The White Gladiator

This Beadle and Adams dime novel, "The White Gladiator: Manola, the Sun-Child" by Frederick Whittaker, presents an Aztec historical narrative set in 1519 Cholula during the reign of Moctezuma. The story centers on a human sacrifice ritual at the great teocalli temple. Prince Guatemoczin is appointed to sacrifice a young victim to the War-god Quetzalcoatl, but recognizes the girl as Manola, his betrothed. Torn between love and religious obligation—and intimidated by the priests' supernatural claims about the idol's anger—he initially complies. However, Manola escapes the sacrificial stone with an acrobatic leap across the temple platform and flees toward a precipice, pursued by black-robed priests. During the chaos, she apparently falls or is pulled over the edge by a priest, leaving Guatemoczin devastated. The narrative combines romantic tragedy with Aztec religious practices and Spanish conquest period tensions.