ButofmyfearsIsaidnothingtoOtomie，andifshefeltanyshe，onherpart，buriedtheminherbreast。
IntruthIdobelieveherfaithinmewassogreat，thatshethoughtmysinglewitenoughtoover-matchallthearmiesoftheSpaniards。
Nowatlengththeenemydrewnear，andIsetmybattleasIhaddonefourteenyearsbefore，advancingdownthepassbywhichalonetheycouldapproachuswithasmallportionofmyforce，andstationingtheremainderintwoequalcompaniesuponeitherbrowofthebeetlingcliffsthatoverhungtheroad，havingcommandtooverwhelmtheSpaniardswithrocks，hurleduponthemfromabove，sosoonasIshouldgivethesignalbyflyingbeforethemdownthepass。
OthermeasuresItookalso，forseeingthatdowhatIwoulditwellmighthappenthatweshouldbedrivenbackuponthecity，I
causeditswallsandgatestobesetinorder，andgarrisonedthem。
Asalastresourcetoo，Istoredtheloftysummitoftheteocalli，whichnowthatsacrificeswerenolongerofferedtherewasusedasanarsenalforthematerialofwar，withwaterandprovisions，andfortifieditssidesbywallsstuddedwithvolcanicglassandbyotherdevices，tillitseemedwellnighimpossiblethatanyshouldbeabletoforcethemwhileascoreofmenstilllivedtoofferadefence。
Itwasononenightintheearlysummer，havingbidfarewelltoOtomieandtakingmysonwithme，forhewasnowofanagewhen，accordingtotheIndiancustoms，ladsarebroughtfacetofacewiththedangersofbattle，thatIdespatchedtheappointedcompaniestotheirstationsonthebrowoftheprecipice，andsalliedintothedarksomemouthofthepasswiththefewhundredmenwhowerelefttome。
IknewbymyspiesthattheSpaniardswhowereencampedonthefurthersidewouldattemptitspassageanhourbeforethedaylight，trustingtofindingmeasleep。
Andsureenough，onthefollowingmorning，soearlythatthefirstraysofthesunhadnotyetstainedtheloftysnowsofthevolcanXacathattoweredbehindus，adistantmurmuringwhichechoedthroughthesilenceofthenighttoldmethattheenemyhadbegunhismarch。
Imoveddownthepasstomeethimeasilyenough；therewasnostoneinitthatwasnotknowntomeandmymen。
ButwiththeSpaniardsitwasotherwise，formanyofthemweremounted，andmoreovertheydraggedwiththemtwocarronades。
Timeupontimetheseheavygunsremainedfastintheboulder-strewnroadway，forinthedarknesstheslaveswhodrewthemcouldfindnoplacesforthewheelstorunon，tillintheendthecaptainsofthearmy，unwillingtoriskafightatsogreatadisadvantage，orderedthemtohaltuntilthedaybroke。
Atlengththedawncame，andthelightfelldimlydownthedepthsofthevastgulf，revealingthelongranksoftheSpaniardscladintheirbrightarmour，andtheyetmorebrilliantthousandsoftheirnativeallies，gorgeousintheirpaintedhelmsandtheirglitteringcoatsoffeathers。
Theysawusalso，andmockingatourpoorarray，theircolumntwistedforwardlikesomehugesnakeinthecrackofarock，tilltheycametowithinahundredpacesofus。
ThentheSpaniardsraisedtheirbattlecryofSaintPeter，andlanceatrest，theychargeduswiththeirhorse。
Wemetthemwitharainofarrowsthatcheckedthemalittle，butnotforlong。
Soontheywereamongus，drivingusbackatthepointoftheirlances，andslayingmany，forourIndianweaponscouldworklittleharmtomenandhorsescladinarmour。
Thereforewemustfly，andindeed，flightwasmyplan，forbyitIhopedtoleadthefoetothatpartofthedefilewheretheroadwasnarrowandthecliffssheer，andtheymightbecrushedbythestoneswhichshouldhailonthemfromabove。
Allwentwell；wefled，theSpaniardsfollowedflushedwithvictory，tilltheywerefairlyinthetrap。
