Show i ao N COAT OT OF GOLDEN MAIL HAIL l I ao How Now N Nam m and hat Ital Saved t the Life of the Mexican I Emperor from Tra Traitors to a aTT By Acton Archer TT HONG MONO the chief favorites in inthe the court A of the dreaded ruler of Y S 1 the tho Mexican empire four centuries it ago lJ were two boys whose names were e- e f K m n and Ital It was n not t st strange ange that k 1 they he should be treated with kindness by by t tI i Emperor for ItaI's saved sa hIst his t life iC when he was hunting in the mountains moun moun- 5 Mains and an angry lioness was about to J r spring pring upon him in defence of her ber cubs c All 11 the attendants great lords though thought t they were stood terror stricken in the k moment of peril and it was fortunate to for or Montezuma that the two young trays trav- trav I s tillers llers lers from the north were at t hand and hit Hal's Hals arm was WIS so strong and his eye 64 On his return to his palace in the midst his capital city in the lake the Emir Em Em- ir r took the boys with him and showed t 0 hem many marks of kindness In ex- ex l ge for their rough garments of skins I r rid and coarse cloth made by 11 the Cliff Dwell Dwell- tr ethe gave ga them robes of cotton as I fine fineas its as swo en iv woven 01 en silk with heavy chains of gold bright gems Js e and wonderful cloaks made got Of at the brilliant feathers of birds such as ase I have e never nefer been produced anywhere here in the t K t w world except in the ancient domain over OTer I which Montezuma held beld sway before beCore CeS Ce'S Ce- Ce I Co Columbus S 'S lumbus crossed the ocean or any white white Ii tI yuan had ad set foot on the shores of America t Nam am amas was as slender and thoughtful and I iI f flame lame Ime in one leg while Ital w was s tall taU and f 4 strong strong and tearless fearless In spite of the close clos i friendship that existed between the boys boye l t they y were not Dot at all alike I I 1 will make you rOil the keeper of the royal or bru and one of my councillors Monte Monte- said stid to lam Nam and you he said to It 1 I r shall shan make a warrior to lead mys my s tern to battle and win captives es for the theor ther iii or r of the godsk gods k i- i il l kept kept his word but at the request of oft t boys Toys he gave gare them apartments to to- i her in his bis palace Nam am wore the long S of a student and scholar and set Y lun s f t to study the books with which the J Ali Jt was filled The Aztecs as Monte Monte- r zoma's zomas lDa's people were re called had bad no printing print 1 fop ing Or w writing such as we have but their C books were written in pictures very small Si and end arranged in lines They could read boo books s written in this manner as easily as Rte we can read our own books of printed words The pictures were often colored J to W p make their meaning more clear II Fat But Ital cared nothing for the books r that that were Tere so interesting to Nam Xam In his guttering helmet and his armor of light cotton or of gol gold anti and silver mail I 1 tit be was leas impatient for war But when he time came in after drilling all day with the guards of If the palace so that he be might nn- nn the manner of t fighting in that t to so different from anything that t die i lie had ever er known before he was glad Iad 1 9 t listen to Nam sm while his bis friend related t z l' l to him the strange and wonderful things thins i J t that he had found in the books SS S S Montezuma too liked to listen to th the I stories tories that Nam Xam had to tell of their adventures ad- ad v ventures among the Mound Builders and I ad-I 5 the Cliff CUff Dwellers of the north before L the they reached Mexico and he asked many I questions about them and about the fierce men of the furthest wilderness before before be be- I fore whom whon the Mound Builders had been compelled to flee Bee New Nam and Ital were filled with amazement amazement amaze- amaze I 5 ment meat when they first saw the sparkling lake high up among the mountains with the rit city rising out of the water They I had bad not supposed that thit there were so 80 many maDY people in to all the world as IS crowded the narrow t elS eon the great rent 5 houses of stone or thron thronged ed the canals canals' u I 4 di l e II Ic 12 r r Hi k i Y I tf v vy y V E t I Lv S 7 a l Nam Threw Himself on HIS Knees Knees' which often took the place of streets They man marvelled at the activity ity and wealth of the people the many strange inventions which they saw flaw for the first time and at the towering pyramids of earth I and stone which were devoted de to the worship of the gods and upon the tops of which a sacred fire was always kept burning I This is better than the little huts huts' that we used to live in beside the Mountain Mona Moun tarn tain of Storms Ital said one night st stretching himself at full length upon a It couch covered with soft skins after the slaT slaves who had served their evening evening even even- in ing meal had left them