A body of men crossing the court-yard attracted Cortes; then four horsemen approached, and stopped before him.
“Is it thou, Sandoval?” he asked.
“Yes, Señor.”
“And Ordas, Lugo, and Tapia?”
“Here,” they replied.
“And thy following, Sandoval?”
“The cavaliers of Narvaez whom thou gavest me, one hundred chosen soldiers, and the Tlascalans to the number thou didst order.”
“Bien! Lead out of the gate, and halt after making what thou deemest room for the other divisions. Christ and St. James go with thee!”
“Amen!” responded Olmedo.
And so the vanguard passed him,—a long succession of shadowy files that he heard rather than saw. Hardly were they gone when another body approached, led by an officer on foot.