Butthegodrejectedhiminafatefulhour，andhemustlietherenomore。
Slayhimifyouwill，butnotuponthestoneofsacrifice。’
’Whatthenshallbedonewithhim？’saidtheprinceagain。
’HeisofthebloodoftheTeules，andthereforeanenemy。
Onethingiscertain；hemustnotbesufferedtojointhewhitedevilsandgivethemtidingsofourdistresses。
Isitnotbestthathebeputawayforthwith？’
Nowseveralofthecouncilnoddedtheirheads，butotherssatsilent，makingnosign。
’Come，’saidCuitlahua，’wehavenotimetowasteoverthismanwhenthelivesofthousandsarehourlyatstake。
Thequestionis，ShalltheTeulebeslain？’
ThenGuatemocroseandspoke，saying:’Yourpardon，noblekinsman，butIholdthatwemayputthisprisonertobetterusethantokillhim。
Iknowhimwell；heisbraveandloyal，asIhaveproved，moreover，heisnotallaTeule，buthalfofanotherracethathatesthemashehatesthem。
Alsohehasknowledgeoftheircustomsandmodeofwarfare，whichwelack，andIthinkthathemaybeabletogiveusgoodcounselinourstrait。’
’Thecounselofthewolftothedeerperhaps，’saidCuitlahua，coldly；’counselthatshallleadustothefangsoftheTeules。
Whoshallanswerforthisforeigndevil，thathewillnotbetrayusifwetrusthim？’
’Iwillanswerwithmylife，’answeredGuatemoc。
’Yourlifeisoftoogreatworthtobesetonsuchastake，nephew。
Menofthiswhitebreedareliars，andhisownwordisofnovalueevenifhegivesit。
Ithinkthatitwillbebesttokillhimandhavedonewithdoubts。’
’ThismaniswedtoOtomie，princessoftheOtomie，Montezuma’sdaughter，yourniece，’saidGuatemocagain，’andsheloveshimsowellthatsheofferedherselfuponthestoneofsacrificewithhim。
UnlessImistakeshewillanswerforhimalso。
Shallshebesummonedbeforeyou？’
’Ifyouwish，nephew；butawomaninloveisablindwoman，anddoubtlesshehasdeceivedheralso。
Moreover，shewashiswifeaccordingtotheruleofreligiononly。
Isityourdesirethattheprincessshouldbesummonedbeforeyou，comrades？’
Nowsomesaidnay，butthemost，thosewhoseinterestOtomiehadgained，saidyea，andtheendofitwasthatoneoftheirnumberwassenttosummonher。
Presentlyshecame，lookingveryweary，butproudinmienandroyallyattired，andbowedbeforethecouncil。
’Thisisthequestion，princess，’saidCuitlahua。
’WhetherthisTeuleshallbeslainforthwith，orwhetherheshallbeswornasoneofus，shouldhebewillingtotaketheoath？
TheprinceGuatemocherevouchesforhim，andhesays，moreover，thatyouwillvouchforhimalso。
Awomancandothisinonewayonly，bytakinghimshevouchesasherhusband。
Youarealreadywedtothisforeignerbytheruleofreligion。
Areyouwillingtomarryhimaccordingtothecustomofourland，andtoanswerforhisfaithwithyourownlife？’
’Iamwilling，’Otomieansweredquietly，’ifheiswilling。’
’Intruthitisagreathonourthatyouwoulddothiswhitedog，’
saidCuitlahua。
’Bethinkyou，youareprincessoftheOtomieandoneofourmaster’sdaughters，itistoyouthatwelooktobringbackthemountainclansoftheOtomie，ofwhomyouarechieftainess，fromtheirunholyalliancewiththeaccursedTlascalans，theslavesoftheTeules。
Isnotyourlifetooprecioustobesetonsuchastakeasthisforeigner’sfaith？forlearn，Otomie，ifheprovesfalseyourrankshallnothelpyou。’
’Iknowitall，’sherepliedquietly。
’Foreignerornot，IlovethismanandIwillanswerforhimwithmyblood。
Moreover，IlooktohimtoassistmetowinbackthepeopleoftheOtomietotheirallegiance。
Butlethimspeakforhimself，mylord。
Itmayhappenthathehasnodesiretotakemeinmarriage。’
