Part 2

"One act of mercy spoils a life Of fragrant slaughter full. Since you are nothing-- Neither merciless nor merciful, Your doom is this: You shall be hurled From a cliff And this good world to nothingness." So spoke the serpent in a hiss.

Then Huitzil seized a monster spear And drove the king along the path. His soul now first knew fear At the beast laugh The gods gave--once he looked back, But following after, Huge Huitzil strode upon his track, Shaking with laughter. Now the far valley burst upon his view With rolling hill and plain, Cloud-shadowed to the mountains blue. He stood upon the cliff again-- Tottered--and heard an eagle scream-- Then suddenly he seemed to fall As one falls in a dream.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Down in the palace in the town, The king's body stirred and cried A fearful cry, and startled slaves ran in; And rumor spread that he had died. Then came a loud uproar And the priests raged outside, And with stone hammers smote upon the door And Huitzil claimed his bride.

_Here ends the third scroll with the sign of a closed eye, which is the symbol of death._

[1] _Chinampas_, Floating garden rafts.

[2] One of the twin volcanoes in the valley of Mexico. The name means "The White Woman" from _cihuatl_, woman. The form of the mountain suggested the name.

_Three hundred and fifty copies printed at the Press of William Edwin Rudge, Mount Vernon, N. T. Typography by Bruce Rogers. Decorations by Bernhardt Wall._