then he sankto one knee, bowing his head until his brow touched the floor beneathher sandalled feet.
Swiftly, gracefully, these movements were made, and where they wouldhave appeared fulsome or degraded in some, with this warrior the effectwas far from disagreeable to see or to experience.
Victo flushed warmly and drew back a little farther, for the memory ofthose words let fall by Gladys came back with unpleasant distinctness.And was she so certain that Aztotl looked upon her as merely agod-descended priestess?
The Red Heron arose easily, head rising proudly above his shapelyshoulders as he met those great blue eyes,--eyes as pure and asfathomless as the cloudless sky in midsummer.
And then, more like one giving a bare statement of facts than oneoffering a defence for himself, Aztotl spoke of a faithless subordinate,who was guilty of either careless neglect, or worse.
"It may be that Tezcatl lost his wits through strong waters, Sun Child,or even that he took evil pay from still more vile hands. You have seenthe last of him, though, Child of Quetzal'l."
"You surely do not mean that--"
Aztotl lightly tapped the knife-hilt showing above his maxtlatl, coldlyadding words to that significant gesture:
"There is no place for fool or traitor upon the body-guard of the SunChildren. Tezcatl sinned; he has paid full forfeit. And just so shallall others perish who dare cast an evil glance towards--ha!"
Another outcry arose from the other side of the curtained recess, andthe Red Heron instantly sprang away in that direction, hands grippingweapons in readiness for instant use in case of need.
Almost as swiftly, Victo and the maiden followed, one through fear, theother through utter lack of fear, for herself.
Those savage cries came from the lips of none other than the chieftainwhose now bare head bore significant traces of Bruno Gillespie'shandiwork, and he seemed bent on rushing directly into the presence ofthe Sun Children, until Red Heron interposed, stern and icy-toned:
"Stand back, my Lord Hua!" he ordered, left hand advanced with openpalm, but its dexter mate armed and ready for hot work if that mustcome. "Venture no closer, on thy peril, chief!"
Huatzin recoiled a bit, though that might have been more throughsurprise than because he feared this proud warrior. He gripped hisknife-hilt, and partly drew the blade from its supporting sash. Ahissing oath escaped his lips, and he crouched a trifle, as a wild beastgathers its deadliest force prior to making a death leap.
"Darest thou bar my path, Aztotl?" he cried, hoarsely. "Make way, I bidthee; make way, for I will see the Sun Children and--"
"Not so, my Lord Hua," coldly interrupted the master of guards, thatwarning palm still turned to the front. "You are here without law orleave, and know what the edict says: from the going to the return ofthe sun, these stones are sacred from all feet save those of the SunChildren and their regular body-guard."
"What care I for laws? Or for such as th
ou, Red Heron? I will that sucha thing shall be, and it comes to pass. And--thou dare to bar my way,Aztotl?"
"Ay. By words if they prove sufficient. By force if called for. By deathif worst must come; even the death of a mighty chieftain like Lord Huawould not be too great a feat."
For a brief space it seemed as though Huatzin would make a leap to whichthere could be but one termination, death to one or to both. But Aztotlcoldly spoke on:
"I have given you fair and friendly warning, Lord Hua. Go, now, whilethe path of peace lies open. Go, else I sound the call, and myguard will take you in charge, just as they would any other rascallyintruder."
"Your precious son, for instance?" retorted the 'Tzin, viciously. "Hecame with one whom--one of a different race from our own, Aztotl! Atraitor in thy own family, yet thou darest hint at--"
Aztotl lifted a bent finger to his lips, sounding a shrill,far-penetrating whistle. The response was prompt indeed, an armed forceadvancing with weapons held ready, awaiting only word from commander topunish that rash intruder by hurling him to death over the terraces.
Although nearly beside himself with fury, Huatzin glared defiance atboth guard and its commander, then turned more directly upon the SunChildren, speaking in savage tones:
"Unto you, proud Victo, I'll either win you as my--"
"Go on, Lord Hua," coldly spoke the woman, as his voice choked.
"I'll win and wear you as my squaw, or else give you to the stone ofsacrifice!" he snarled, then turned away as Aztotl motioned his guardsto clear the temple of all intruders, then see that none other daredenter.
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