alone Nam am knew that he referred to the poor little far of off village in which they were born and from which hunger had bad driven them to seek their fortune in the great world and he smiled rather sadly I do not know whether it is better or not be he replied slowly That is what we wt have ha still to diS discover OTer What hat do you mean meant asked Ital opening opening open open- In ing his ryes eyes in surprise and starting up upon upon on his elbow Nam glanced over OTer his shoulder to make certain that they were really alone I 1 mean that we have e enemies who would be 00 glad to see sec some tome harm befall us he said You must not Dot think that these courtiers who surround Montezuma are arc our friends however friendly they may seem to be when they are arc with us They are arc men of ol high hish rank and md they are ure very cry proud They look upon us as wanderers who have e no DO right to be here hert and they would do us UI harm if jf th they thIV v could I dont don't TP see ff why ht Ital replied replied- we e hn haw lurve never er done any harm to them m That is true Nam Xam said aid but Monte 1 zuma treats trents us as his friends fri and that thatis is reason enough for them to hate us ns They are jealous of our good fortune fortun Id like to see them try anything Ital said lazily letting his head fall lI fallback fallback back back- upon the soft pillows Im not afraid of oC them Nor am I if they give us warning so 80 that we can enn defend ourselves Nam am re re- re- re plied What I fear Is Js that they will lay some plot against us and make Monte Monte- Montezuma zuma our enemy instead of our friend You must remember that we are strangers stran- stran I gers rs and that without him we Would I have no refuge from attack I Well ell Its Ital I replied I shall leave it to you In one way or another you have haTe always managed to find out what was going on I Nam smiled at hi his friends friend's confidence InI in I him but he was really uneasy over their situation Although he did not think iti itt wise wIle to tell Ital about it it he knew that they Y were in danger As a 11 matter of fact Montezuma was not popular He had bad been a priest when he was as a a. youn young man and before he became 1 Emperor There wt were rf a great many priests in the city nor sod and an enormous amount of gold was required to support th them m and to pay the cost t of the c ceremonies T moni that were constantly taking This Thil that place meant the people were werl compelled to pay very heavy beavy taxes tares and severe IP I penalties were exacted of those who ronld not nay rany of lf th the peoplE had to sell lIell their little children or even themselves into Ian rv to ro avoid DI to death Consequently there was wa much discontent discontent- and all as Montezuma ron sided with the Hie priests and ind lne in i teH thAt they must bare In InI I a all II th that t they the 1 matters re Cf ct con constantly growing worse As the courtiers looked upon Nam Kam as a amere amere mere merc boy they were les less s careful of what they said and did before him than they would have hl been had bad they known him better bet bet- ter lie Ile also received cd information from a young slave slaTe who had been given to him by Montezuma By y putting this and that tog together he was thus able to learn many secrets Montezuma suspected nothIng nothing noth noth- ing so carefully was what was going on about him under the roof of the palace concealed from him and Nam am knew that it would be useless to tell him of his own fears as the Emperor would not believe him so be he had bad sense enough to hold his tongue until the right time came It was a habit of Montezuma to go out into the city in disguise and to mingle with the people so that he might know what they were saying and how hov they fared Cared There was a certain one of the lords named Manto a cousin of the Emperor Emperor Emperor Em Em- who always accompanied him on these excursions Nam Kam did not like this nu man n. n He never neTer smiled except when lIe he was vas in the presence of Montezuma and andLe Le Ie was cold and cruel and very harsh Nam I ga gave e instructions to watch him hini constantly and to report everything that tint be he did came to him in great excitement on the day after his talk with Ital I Iha ha have ha e something of great grent importance to tell you my master he said I IW W What at is it in inam Nam am asked J I Manto is a the slave replied reI re re- re- re plied He lie is planning to kill Montezuma and make himself master of the empire ii in in I his Ilis pIa place ce How do you know this I overheard him telling some of his friends f what to do They are to attack the Emperor when next nest he be goes out in I disguise and slay him It is arranged that Manto shall pretend to defend him buthe butI but buthe I he really will not do so and afterward hei he i has promised to pardon the inen on the ground that they made a mistake and did not really know whom they