o Quilla and made a sign. She descended from her chair and
advancing, stood before the Inca, a vision of splendour and of beauty,
and bowed to him. He stared at her awhile, as did all his company, then
said:

"So you are the lady Quilla. A fair woman, a very fair woman, and a
proud, one who ought to be able to lead Urco aright if any one can. Well
named, too, after the moon, for the moonlight seems to shine in your
eyes, Lady Quilla. Indeed and indeed were I but a score of years younger
I should tell Urco to seek another queen and keep you for myself."

Then Quilla spoke for the first time, saying:

"Be it as you will, O Inca. I am promised in marriage to the Child of
the Sun and which child is nothing to me."

"Well said, Lady Quilla, and why should I wonder? Though I grow old they
tell me that I am still handsome, a great deal better looking than Urco,
in fact, who is a rough man and of a coarser type. You ask my wives when
you come to Cuzco; one of them told me the other day that there was no
one so handsome in the whole city, and earned a beautiful present
for her pretty speech. What is it you say, Larico? Why are you always
interfering with me? Well, perhaps you are right, and, Lady Quilla, if
you are ready, it is time to start. No, no, I thank you, Curaca, but I
will not stop for any feasting who desire to be back at my camp before
dark, since who knows what may happen to one in the dark in a strange
country?"

Then at last Huaracha grew angry.

"Be it as you will, O Inca," he said, "but know that you offer me a
threefold insult. First you refuse the feast that has been made ready
for you whereat you were to meet all the notables of my kingdom.
Secondly, you give me, who am a king, the title of a petty chief who
owns your rule. Thirdly, you throw doubts upon my honour, hinting that I
may cause you to be murdered in the dark. Now I am minded to say to
you, 'Begone from my poor country, Lord Inca, in safety, but leave my
daughter behind you.'"

Now at these words, I, Hubert, saw the fires of hope burn up in the
large eyes of Quilla, as they did in my own heart, for might they not
mean that she would escape from Urco after all? But, alas, they were
extinguished like a brand that is dipped in water.

"Tush, tush!" said the old dotard, "what a fire-eater are you, friend
Huaracha. Know that I never care to eat, except at night; also that the
chill of the air after my father the Sun has set makes my bones ache,