The prince left Zelmonco villa with an added weight to the gloom which
burdened his soul and saddened immeasurably his heart. A new feeling
possessed him--a feeling which had been awakened by the charm of a
contact with the object of his boyhood's affections. It seemed to have
suddenly become a part of his being, arousing within him almost a sense
of bitterness at his unhappy lot. His good sense, however, came to his
support. While the sentiment which had aroused the disturbing feelings
that oppressed him was not adverse to his sensibilities, but, on the
contrary, one that he would have gladly encouraged; still, to yield to
it at such a time, he felt, was unworthy of his manhood. He accordingly
set his face toward the mountains, and turned his back upon the
attractions which lured him from his purpose, and went forward to
achieve the object for which he had started out--the present security
of his person and life, and the ultimate liberation of his people.
It was several leagues from the villa to the home of the loyal
Tezcucan; yet, under ordinary circumstances, the distance could have
been covered easily before morning, with time to spare; for the natives
were a people who traveled very rapidly when the occasion required it.
But the prince was a fugitive, fleeing from the emissaries of his
relentless foe, and had to be continually on his guard against
surprise. As a consequence his progress was greatly impeded, and
daylight found him still on the road. However, he was not discovered,
and his journey of the night finally ended in safety.
By lying over through one day, and traveling one more night, the
fugitives would arrive at a point where discovery by recognition was
considered a very remote probability. This being the case, the balance
of the journey could then be pursued by daylight with little fear of
detection. Accordingly the prince and his companion rested and
refreshed themselves at the house of the former's friend, until
evening, when their journey was resumed.
Another night on the road was gone through, which carried them well on
their way toward the mountains. At the approach of the morning's dawn a
secluded spot off from the highway was looked for, where a few hours'
sleep could be had without fear of molestation. Such a spot was found,
and the tired and travel-worn sojourners gave themselves over to
recuperation in the forgetfulness of slumber.
The sun was well up toward the meridian when they awoke from a
refreshing sleep and resumed their journey.
At the end of a league or more they came to a small hamlet where
much-needed refreshments were procured. Being greatly invigorated by
having partaken of a substantial meal, they proceeded on their way with
increased confidence.
Several leagues were covered without interruption, and the wayfarers
were beginning to feel quite free from anxiety, when, about the third
or fourth hour of the afternoon, their fancied security was disturbed
and grave apprehension aroused by the appearance, in front of them, of
a party of six Tepanec soldiers. They were near a bend in the road, and
the approach of the soldiers was not observed until too late to avoid
meeting them by turning aside. To have done this after being seen would
have aroused suspicion in the minds of the advancing troop, and caused
the immediate detention and possible recognition of the fugitives.
Their only safety, under the circumstances, lay in going
straightforward and taking the chances of discovery. When they came
face to face with the soldiers, great was the prince's surprise and
perturbation at recognizing in a member of the band one of his guests
of the day on which he fled the palace. Should he be recognized he
could scarcely hope to escape, as the only, means of defense he carried
was a stout walking-stick, while Oza did not have even a stick. He
realized fully the peril of the moment, and felt it to be more critical
than any he had been called upon to pass through. Walking boldly
forward, he passed the soldiers. That strange sense of uneasiness and
uncertainty which is produced by the mingling of hope and
apprehension--a feeling often experienced by those who are on the
border between danger and safety, was upon him.
"Halt!" came the stern command which broke the spell, and caused him to
look back. "You are the one addressed," continued one of the soldiers,
who appeared to be the leader of the band, in answer to the prince's
inquiring look.
"From whom comes the authority for halting a traveler thus on the
highway?" demanded the prince, in return.
"That, you shall quickly learn," answered the soldier. "From Maxtla,
the king, comes the authority for halting you. You are the fugitive
prince, Hualcoyotl, whom we have orders to secure, dead or alive. I now
command you, in the king's name, to surrender. If you are not Prince
Hualcoyotl, you will be quickly restored to liberty."
"What reason have you for supposing that you now address the person of
Prince Hualcoyotl?" inquired he.
"This man," said the soldier, pointing to the one previously recognized
by the prince, "is my informant. He saw you at your palace, he says,
the day you escaped from the king's officer."
"He is mistaken," returned the prince. "I am a chief, going on
important business. You will do well not to detain me."
As he said this, Hualcoyotl turned to move on.
"Halt! or we will make your body a target for our arrows," called the
soldier, imperatively, and his men brought their bows to place, to
carry the threat into execution. At the same time the speaker advanced
in the direction of the prince.
"Stop, soldier!" exclaimed Hualcoyotl, in a voice of command which
caused the warrior to pause. "Advance farther at your peril," he
continued, swinging his heavy stick into position to defend himself.
"The life of him who approaches me with evil intent shall pay the
penalty of his temerity."
"You can not escape us, Prince Hualcoyotl. The orders are to secure
you, and you will have to yield," said the soldier.
"Never! except by force. If you want me, take me," was the prince's
defiant answer.
"Then take you we will; alive if we can, dead if we must. Forward,
men!" Two of the soldiers gave their attention to Oza, while the other
four advanced quickly but cautiously upon the prince. A determined
effort was made to get in on him, but without avail.
Hualcoyotl was a strong man, vigorous and skillful, and being
forewarned was not to be taken without a desperate struggle. The stout
stick in his trained hand was a weapon to be feared. He succeeded in
beating off his assailants, and stood eyeing them like a fierce animal
at bay, grim and defiant.