Nowasinglebouldercamerushingfromonhigh，andfallingonahorse，killedhim，thenrebounding，carrieddismayandwoundstothosebehind。
Anotherfollowed，andyetanother，andIgrewgladatheart，foritseemedtomethatthedangerwasover，andthatforthesecondtimemystrategyhadsucceeded。
Butsuddenlyfromabovetherecameasoundotherthanthatoftherushingrocks，thesoundofmenjoininginbattle，thatgrewandgrewtilltheairwasfullofitstumult，thensomethingwhirleddownfromonhigh。
Ilooked；itwasnostone，butaman，oneofmyownmen。
Indeedhewasbutasthefirstrain-dropofashower。
Alas！Isawthetruth；Ihadbeenoutwitted。
TheSpaniards，oldinwar，couldnotbecaughttwicebysuchatrick；theyadvanceddownthepasswiththecarronadesindeedbecausetheymust，butfirsttheysentgreatbodiesofmentoclimbthemountainundershelterofthenight，bysecretpathswhichhadbeendiscoveredtothem，andthereonitssummittodealwiththosewhowouldstaytheirpassagebyhurlingrocksuponthem。
Andintruththeydealtwiththembuttoowell，formymenoftheOtomie，lyingonthevergeofthecliffamongthescrubofaloesandotherpricklyplantsthatgrewthere，watchingtheadvanceofthefoebeneath，andneverforonemomentdreamingthatfoesmightbeupontheirflank，wereutterlysurprised。
Scarcelyhadtheytimetoseizetheirweapons，whichwerelaidattheirsidesthattheymighthavethegreaterfreedomintherollingofheavymassesofrock，whentheenemy，whooutnumberedthembyfar，wereuponthemwithayell。
Thencameafight，shortbutdecisive。
ToolateIsawitall，andcursedthefollythathadnotprovidedagainstsuchchances，for，indeed，IneverthoughtitpossiblethattheforcesoftheSpaniardscouldfindthesecrettrailsuponthefurthersideofthemountain，forgettingthattreasonmakesmostthingspossible。
Thebattlewasalreadylost。
Fromathousandfeetaboveusswelledtheshoutsofvictory。
Thebattlewaslost，andyetImustfighton。
AsswiftlyasIcouldIwithdrewthosewhowerelefttometoacertainangleinthepath，whereascoreofdesperatemenmight，forawhile，holdbacktheadvanceofanarmy。
HereIcalledforsometostandatmyside，andmanyansweredtomycall。
OutofthemIchosefiftymenormore，biddingtherestrunhardfortheCityofPines，theretowarnthosewhowereleftingarrisonthatthehourofdangerwasuponthem，and，shouldIfall，toconjureOtomiemywifetomakethebestresistanceinherpower，till，ifitwerepossible，shecouldwringfromtheSpaniardsapromiseofsafetyforherself，herchild，andherpeople。
MeanwhileIwouldholdthepasssothattimemightbegiventoshutthegatesandmanthewalls。
WiththemainbodyofthosewhowerelefttomeIsentbackmyson，thoughheprayedhardtobeallowedtostaywithme。
But，seeingnothingbeforemeexceptdeath，Irefusedhim。
Presentlyallweregone，andfearingasnaretheSpaniardscameslowlyandcautiouslyroundtheangleoftherock，andseeingsofewmenmusteredtomeetthemhalted，fornowtheywerecertainthatwehadsetatrapforthem，sincetheydidnotthinkitpossiblethatsuchalittlebandwouldventuretoopposetheirarray。
Herethegroundlaysothatonlyafewofthemcouldcomeagainstusatonetime，norcouldtheybringtheirheavypiecestobearonus，andeventheirarquebusseshelpedthembutlittle。
Alsotheroughnessoftheroadforcedthemtodismountfromtheirhorses，sothatiftheywouldattackatall，itmustbeonfoot。
Thisintheendtheychosetodo。
Manyfelluponeitherside，thoughImyselfreceivednowound，butintheendtheydroveusback。
Inchbyinchtheydroveusback，orratherthosewhowereleftofus，atthepointoftheirlonglances，tillatlengththeyforcedusintothemouthofthepass，thatissomefivefurlongsdistantfromwhatwasoncethewalloftheCityofPines。
