other women, her life, apart
from its ignominy, was so utterly wretched that, unless she could escape,
she must either go mad or be driven to commit suicide.

"I should be only too glad to rescue you if I could. I want to escape
myself; but how? I see no way."

"It is not so difficult as you think, senor; if we can get horses and a
few hours' start, I will act as guide and lead you to a civilized
settlement, where we shall be safe from pursuit. I know the country well."

"Are you quite sure you can do this, senora? It will be a hazardous
enterprise, remember."

"Quite sure."

"And you are prepared to incur the risk?"

"I will run any risk rather than stay where I am."

"Very well, I will see what can be done. Meet me here to-morrow at this
hour. And now, we had better separate; if we are seen together it will be
bad for both of us. _Hasta manana_."

And then she went her way and I went mine.

I had said truly "a hazardous enterprise." Hazardous and difficult in any
circumstances, the hazard and the difficulty would be greatly increased by
the presence of a woman; and the fact of a cacique's wife being one of the
companions of my flight would add to the inveteracy of the pursuit. I
greatly doubted, moreover, whether Senora de la Vega knew the country as
well as she asserted. She was so sick of her wretched condition that she
would say or do anything to get away from it--and no wonder. But was I
justified in letting her run the risk? The punishment of a woman who
deserted her husband was death by burning; were Senora de la Vega caught,
this punishment would be undoubtedly inflicted; were it even suspected
that she had met me or any other man, secretly, Chimu would almost
certainly kill her. Pachatupec husbands had the power of life and death
over their wives, and they were as jealous and as cruel as Moors. Yet
death was better than the life she was compelled to lead, and as she was
fully cognizant of the risk it seemed my duty to do all that I could to
facilitate her escape.

Then another thought occurred to me. Could this be a trap, a "put up job,"
as the phrase goes. Though the _caciques_ had not dared to make any open
protest against Mamcuna's matrimonial project, I knew that they were
bitterly opposed to it, and nothing, I felt sure, would please them better
than to kindle the queen's jealousy by making it appear that I was engaged
in an intrigue with one of Chimu's wives.

Yet no, I could not believe it