reat hall where every place was filled. Hand
in hand we mounted the dais, and as we came all the audience rose and
greeted us with a roar of welcome.

Quilla seated herself upon a throne and motioned to me to take my place
upon another throne at her side, which I noted stood a little higher
than that on which she sat, and this, as I learned afterwards, not
by chance. It was planned so to tell the people, of the Chancas that
henceforth I was their king while she was but my wife.

When the shouting had died away Quilla rose from her throne and began to
speak, which like many of the higher class of this people she could do
well enough.

"Lords and Captains of the Chanca nation," she said, "my father, the
king Huaracha, being dead, leaving no lawful son, I have succeeded to
his dignities, and summoned you here to take counsel with me.

"First, learn this, that I, your Queen and Lady, have been chosen as
wife by him who sits at my side."

Here the company shouted again, thus announcing that this tidings
pleased them. For though by now only the common people still believed me
to be a god risen from the sea, all held that I was a great general and
a great man, one who knew much that they did not know, and who could
both lead and fight better than the best of them. Indeed, since I had
slain Urco with my hands and overcome Kari, who as Inca was believed to
be clothed with the strength of the Sun and therefore unconquerable,
I was held to be unmatched throughout Tavantinsuyu. Moreover, the army
that had fought under my command loved me as though I were their father
as well as their general. Therefore all greeted this tidings well enough
without astonishment, for they knew it was their dead king's wish that I
should wed his daughter and that to win her I had gone through much.

In answer to their shoutings I, too, rose from my seat, and drawing the
sword Wave-Flame, which I wore girt about my dinted armour, with it I
saluted first Quilla and then the gathered nobles, saying:

"Lords of the Chancas, when on an island in the sea, my eyes fell upon
this lady who to-day is your queen, I loved her and swore that I would
wed her if I might. Between that day and this much has befallen. She was
snatched away to be made the wife of Urco, heir to the Inca throne, and
afterwards, to escape him whom she hated, she took refuge in the House
of the Inca god. Then, people of the Chancas, came the great war which
we shared together, and in