At the gates we were sorted out; the men of small condition, together with the children, were taken from the ruined city by an escort and turned loose upon the mountains, while those of note were brought to the Spanish camp, to be questioned there before they were set free.  I, with my wife and son, was led to the palace, our old home, there to learn the will of the Captain Diaz.

It is but a little way to go, and yet there was something to be seen in the path.  For as we walked I looked up, and before me, standing with folded arms and apart from all men, was de Garcia.  I had scarcely thought of him for some days, so full had my mind been of other matters, but at the sight of his evil face I remembered that while this man lived, sorrow and danger must be my bedfellows.

He watched us pass, taking note of all, then he called to me who walked last: 

’Farewell, Cousin Wingfield.  You have lived through this bout also and won a free pardon, you, your woman and your brat together.  If the old war-horse who is set over us as a captain had listened to me you should have been burned at the stake, every one of you, but so it is.  Farewell for a while, friend.  I am away to Mexico to report these matters to the viceroy, who may have a word to say.’

I made no answer, but asked of our conductor, that same Spaniard whom I had saved from the sacrifice, what the senor meant by his words.

’This, Teule; that there has been a quarrel between our comrade Sarceda and our captain.  The former would have granted you no terms, or failing this would have decoyed you from your stronghold with false promises, and then have put you to the sword as infidels with whom no oath is binding.  But the captain would not have it so, for he said that faith must be kept even with the heathen, and we whom you had saved cried shame on him.  And so words ran high, and in the end the Senor Sarceda, who is third in command among us, declared that he would be no party to this peacemaking, but would be gone to Mexico with his servants, there to report to the viceroy.  Then the Captain Diaz bade him begone to hell if he wished and report to the devil, saying that he had always believed that he had escaped thence by mistake, and they parted in wrath who, since the day of noche triste, never loved each other much; the end of it being that Sarceda rides for Mexico within an hour, to make what mischief he can at the viceroy’s court, and I think that you are well rid of him.’

‘Father,’ said my son to me, ’who is that Spaniard who looks so cruelly upon us?’

’That is he of whom I have told you, son, de Garcia, who has been the curse of our race for two generations, who betrayed your grandfather to the Holy Office, and murdered your grandmother, who put me to torture, and whose ill deeds are not done with yet.  Beware of him, son, now and ever, I beseech you.’

Now we were come to the palace, almost the only house that was left standing in the City of Pines.  Here an apartment was given to us at the end of the long building, and presently a command was brought to us that I and my wife should wait upon the Spanish captain Diaz.