It was almost finished. The groove encircled the rim and Dr. Smith had bored a round hole through the middle of the wood, both sides of which he beveled on the corner of the stone bench. He put his forefinger through the hole to check the smoothness and then spun it with the other hand. It rotated freely and was well-balanced. He took it off his finger and looked at it with a certain pride. He had never made a pulley-wheel before.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVkesJCrtU
He became aware of being watched and looked up. Zuma was standing a few yards away. He stood up and she came over to him.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkO9ux3Fr9s
"I have spoken to Tetzal and he went to see Nenetl," she said.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqLoiub2MI
"Thank you, my dear," Dr. Smith replied.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQF9unjpOuT
Zuma looked at the pulley-wheel. "Is it finished?" she asked.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkjYGZ9PED
"Almost."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVGWeVZBBB
"As is our time together, beloved." Tentatively she touched the pulley-wheel. "I do not understand its purpose but I have always known that it would take you away from me."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsLAhWUzBm
Dr. Smith put it in his pocket and took her hands in his. "I am very sorry, my dear," was all he could say, and to ignore it would be to deny that which I was; the High Priest of Knowledge."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFMuecYm5f
Zuma looked at him sharply. "You are no longer that?" she asked.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBSRnYUbCq
He shook his head. "I have lost faith in Huitzilopochtli and in our traditions."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEryfn7HXL
"Then your tragedy is far greater than mind," Zuma said. "Your whole life has been devoted to the temple. Mine has encompassed but a few days." They walked along the path leading to the garden door.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcPhun8MCQ
"We have known each other in trust for many years and I have sought your counsel frequently, Zuma," he admitted. "Maybe in another nation you would have been the High Priest of Knowledge and I, a seller of vegetables."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPW5HvRfbcu
She smiled at the concept.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6N9puHacTj
"Now, I with you to do something for me to assist them," he continued and took a gold medallion and chain from around his neck. "Behold, the title to my dwelling-place and all I own therein." He put it in her hand. "Tomorrow, while Yaotl prepares the Perfect Victim for sacrifice, the handmaiden and the warrior, Don, will be brought together under guard before they are escorted to the temple for their punishment." 410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJ4yeyGLoY
He squeezed the medallion in her hand. "Give that to the guard so that he turns his head away while you conduct the girl, as if for punishment, to the temple.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODk4PMDqZ4
"And Don, the warrior?" Zuma asked.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi31EoJY9vU
Tetzal smiled. "I am sure he will accompany you," he said.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iV2v18o04
"I shall do it," Zuma relied, and then asked Tetzal about himself.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyozKZowqI
"You have nothing. What will you do? Where will you go?"410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGZZaC1l7G
"Into the wilderness, Zuma," he said. "There I will seek the truth of Quetzalcoatl."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhaue2jiXz
"When?"410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8pX8gO3KC
"Now," he replied. "What better time?" He laid his posy of flowers on a bench and walked out of the garden.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gIRdzXzBX
Zuma thought to return to Dr. Smith and tell him about the medallion but decided that had that been Tetzal's wish, he would have spoken to her in Dr. Smith's presence. So she picked up Tetzal's posy as a memento and went home.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlNxkJG21y
With the dawn came tension as the Aztecs watched the sun begin the journey across the clear blue sky to its zenith, when all knew day would become night. In their minds was one question, would Huitzilopochtli accept the sacrifice of the Perfect Victim and give them back his light, which was their life, or would they be left to die in eternal darkness? Families stayed in their homes until the appointed hour when they would be summoned to the temple square to pay reverence to the Perfect Victim and, in fear and trembling, worship their sun god.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZH9uAdJDwc
The door of Don's dark, cramped barracks cell was opened by an armed warrior and the daylight flooded in. Don blinked several times when went outside where a second warrior pointed with his cudgel towards the Chosen Warrior's courtyard. Don walked through the passageway and wondered if this would be his final encounter with Yaotl, if he would have a small red circle painted over his heart and have a javelin hurled at it as if he were a life-size clay model. To his shock he was directed to his old quarters where two warriors stood at either side of the entrance. He went inside and Penny, guarded by another warrior, threw herself into his arms.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiyYvNzsO0A
"What's going to happen to us, Don?" she asked in desperation.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGajzd8gMQv
"They're going to take us to the temple,' Don replied, "and you know what that means, don't you?"410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI420CTYgeI
"Horrible things!" She sounded terrified.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyhnugnCU3
"No, the four of us will be together again," Don said reassuringly, "and thinking about it overnight I've come to the conclusion that Ollin and his friends are no match for Dr. Smith."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Ci5a8JlCm
Across the courtyard in Yaotl's quarters the Perfect Victim waited in impatient, drugged euphoria for his deification. His body had been washed and perfumed, his garments were radiantly white, his plumed helmet extravagantly colorful and in his hands he held an exotic posy of flowers and a fly-swatter.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnoXZI5bKr
Yaotl came from his bedroom wearing the Chosen Warrior's full ceremonial dress. "It will be my privilege as leader of our armies to escort you, O' Perfect Victim, to your glory," he intoned.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxatejai0C
The Perfect Victim smiled. "May victory always sit upon your shoulders," he replied.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHPZ6uqQOf
Tlaqui waddled in. "Let the procession begin," he said. "The avenues are lined."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHVtO4knFE
Yaotl looked at Tlaqui sharply. "And what of the girl and my challenger?" he asked.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFT9vE8izhN
