n my servant and his ends were my ends; on our wandering he
had been my companion in great adventures. But now I knew that other
interests and desires had taken a hold of him, and that he trod a road
of which I could not see the goal; and no longer thought much of me save
when what I did or desired to do came between him and that goal.

Therefore Quilla alone was left to me, and Quilla was about to be taken
away. Oh! I wearied of this strange land with its snowclad mountains and
rich valleys, its hordes of dark-skinned people with large eyes, smiling
faces, and secret hearts; its great cities, temples, and palaces filled
with useless gold and silver; its brilliant sunshine and rushing rivers,
its gods, kings, and policies. They were alien to me, every one of
them, and if Quilla were taken away and I were left quite alone, then I
thought that it would be well to die.

Something moved behind a palm trunk of the avenue in which I walked, and
not knowing whether it were beast or man, I laid my hand upon my sword
which I still wore, although I had taken off the armour. Before I could
draw it my wrist was grasped and a soft voice whispered in my ear:

"Fear nothing; it is I--Quilla."

Quilla it was, wrapped in a long hooded cloak such as the peasant women
wear in the cold country, for she threw back the hood and a beam of
starlight fell upon her face.

"Hearken!" she said. "It is dangerous to both of us, but I have come to
bid you farewell."

"Farewell! I feared it would be thus, but why so soon, Quilla?"

"For this reason, Love and Lord. I have seen my father the King, and
made my report to him of the matter with which I was sent to deal among
the Yuncas. It pleased him, and since his mood was gracious, I opened
my heart to him and told him that no longer did I wish to be given in
marriage to Urco, who will soon put on the Inca fringe, for, as you
know, it is to him that I am promised!"

"What did he answer, Quilla?"

"He answered: 'This means, Daughter, that you have met some other man to
whom you do wish to be given in marriage. I will not ask his name, since
if I knew it it would be my duty to kill him, however high and noble he
might be.'"

"Then he guesses, Quilla?"

"I think he guesses; I think that already some have whispered in his
ear, but he does not wish to listen who desires to remain deaf and
blind."

"Did he say no more, Quilla?"

"He said much more; he said this--now I tell you secrets, Lord, a