Cuitlahuasmiledgrimlyandsaid，’Whenthechoiceliesbetweenthebreastofdeathandthosefairarmsofyours，niece，itiseasytoguesshisanswer。
Still，speak，Teule，andswiftly。’
’Ihavelittletosay，lord。
IftheprincessOtomieiswillingtowedme，Iamwillingtowedher，’Ianswered，andthusinthemomentofmydangerallmydoubtsandscruplesvanished。
AsCuitlahuahadsaid，itwaseasytoguessthechoiceofonesetbetweendeathandOtomie。
Sheheardandlookedatmewarningly，sayinginalowvoice:
’Rememberourwords，Teule。
Insuchamarriageyourenounceyourpastandgivemeyourfuture。’
’Iremember，’Ianswered，andwhileIspoke，therecamebeforemyeyesavisionofLily’sfaceasithadbeenwhenIbadeherfarewell。
ThisthenwastheendofthevowsthatIhadsworn。
Cuitlahualookedatmewithaglancewhichseemedtosearchmyheartandsaid:
’Ihearyourwords，Teule。
You，awhitewanderer，aregraciouslywillingtotakethisprincesstowife，andbyhertobeliftedhighamongthegreatlordsofthisland。
Butsay，howcanwetrustyou？
Ifyoufailusyourwifediesindeed，butthatmaybenaughttoyou。’
’Iamreadytoswearallegiance，’Ianswered。
’IhatetheSpaniards，andamongthemismybitterestenemywhomIfollowedacrosstheseatokill——themanwhostrovetomurdermethisveryday。
Icansaynomore，ifyoudoubtmywordsitwerebesttomakeanendofme。
AlreadyIhavesufferedmuchatthehandsofyourpeople；itmatterslittleifIdieorlive。’
’Boldlyspoken，Teule。
Now，lords，Iaskyourjudgment。
ShallthismanbegiventoOtomieashusbandandbeswornasoneofus，orshallhebekilledinstantly？
Youknowthematter。
Ifhecanbetrusted，asGuatemocandOtomiebelieve，hewillbeworthanarmytous，forheisacquaintedwiththelanguage，thecustoms，theweapons，andthemodesofwarfareofthesewhitedevilswhomthegodshaveletlooseuponus。
Ifontheotherhandheisnottobetrusted，anditishardforustoputfaithinoneofhisblood，hemaydousmuchinjury，forintheendhewillescapetotheTeules，andbetrayourcounselsandourstrength，orthelackofit。
Itisforyoutojudge，lords。’
Nowthecouncillorsconsultedtogether，andsomesaidonethingandsomeanother，fortheywerenotbyanymeansofamindinthematter。
Atlengthgrowingweary，Cuitlahuacalledonthemtoputthequestiontothevote，andthistheydidbyaliftingofhands。
Firstthosewhowereinfavourofmydeathhelduptheirhands，thenthosewhothoughtthatitwouldbewisetospareme。
Thereweretwenty-sixcouncillorspresent，notcountingCuitlahua，andofthesethirteenvotedformyexecutionandthirteenwereforsavingmealive。
’NowitseemsthatImustgiveacastingvote，’saidCuitlahuawhenthetalehadbeenrendered，andmybloodturnedcoldathiswords，forIhadseenthathismindwassetagainstme。
ThenitwasthatOtomiebrokein，saying:
’Yourpardon，myuncle，butbeforeyouspeakIhaveawordtosay。
Youneedmyservices，doyounot？forifthepeopleoftheOtomiewilllistentoanyandsufferthemselvestobeledfromtheirevilpath，itistome。
Mymotherwasbybirththeirchieftainess，thelastofalongline，andIamheronlychild，moreovermyfatheristheiremperor。
Thereforemylifeisofnosmallworthnowinthistimeoftrouble，forthoughIamnothinginmyself，yetitmaychancethatIcanbringthirtythousandwarriorstoyourstandard。
Thepriestsknewthisonyonderpyramid，andwhenIclaimedmyrighttolieatthesideoftheTeule，theygainsayedme，norwouldtheysufferit，thoughtheyhungeredfortheroyalblood，tillI
calleddownthevengeanceofthegodsuponthem。
