haracter enabled him to endear himself without effort to everybody with
whom he was brought into intimate contact. But it was accomplished at
length by the exercise of almost superhuman ingenuity, with a solitary
exception in the case of Arima, who, it was at once recognised, was so
faithfully and devotedly attached to his royal master that it would be
worse than folly to attempt to corrupt him; he was therefore left
severely alone; the most stringent precautions being taken to keep the
whole thing secret from him.

Matters had reached the stage above indicated when Escombe, having
grappled with an exceptionally arduous day's work, retired to rest close
upon midnight, and soon afterward sank into a heavy sleep, only to be,
as it seemed, almost instantly awakened by the light of torches flashing
upon his closed eyelids, and the scuffle of sandalled feet about his
couch. Springing up into a sitting posture in his bed, he opened his
eyes, still heavy with sleep, to find his chamber full of men--many of
whom were armed--conspicuous among whom were Huanacocha and Xaxaguana,
the new Villac Vmu.

"Why, my Lord Huanacocha," he exclaimed, rubbing his eyes to assure
himself that he was awake, "what does this mean? How did you get in
here? And what is the matter?"

"The matter, Lord," answered Huanacocha, "is one of the utmost gravity
and importance, as the Villac Vmu, here, will inform you. It is nothing
less than a revolt among the priests generally, most of whom have
declared against the modifications in the form of the worship and
service in the temple, instituted by my Lord, and have risen against the
Villac Vmu and those others who have pronounced themselves in favour of
my Lord's modifications. Some of those who were in favour of the
modifications have been slain; but the larger number, amounting to
between twenty and thirty, are even now being subjected to the fire
ordeal, as would have been the Villac Vmu, had he not happily escaped
and made his way to my house for shelter and help. That, in brief, is
how the matter stands; is it not, Villac Vmu?"

"'Tis even so, Lord," answered Xaxaguana. "And when I had stated the
facts to my Lord Huanacocha, he regarded them as of import serious
enough to justify us even to the extent of disturbing the rest of my
Lord the Inca, and--"

"By Jove, yes, I should think so," exclaimed Harry, interrupting the
High Priest unceremoniously, and springing from his couch to the floor