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。