Nowmyuncle，andyou，lords，Itellyouthis:Slayyondermanifyouwill，butknowthatthenyoumustfindanotherthanmetoluretheOtomiefromtheirrebellion，forthenIcompletewhatIbeganto-day，andfollowhimtothegrave。’
Sheceasedandamurmurofamazementwentroundthechamber，fornonehadlookedtofindsuchloveandcourageinthislady’sheart。
OnlyCuitlahuagrewangry。
’Disloyalgirl，’hesaid；’doyoudaretosetyourloverbeforeyourcountry？
Shameuponyou，shamelessdaughterofourking。
Why，itisintheblood——asthefatherissoisthedaughter。
DidnotMontezumaforsakehispeopleandchoosetolieamongtheseTeules，thefalsechildrenofQuetzal？
AndnowthisOtomiefollowsinhispath。
Tellushowisit，woman，thatyouandyourloveraloneescapedfromtheteocalliyonderwhenalltherestwerekilled。
AreyoutheninleaguewiththeseTeules？
Isaytoyou，niece，thatifthingswereotherwiseandIhadmyway，youshouldwinyourdesireindeed，foryoushouldbeslainatthisman’ssideandwithinthehour。’
Andheceasedforlackofbreath，andlookeduponherfiercely。
ButOtomieneverquailed；shestoodbeforehimpaleandquiet，withfoldedhandsanddowncasteyes，andanswered:
’Forbeartoreproachmebecausemyloveisstrong，orreproachmeifyouwill，Ihavespokenmylastword。
CondemnthismantodieandPrinceyoumustseeksomeotherenvoytowinbacktheOtomietothecauseofAnahuac。’
NowCuitlahuapondered，staringintothegloomabovehimandpullingathisbeard，andthesilencewasgreat，fornoneknewwhathisjudgmentwouldbe。
Atlasthespoke:
’Sobeit。
WehaveneedofOtomie，myniece，anditisofnoavailtofightagainstawoman’slove。
Teule，wegiveyoulife，andwiththelifehonourandwealth，andthegreatestofourwomeninmarriage，andaplaceinourcouncils。
Takethesegiftsandher，butIsaytoyouboth，bewarehowyouusethem。
Ifyoubetrayus，nay，ifyoudobutthinkontreachery，Isweartoyouthatyoushalldieadeathsoslowandhorriblethattheverynameofitwouldturnyourhearttowater；youandyourwife，yourchildrenandyourservants。
Come，lethimbesworn！’
Iheardandmyheadswam，andamistgatheredbeforemyeyes。
OnceagainIwassavedfrominstantdeath。
Presentlyitcleared，andlookingupmyeyesmetthoseofthewomanwhohadsavedme，Otomiemywife，whosmileduponmesomewhatsadly。
Thenthepriestcameforwardbearingawoodenbowl，carvedaboutwithstrangesigns，andaflintknife，andbademebaremyarm。
Hecutmyfleshwiththeknife，sothatbloodranfromitintothebowl。
Somedropsofthisbloodheemptiedontotheground，mutteringinvocationsthewhile。
ThenheturnedandlookedatCuitlahuaasthoughinquestion，andCuitlahuaansweredwithabitterlaugh:
’LethimbebaptizedwiththebloodoftheprincessOtomiemyniece，forsheisbailforhim。’
’Nay，lord，’saidGuatemoc，’thesetwohavemingledbloodsalreadyuponthestoneofsacrifice，andtheyaremanandwife。
ButIalsohavevouchedforhim，andIoffermineinearnestofmyfaith。’
’ThisTeulehasgoodfriends，’saidCuitlahua；’youhonourhimovermuch。
Butsobeit。’
ThenGuatemoccameforward，andwhenthepriestwouldhavecuthimwiththeknife，helaughedandsaid，pointingtothebulletwounduponhisneck:
’Noneedforthat，priest。
BloodrunsherethatwasshedbytheTeules。
Nonecanbefitterforthispurpose。’
SothepriestdrewawaythebandageandsufferedthebloodofGuatemoctodropintoasecondsmallerbowl。
Thenhecametomeanddippinghisfingerintotheblood，hedrewthesignofacrossuponmyforeheadasaChristianpriestdrawsitupontheforeheadofaninfant，andsaid: