'Good morning, you mean,' he said, for the dawn was breaking. 'Your
name. I don't know your face, though it seems that you have been in the
wars,' and he laughed.
'You mustn't ask a comrade his name,' I said solemnly and swinging to
and fro. 'The captain might send for me and he's a temperate man. Your
arm, girl; it is time to go to sleep, the sun sets.'
They laughed, but one of them addressed Otomie, saying:
'Leave the sot, my pretty, and come and walk with us,' and he caught her
by the arm. But she turned on him with so fierce a look that he let
her go again astonished, and we staggered on till the corner of another
house hid us from their view. Here I sank to the ground overcome with
pain, for while the soldiers were in sight, I was obliged to use my
wounded foot lest they should suspect. But Otomie pulled me up, saying:
'Alas! beloved, we must pass on or perish.'
I rose groaning, and by what efforts I reached the south gate I cannot
describe, though I thought that I must die before I came there. At last
it was before us, and as chance would have it, the Spanish guard were
asleep in the guardhouse. Three Tlascalans only were crouched over a
little fire, their zerapes or blankets about their heads, for the dawn
was chilly.
'Open the gates, dogs!' I said in a proud voice.
Seeing a Spanish soldier one of them rose to obey, then paused and said:
'Why, and by whose orders?'
I could not see the man's face because of the blanket, but his voice
sounded familiar to me and I grew afraid.
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