Tofightfurtherwasofnoavail，herewemustchoosebetweendeathandflight，andasmaybeguessed，forwives’andchildren’ssakeifnotforourown，wechosetofly。
Acrosstheplainwefledlikedeer，andafteruscametheSpaniardsandtheirallieslikehounds。
Happilythegroundwasroughwithstonessothattheirhorsescouldnotgallopfreely，andthusithappenedthatsomeofus，perhapstwenty，gainedthegatesinsafety。
Ofmyarmynotmorethanfivehundredinalllivedtoenterthemagain，andperchancetherewereasmanyleftwithinthecity。
Theheavygatesswungto，andscarcelyweretheybarredwiththemassivebeamsofoak，whentheforemostoftheSpaniardsrodeuptothem。
Mybowwasstillinmyhandandtherewasonearrowleftinmyquiver。
Isetitonthestring，anddrawingthebowwithmyfullstrength，Iloosedtheshaftthroughthebarsofthegateatayoungandgallantlookingcavalierwhorodethefirstofall。
Itstruckhimtrulybetweenthejointofhishelmandneckpiece，andstretchinghisarmsoutwidehefellbackwardoverthecrupperofhishorse，tomovenomore。
Thentheywithdrew，butpresentlyoneoftheirnumbercameforwardbearingaflagoftruce。
Hewasaknightlylookingman，cladinricharmour，andwatchinghim，itseemedtomethattherewassomethinginhisbearing，andinthecarelessgracewithwhichhesathishorse，thatwasfamiliartome。
Reiningupinfrontofthegatesheraisedhisvisorandbegantospeak。
Iknewhimatonce；beforemewasdeGarcia，myancientenemy，ofwhomIhadneitherheardnorseenanythingforhardupontwelveyears。
Timehadtouchedhimindeed，whichwasscarcelytobewonderedat，fornowhewasamanofsixtyormore。
Hispeakedchestnut-colouredbeardwasstreakedwithgrey，hischeekswerehollow，andatthatdistancehislipsseemedliketwothinredlines，buttheeyeswereastheyhadalwaysbeen，brightandpiercing，andthesamecoldsmileplayedabouthismouth。
WithoutadoubtitwasdeGarcia，whonow，asateverycrisisofmylife，appearedtoshapemyfortunestosomeevilend，andIfeltasI
lookeduponhimthatthelastandgreateststrugglebetweenuswasathand，andthatbeforemanydaysweresped，theancientandaccumulatedhateofoneorofbothofuswouldbeburiedforeverinthesilenceofdeath。
Howillhadfatedealtwithme，nowasalways。
Butafewminutesbefore，whenIsetthatarrowonthestring，Ihadwaveredforamoment，doubtingwhethertolooseitattheyoungcavalierwholaydead，orattheknightwhorodenexttohim；andsee！IhadslainonewithwhomIhadnoquarrelandleftmyenemyunharmed。
’Hothere！’crieddeGarciainSpanish。
’IdesiretospeakwiththeleaderoftherebelOtomieonbehalfoftheCaptainBernalDiaz，whocommandsthisarmy。’
NowImountedonthewallbymeansofaladderwhichwasathand，andanswered，’Speakon，Iamthemanyouseek。’
’YouknowSpanishwell，friend，’saiddeGarcia，startingandlookingatmekeenlybeneathhisbentbrows。
’Saynow，wheredidyoulearnit？
Andwhatisyournameandlineage？’
’Ilearnedit，JuandeGarcia，fromacertainDonnaLuisa，whomyouknewinyourdaysofyouth。
AndmynameisThomasWingfield。’
NowdeGarciareeledinhissaddleandsworeagreatoath。
’MotherofGod！’hesaid，’yearsagoIwastoldthatyouhadtakenupyourabodeamongsomesavagetribe，butsincethenIhavebeenfar，toSpainandbackindeed，andIdeemedthatyouweredead，ThomasWingfield。
Myluckisgoodintruth，forithasbeenoneofthegreatsorrowsofmylifethatyouhavesooftenescapedme，renegade。
Besurethatthistimethereshallbenoescape。
’Iknowwellthattherewillbenoescapeforoneorotherofus，JuandeGarcia，’Ianswered。
