'Now feign sleep,' she said; 'it is our last chance.'
I cast my arm over my face and pretended to be asleep. Presently I heard
the sound of a man passing through the bushes, and the Tlascalan stood
over me.
'What would you?' asked Otomie. 'Can you not see that he sleeps? Let him
sleep.'
'I must look on his face first, woman,' he answered, dragging aside my
arm. 'By the gods, I thought so! This is that Teule whom we dealt with
yesterday and who escapes.'
'You are mad,' she said laughing. 'He has escaped from nowhere, save
from a brawl and a drinking bout.'
'You lie, woman, or if you do not lie, you know nothing. This man has
the secret of Montezuma's treasure, and is worth a king's ransom,' and
he lifted his club.
'And yet you wish to slay him! Well, I know nothing of him. Take him
back whence he came. He is but a drunken sot and I shall be well rid of
him.'
'Well said. It would be foolish to kill him, but by bearing him alive to
the lord Sarceda, I shall win honour and reward. Come, help me.'
'Help yourself,' she answered sullenly. 'But first search his pouch;
there may be some trifle there which we can divide.'
'Well said, again,' he answered, and kneeling down he bent over me and
began to fumble at the fastenings of the pouch.
Otomie was behind him. I saw her face change and a terrible light came
into her eyes, such a light as shines in the eyes of the priest at
sacrifice.
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