were at at- tacking Later he will reward them Where will the attack be made In the market place where they will lead the Emperor said the slave They hope to escape in the crowd after the affair is over You know that there are arc many thousands of people there on market market market mar mar- ket days Nam Kam bade the slave sla keep the secret if he be valued his life liCe and he lost no time timeto to in seeking Montezuma Manto was with him as usual and Ind Nam learned that they thy were planning that same day dar to go out l in n d disguise lIe He waited r patiently y until he could speak to Montezuma without without without with with- out being heard by Manto My Iy lord he said slid hastily the Chief Priest sends me with a message age to you rou lIe He instructed mo mt to tell you that the gods are unwilling unwilling unwilling un- un un un- willing that you should leave the palace to-day to without putting on your armor of golden mail under your cloak so that it cannot be seen I I Montezuma was waR astonished for it was never his bis custom to wear sK ardor or or to take arms with him on his secret expeditions as liS that would have shown the ilIe people who VIlo he lie really fally was Why did not the Chief Priest Triest himself himself himself him him- self come to tell me this h he lie asked The gods w would not permit him Nam Xam replied Montezuma hesitated a moment I will speak to Manto about it 1 hip Jp said at last Nam threw himself upon his knees I I beg of you jou my lord to do nothing of the kind he lIe said The Chief Priest said especially that you should J say no word to any man RO so that the goes gods might have hate their will lIe He was so earnest that Montezuma with a smile consented to do what he lie requested But nut it was clear that he did it more to please Nam I than for any other reason and the boy bor knew that it would be useless to ask Isk to accompany accompany ac no- company him lIe He thanked the Emperor Emperor Emperor Em Em- and bowing Lowing low hastened to find Ita Ital I. I He told Ital all 1111 that he had hall learned learner and what they must do to save sa Montezuma Montezuma Monte Monte- zuma and themselves His lIis plan was I that Ital should brin bring soldiers soldier into tb the tho market place disguised as IS merchants but ut with swords hidden in their garments They were to post themselves es everywhere et in the great rat square Sf and await the signal Ital hasten hastened d to carry out his part of the plan while Nam put on the dress of ofa a slave sla and hurried to the secret door front from which Montezuma was in the habit of leaving lea the palace when he went among the people in disguise 1 Manto Iano was WIS with the 1 Emperor r when he appeared and Nam Xam took good care to follow them without himself being se seen seen- n. n They Ihy went through several sl streets and finally Manto sugg suggested sted that they visit the market place pinel Nam am ventured to dra draw w nearer and his bis hand liand gra grasped d the dagger that he be had hidden in his sleeve e Montezuma evidently e suspected noth noth- I ing wrong for Cor he strolled on as toni tom was looking about him and and and- it now and then to hear Iwar what tb I j chants were saying ft Nam saw that as us they advanced Imen I 1 men who had hod bt been en loitering nt at th lb of the market approached Manto panto ao an as Emperor without seeming to notice f At the tilt same moment he lie close to Ital who wore a merc m mere lone robe iobe Be lie ready ho hI whispered to tob h hu Little thinking t that hat an any preen hail had been taken against his Lis plot d suddenly turned toward the tile men wl wh wh k been lounging close by bv and raised his r to his face This Will was u nal 1181 al that they had agreed upon f at j conspirators tOIS tOI'S sera spring n II forward with a a ouch each drawing a n sword or a aits da dagge eK its f place of One of ot thorn them K at Jl fore COl the soldiers en uld 1 slop stop h bim i m blade was turned aside by the c golden mail that the Hie Emperor on in in accordance with his pro Nam ham Before a mother not her blow blew co CO COI coty I struck the is rs led by Ital or 01 eyed the surprised through the ta startled crowd 31 Man 5 Ini- Ini friends were woi doing being led awa away be while Nam am was co ce Montezuma hastily back bick to lo the p Again I OWl owe you ou my life Emperor and andou ou von may be cerI cert I shall not forgot forget it n. n 1 Fittin Tilting fitting pun punishment teas be bestow bello to the traitors rJ n and nd the great t es ea Manto panto consisting ot of towns and was given iTen to Nato Num and Ital Ita I. I Tt Th more mort in favor with Montezuma ti th I but a cloud clond that none at that ti t 1 sea fP was gathering above their b their happiness was destined to short hort duration i I iI I I I 1 I In Lt next weeks week's s Children hildren a P ra r. I i f will be another f story tory about Namat Nam ram Namat I at the court of Montezuma uma I |