aw; and if you cure her of her illness I have no
doubt she will give you a condor's skull helmet and make you a cacique."

"I am greatly obliged to her Majesty, I am sure, and very thankful she did
not take a fancy to cut a piece out of my back. As for curing her, I must
first of all know what is the matter."

"Shall I ask her to describe her symptoms?"

"If you please." In reply to the questions which I put, through Gondocori,
the queen said that she suffered from headache, nausea, and sleeplessness,
and that, whereas only a few years ago she was lithe, active, and gay, she
was now heavy, indolent, and melancholy, adding that she had suffered much
at the hands of the late court medicine-man, who did not understand her
case at all, and that to punish him for his ignorance and presumption she
made him swallow a jarful of his own physic, from the effects of which he
shortly afterward expired in great agony. The place was now vacant, and if
I succeeded in restoring her to health she would make me his successor and
always have me near her person.

I cannot say that I regarded this prospect as particularly encouraging;
nevertheless, I tried to look pleased and told Gondocori to assure the
queen of my gratitude and devotion and ask her to show me her tongue. He
put this request with evident reluctance, and Mamcuna made an angry reply.

"I knew how it would be," said the cacique. "You have put her in a rage.
She thinks you want to insult her, and absolutely refuses to make herself
hideous by sticking out her tongue."

"She will of course do as she pleases. But unless she shows me her tongue
I cannot cure her. I shall not even try. Tell her so."

To tell the truth I had really no great desire to look at the woman's
tongue, but having made the request I meant to stand to my guns.

After some further parley she yielded, first of all making the three
caciques and Gahra look the other way. The appearance of her tongue
confirmed the theory I had already formed that she was suffering from
dyspepsia, brought on by overeating and a too free indulgence in the wine
of the country (a sort of cider) and indolent habits.

I said that if she would follow my instructions I had no doubt that I
could not only cure her but make her as lithe and active as ever she was.
Remembering, however, that as even the highly civilized people object to
be made whole without physic and fuss, and that the queen would certainly
not be satisfied with a s