The contest had lasted more than an hour. A countless number of corpses covered the ground and formed a rampart for the Spaniards, who redoubled their energy. At this moment Tahi-Mari appeared in the square. At a glance he judged the position, and rushed upon the Spaniards. The shock was terrible. Don Pedro and Don Juan recognised their common enemy, and cutting their way through the dead and wounded, both attacked him at once.
"Ah!" Diego shouted, "we meet at last, then."
"Yes," Don Pedro retorted, as he aimed a sabre cut at him, "and for the last time, I hope."
"You have told the truth," said Diego, as he parried with the handle of his axe the blow aimed at him; "die, then!"
And he cleft his head open. The unfortunate Don Pedro stretched out his arms, rolled his eyes wildly, and fell from his horse, murmuring the name of Inez. The Spaniards uttered a cry of grief, to which the Indians responded by a shout of triumph.
"It is now our turn," Tahi-Mari exclaimed, as he dashed towards Don Juan.
"Yes," the young man replied, "our long standing quarrel will be at length decided."
The two enemies rushed upon each other with clenched lips and bloodshot eyes, fighting furiously, caring little about dying, provided that one killed the other. But at each instant a crowd of Indians or Spaniards, drawn by the moving incidents of the fight, came between them and separated them. When this happened they made extraordinary efforts to come together again, overthrowing the obstacles that were in their way, and constantly seeking each other, only one thought occupied them—that of satiating their vengeance; every other consideration was effaced from their minds, and forgetting the sacred interests which they had to defend, they only thought of their personal hatred. Ere long those who separated them fell back, and they found themselves once more face to face.
"Defend yourself, Tahi-Mari," Don Juan shouted, as he dashed at the Indian chief.
"Here I am," the latter shouted, "and you are about to die."