"They shall follow at a distance and by another way so that the Perfect Victim's path to the temple is not defiled before the sacrifice," Tlaqui replied.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMPxaLPSxD
"They should go first," Yaotl argued.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BWcqOD94B
"The High Priest of Sacrifice does not wish it," Tlaqui said. "They follow the Perfect Victim, but will be punished first. I shall instruct the guard," he added and made his way across the courtyard to give explicit instructions to the warrior accompanying Penny and Don about the route he should take to the temple. Then Tlaqui hurried away so as not to miss his moment of reflected glory.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXvzbjX5sz
The Aztecs watched in awed silence as the Perfect Victim walked slowly along the broad, warrior-lined avenue towards the pyramid and the temple. On one side of him was Tlaqui, supposedly gazing intently at his posy but his eyes flicked from side to side at the crowd as he tried to gauge the impression that he was making. On the other side of the Perfect Victim was Yaotl, proudly carrying a gold-studded cudgel, the insignia of the commander of the Aztec armies. But despite the solemnity of the moment, every few seconds someone in the crowd would shield their eyes and look up apprehensively at the sun blazing down on them.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsWeP3Eg3N
Zuma hurried across the deserted barracks courtyard and went through the passageway. The two warriors outside Don's quarters saluted her as she passed them as did the third one inside.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqM28lm0LS0
"What brings you here, Zuma?" he asked.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDNNiL3GMb
"I have been instructed by the High Priests to escort Nenetl's handmaiden to the temple," she answered.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6B2fHWgTI
The warrior glanced at Don. "What of him?"410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nxOs3f6Fz
"You, alone, will escort him. So dismiss the others," she replied.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCn9aOsWZnv
"That I cannot do," the warrior said warily. "It would exceed my authority."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ296gzqeee5
Zuma explained that on the day of a perfect sacrifice the High Priests wanted as little attention as possible drawn to them on the streets. The warrior conceded that 410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeomUgf8Iik
Tlaqui had ordered him to take a different route to the temple. Zuma held up the medallion.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhaNY1ZZbv
"Tetzal himself told me to give you this proof that I express his wishes."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLwLKkx5ur
The warrior took it from her and studied both sides.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiIoYHTFUI
"It is the title to his dwelling and all his possessions," he exclaimed.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYG9TiOyKO
"Who holds it, owns them," Zuma hesitated and then pointed at Don. "Well, until you deliver him to the temple."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVYVxQoyrO
The warrior chuckled, went outside and sent the other two warriors off to watch the sacrifice. Don gave Zuma a thumbs-up sign and had the impression that she understood.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadXa7GEN2q
"Mine until we reach the temple," the warrior repeated, shaking his head in amusement as he came back inside. It was the final coherent thought he was to have for some considerable time, as Don laid him out cold with a devastating chop on the base of his neck.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0Qq0mqaj6
"I shall escort you to the temple," Don said. He went into the bedroom, took a warrior's half-masks and put it on his head. "We overheard the route to take, didn't we, Penny?" he added as he came back to them.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWcgxEhbF0
Penny picked up the medallion. "We must take this back to Tetzal."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNficv2v92Q
"Leave it," said Zuma. "Tetzal has gone."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSl0Y4NcWh7
Dr. Smith had placed his pulley-wheel beside the strip of silk behind the curtain and made Ann stand on the throne, her arms stretched up above her head with the coiled snake bracelet held between her hands. He made a few mental calculations.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiOuPN9ub2
"Exemplary, my dear," he said. "You may come down now."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwt5vI9I3bX
Ann, with less than godlike grace, clambered off the throne, though in the final stages Dr. Smith did offer her his hand. "As soon as Don and Penny are here," he said, "you must insist that Tetzal has them released."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgiyGdbSUXh
"Dr. Smith, this temple will soon be lined with warriors and Ollin will be present," Ann replied. "Do you believe Tetzal will be on our side?"410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3hYICM6Ox
"I'm not a bad judge of character," Dr. Smith said haughtily, "and Tetzal will do all he can to help us. I will do the rest."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lqUx0HUIh
"But your plan can't work," Ann protested. "We won't escape. They'll stop us."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfmePg2zwJ
Dr. Smith was aggrieved. "My dear Miss MacGregor, the Aztecs will be preoccupied with their God, their human sacrifice, and an eclipse," he said. "What we do will be of no consequence to them."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGWUiCUwYr
"I'll keep my fingers crossed," Ann replied without conviction.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7I7T9j9zVO
They heard footsteps coming up the stairs.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXcoJM5m9H
"Hide!" said Ann and Dr. Smith ducked behind the brocade curtain of the alcove.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENcvDxIJtw
Ollin limped into the temple, a razor-sharp obsidian knife in his hand. Behind him came twenty warriors armed with javelins. Ann watched them from the throne as they took up their positions along the walls. Olln sidled over to her.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPD3Sw9JTNo
"The procession has started," he snarled. "The sacrifice awaits you."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNBFKKFxAx
"Where is the High Priest of Knowledge," Ann asked.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWN8wOv1Vy
"He is gone." Ollin spat out the sentence.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxJjrerQYM
"Where to?" Ann snapped back.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWM9vyRLt3i
"Who can say?" Ollin waved his arms. "Into the wilderness, perhaps."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfi4fjE7LiH
"You've killed him." Ann's voice was cold and accusing.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtaCkZne0X
Olln shok his head. "I did no such thing," he hissed. "You destroyed his faith in Huitzilopochtli. Tetzal will never return."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJmBOdDBt7
410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡna4GFEvv74
