Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/69

68 MONTE AND AIXINSO. spoken to him about going with the new expedition, and that he thought, in all probability, the young man would, like to associate himself with our hero, and promise to have the scion of royalty come to his quarters. And here we present him to you before introducing him to senbr Perez. He was born in the palace of Motecuhzoma II. only a few weeks before Cortes took the city of Mexico the second time in 1520, so he is nineteen years old. He has been educated by the best of Spanish teachers and speaks that language fluently, as well as his native tongue. ' After the death of his father, who was killed by a stone, supposed to have been thrown by one of his own people, while being exhibited as a prisoner by Cortes at his capital. His mother retired into the country and was premitted by Cortes to enjoy considerable of her husband's wealth, so our young native had been reared iu affluence, and since 1535, when Mendoza commenced to govern the country, our young prince had been intimate with the good governor, who had taken quite an interest in the young man's welfare. So it is no ordinary individual who is seeking an interview and subaltern position with Alonso. And now our two young men meet for the first time, but hereafter to become close and intimate friends, they are two of the principal participants with the expedition in which they are to take part. You will learn of their characters as the story proceeds, so it is unnecessary to introduce Monte, except to say that he agreed to become Alonso's servant. Coronado at this time was governor of New