Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/168

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136
The Mastering of Mexico

rina questioned her as to the manner in which they planned to kill us. The woman's answers agreed perfectly with the account the two papas had given. "I know all this from my husband," she continued, "for he is chief of one of the divisions of this city and has already joined the men under his command. I have known it three days, for my husband had a gilded drum sent him from Mexico, and three officers had rich cloaks and jewels of gold with orders to take all the teules prisoners and send them to the great city."

"How delighted I am!" returned Donna Marina, "that your son, to whom you intend to marry me, is a man of such rank! Good mother, wait here while I go and pack my things, for I can not carry all alone. You must help me." Then Donna Marina went swiftly to our captain and told him all the Indian woman had said, and he ordered the woman brought to him and he questioned her, finally placing her under guard so that she would not disclose anything to the Cholulans.

When dawn came it was astonishing to see the air of contempt and confidence with which the caciques and papas brought more warriors than we had asked, so many, in fact, that the courtyards could not hold them. But early as it was, they found us quite ready for our day's work. Our captain mounted his horse, and surrounded by several of us