, my father----"

"And thus delivered you from a traitor, Kari."

"And thus delivered me from a traitor, as I have learned also from your
messenger who handed to me the knotted cord, and from the spy whom you
had in your keeping. I repeat that you are the most daring among men and
the first among warriors; almost a god as my people name you."

I bowed, and after a little silence he went on:

"Would that this were all that I have to say. But alas! it is not. You
have committed the great sacrilege against the Sun, my father, of which
I warned you, having robbed him of his bride, and, my brother, you have
lied to me, who told me but yesterday that you had put all thought of
her from your mind."

"To me that was no sacrilege, Kari, but rather a righteous deed, to free
one from the bonds of a faith in which neither she nor I believe, and to
lead her from a living tomb back to life and love."

"And was the lie righteous also, Brother?"

"Aye," I answered boldly, "if ever a lie can be. Bethink you. You prayed
that this lady might die because she came between you and me, and those
that kings pray may die, do die, if not with their knowledge or by their
express command. Therefore I said that I had put her from my mind in
order that she might go on living."

"To cherish you in her arms, Brother. Now hearken. Because of this deed
of yours, we who were more than friends have become more than foes. You
have declared war upon my god and me; therefore I declare war upon you.
Yet hearken again. I do not wish that thousands of men should perish
because of our quarrel. Therefore I make an offer to you. It is that you
should fight me here and now, man to man, and let the Sun, or Pachacamac
beyond the Sun, decide the matter as may be decreed."

"Fight _you!_ Fight _you_ Kari, the Inca," I gasped.

"Aye, fight me to the death, since between us all is over and done. In
England you nurtured me. Here in the land of Tavantinsuyu, which I rule
to-day, I have nurtured you, and in my shadow you have grown great,
though it is true that had it not been for your generalship, perchance
I should no longer be here to throw the shadow. Let us therefore set the
one thing against the other and, forgetting all between us that is past,
stand face to face as foes. Mayhap you will conquer me, being so mighty
a man of war. Mayhap, also, if that chances, my people who look upon you
as half a god will raise you up to be Inca after me, should such be you