ather the Sun.'

"Upanqui, who was wroth with Urco because he had crossed his will, swore
by the Sun itself that he would not fail her, come what might, since
Urco should learn that he was not yet Inca."

"What happened then?" I asked, staring him in the eyes.

"After this, Lord, when we were halted before making the state entry
into Cuzco, for a moment the lady Quilla found opportunity for private
speech with me. This is what she said:

"'Tell my father, King Huaracha, that I have fulfilled his oath, but
that I cannot marry Urco. Therefore I seek refuge in the arms of the
Sun, as the oracle Rimac foretold that I should do, having to choose
between this fate and that of death. Tell my Lord-from-the-Sea what has
befallen me and bid him farewell to me. Still say that he must keep a
good heart, since I do not believe that all is ended between us.'

"Then we were parted and I saw her no more."

"And did you hear no more, Kari?"

"I heard much, Lord. I heard that when Urco learned that the lady Quilla
had vanished away into the House of Virgins, whither he might not come,
and that he was robbed of the bride whom he desired, he grew mad with
rage. Indeed, of this I saw something myself. Two days later, with
thousands of others I was in the great square in front of the Temple
of the Sun, where the Inca Upanqui sat in state upon a golden throne to
receive the praise of his people upon his safe return after his long and
hard journey, and as some reported, to lay down his lordship in favour
of Urco; also to tell the people that the danger of war with the Chancas
had passed away. Scarcely had the ceremony begun when Urco appeared at
the head of a number of lords and princes of the Inca blood, who are of
his clan, and I noticed that he was drunk and furious. He advanced to
the foot of the throne, almost without obeisance, and shouted:

"'Where is the lady Quilla, daughter of Huaracha, who is promised to me
in marriage, Inca? Why have you hidden her away, Inca?'

"'Because the Sun, our Father, has claimed her as his bride and has
taken her to dwell in his holy house, where never again may the eyes of
man behold her, Prince!' answered Upanqui.

"'You mean that robbing me, you have taken her for yourself, Inca,'
shouted Urco again.

"Then Upanqui stood up and swore by the Sun that this was not so and
that what he had done was done by the decree of the god and at the
prayer of the lady Quilla, who having seen Urco, had decl