Oza was quickly secured by the two soldiers, who now came to the
assistance of their comrades. Another advance was made upon the prince,
the soldiers approaching him from every point. He met them with heavy,
telling blows, and one of their number went down under his stick to
rise no more. It was a fiercely contested struggle, and had the stick
in the prince's hand been a more formidable weapon the soldiers would
have found in him more than a match. But skill, backed by only a heavy
walking stick, though wielded by a strong right arm, could not long
hold out against such odds. He saw that he would be compelled to yield,
and was about to do so, when, to his great astonishment, and the
amazement of his assailants, a shout rang out upon the air at their
very ears, which staggered the soldiers for the moment with confusion.
Before they could recover they were attacked with the deadly Indian
sword, the _maquahuitl_, in the hands of one who evidently knew how to
use it. The struggle was quickly terminated. The suddenness of the
onslaught, and its fatal result to two of the party, who were placed
_hors de combat_, filled the survivors with consternation, which caused
them to seek safety in flight. A number of arrows were sent after them
by the newcomer, which had the effect of facilitating their departure,
and they were soon out of sight.
Oza was quickly released from his uncomfortable predicament, and found
to have received no personal injury.
Saluting his rescuer in a very humble manner, the prince said:
"To whom are we indebted for our happy deliverance?"
"To a hunter, only," replied the newcomer, who was none other than our
recent acquaintance, Cacami, the Tezcucan hunter, whom we left enjoying
the hospitality of the mountaineer, Tezcot, and who was now _en route_
home. "Seeing you unfairly set upon by a troop of villainous Tepanec
soldiers," he went on, "I thought I'd take a hand, and see how quickly
fled the cowardly pack, except these three--" He paused to examine the
fallen soldiers, to learn what was their condition, and then continued,
"who, I fear, are past the aid of man."
"Your coming, friend, was most timely; a moment later and we would have
been in their power," said the prince.
"That was about the situation, stranger, as I saw it," returned the
hunter.
"You have done us a very great service, and I regret that we are unable
to suitably reward you. Words will not do it, which leaves us poor,
indeed, at this moment. An expression of our deep gratitude is all we
have to offer you. Inadequate as it is, it is sincere," spoke the
prince, feelingly.
"There is nothing to reward, friend, nor is there any call for an
expression of gratitude. What I did for you I would do for another,
under the same circumstances," replied Cacami, who was disposed to
depreciate the service he had rendered the prince.
"And yet you would be justified in pronouncing us ungrateful were we
silent and unfeeling in the matter," said Hualcoyotl.
"I only did my duty, stranger; that's all. So, say no more about it,"
persisted the hunter.
"You will at least give us your name," urged the prince. "We would be
glad to know and remember it."
Cacami looked at the dead soldiers, two of them victims of his own
sword; and realizing the magnitude of his offence against the king,
decided not to make himself known. He said, very courteously, in reply
to the prince:
"I do not doubt your gratitude, friend, for the service rendered you.
It was done impulsively, and with unfortunate result to two of these
men, lying here, dead, almost at our feet. I would not be remembered
for such service, and beg that you will permit me to pass on unknown."
"We will not press you, hunter, but deeply regret that your feelings
lead you to withhold your name. You have done a greater service than
you can at present be aware of," pursued the prince in tones which
conveyed an impression of mystery. "Should you become known to us, we
will, if in our power, reward you for it in a fitting manner."
Cacami looked wonderingly at the prince, because of the hidden
significance which was evident in his remark. He was, apparently, on
the point of putting an inquiry, but suddenly changed his mind,
answering only by a look of depreciation.
The prince, casting his eyes in the direction taken by the retreating
soldiers, continued, by saying:
"Our assailants may return with assistance; I think we had better be
gone. In parting from you, hunter, we would once more express our
gratitude, with a hope that we may meet again, under more auspicious
circumstances."
"All right, stranger; I join you in the hope, but have no doubt that
this little incident will have been forgotten then," returned Cacami.
"No, that could not be; at least, not by one of us."
With these words the prince turned away, and moved rapidly down the
road, followed by his attendant.
Cacami's appearance and outfit bespoke him the citizen hunter. The
Indian sword (_maquahuitl_) he carried marked him as such, for hunters,
as a class, did not carry that weapon, on account of its weight. He was
undoubtedly a successful hunter if the game secured was taken into
account. Standing some distance off from where he was were two men who
proved to be his servants. They had charge of a fine collection of
birds and small animals, which he had secured since leaving Tezcot's.
The men appeared to be awaiting orders from him; for on being signaled
to move up they did so promptly.
The dead soldiers were moved to one side of the road by Cacami and his
men, and left there to be disposed of by others, or, possibly, to
become prey for carnivorous birds and beasts.
So soon as the prince and Oza got beyond the bend in the highway and
out of view, they betook themselves to the fields and woods for better
protection. Hualcoyotl's confidence in his security was gone, and he
again became the anxious and watchful fugitive.
The mountains, in which refuge and safety were sought, were finally
reached. In a fastness among the rocks the prince found a fairly
comfortable retreat, and preparations were made for a temporary sojourn
in it.
The soldiers who escaped the deadly sword of the hunter, instead of
returning to look after their unfortunate companions, hurried to the
nearest point and reported their adventure to the military.
This was the first information received by the Tepanec authorities of
the prince's whereabouts. Troops were dispatched immediately in the
direction of the mountains in pursuit of him, and his place of
concealment soon became menaced by straggling bands of them, making the
matter of procuring food a very serious one. It was hardly safe for the
fugitives to venture out on the mountain, leaving out of the question
the idea of going from it. For days they had nothing to eat except
roots and berries; as a consequence, their situation became very
distressing.
The prince insisted that Oza should return to Tezcuco, and leave him to
his fate, but the faithful slave would not hear to it.
"Why sacrifice two lives, Oza, when one may be saved?" urged he.
"It is useless to urge me, good master; I would be a base coward to
leave you now," was the loyal answer.
"As you please, but remember you are free to go whenever you so
desire," said the generous prince.