CHAPTER XXIII CHASCA APPEARS AGAIN
Nothing happened to disturb the quiet of the old temple during theafternoon. The early feasting had been completed and, except for somesoldiers whom a priest, evidently not quite convinced of miracles, wasexhorting to find the vanished ones, all was quiet.
Soon after dark Tom slipped out into the deserted square, on his way tosecure the rope.
Not long after that Cliff and Bill started on their mission.
The Inca was in his palace, the low building at one side of the publicsquare: he was tired and worried.
Cliff, who remembered the way from the Palace to the treasure room, ledBill, counting the turns, for he had been observant by habit and had aretentive memory.
The Inca, listening to the conclusion of a report from one of his palaceguards, turned back as the man went away. To his amazement he lookedinto that magic stick which, earlier in the day, he had held while theSpaniard groveled. Now its magic had turned on him. Thus he thoughtabout Bill's revolver.
Behind him in the passage, concealed by curtains, heavy and closelywoven, Cliff made ready his part of the little tableau that was tofollow. Their plan was to awe the Inca, perhaps to terrify him. They hadtried to foresee every possible chance that could come up. As Bill heldhis "magic stick" he spoke. He used no quichua, but spoke the secrettongue of the nobles.
"A silent tongue lives long, O, Inca!" he said. "Call not!"
"Servant of Chasca," the Inca used the same speech, "How came thy formto my palace? Or art thou Cupay?"--that was the Inca tribe word for anevil spirit.
"I come, thou who sayest thou art royal son of the Sun and who dost seekto destroy that other more royal one, Chasca. Can he be destroyed? Askof thy son, Challcuchima, who strove with him and made a bargain that hemight not go down in defeat--and then, like thy own evil self, did breakhis word to the youth of the bright and flowing locks!"
The Inca was a brave man but he hesitated between his desire to call outand his superstitious fear.
"Thou Inca--earth flesh and not from the skies--to the truth that Raymiis merciful and his messenger is even the same thou dost owe thy life.Look!"
As he spoke the last word in a low, sharp voice, Bill drew aside thehangings. Cliff had wedged a colored-fire stick in a crack of the stonesof the corridor: at the approach of the agreed signal he struck a matchand ignited it: it flared up in a vivid, weird green that lighted up thespace brilliantly. Cliff quickly assumed a posture with arms folded, thelight behind him picking out his glowing hair and coloring it strangely.
No wonder the Inca cringed: he had built up a cult of belief that nowclaimed his own mind. He fell back a step.
"Say on, Chasca!" said Bill, ("And make it quick!" he added in English).
Cliff spoke the lines he had practiced all afternoon.
"Inca," he said in quichua, "twice today you have tried to slay. Raymidoes not wish a sacrifice. I am sent to save your corn. Release, then,Caya--or my wrath shall smite!"
Bill saw that the short, green color-fire must go out. He dropped thecurtain swiftly just as it did so. Cliff, aware of his part, snatchedthe wooden butt from its place and retired to the steps, out of sight.
"Chasca----" began the Inca.
"You speak too late!" Bill declared, again snatching away the concealingdrapery. The Inca's eyes bulged. Gone was the light and thebright-haired figure.
He stammered and gulped.
"Answer to me and Chasca will hear," Bill said. "Say quickly, do you asChasca commands?"
But a crafty light was in the Indian's eyes.
"Let Chasca appear while the curtain is open," he said.
In English Bill spoke to Cliff. What he said was not understood by theInca, but it told Cliff they must use the second part of their plan--anemergency had arisen. Bill lifted a hand, calling, "Behold!" but as hedid so, attracting the Inca's eyes toward the curtains, he stepped backa pace. The curtain dropped. Instantly, suspecting a trap, the Incawhirled to face Bill--just as Bill had desired, for at that instantCliff, who had thus been given time to reach the hanging, flung it asideand leaped upon the Indian from behind as Bill, with a simultaneousleap, flung a hand over the royal mouth.
Struggling, the Inca went down: the surprise helped them. Soon he wasgagged with an end of the turban or llantu, the woven wool head dresswhich he wore when not covered by the crimson or scarlet borla. With anend of the long cloth they hastily cut bindings for hands and ankles.And not too soon.
Across the square came the measured tramp of many feet!
"Will you have time?" asked Cliff, breathlessly.
"I hope so."
Bill ruthlessly stripped off the borla from the Inca's head, snatchedoff his robe of state, and with Cliff's help made hurried disposal ofthe inert and helpless body.
"Just in time----" Cliff whispered. "They are here."
The tramping stopped suddenly at a sharp command. With only a briefdelay to remove his sandals, an officer came into the doorway.
"O, royal son of the Sun," he said, after he had bowed his head low inrespect.
He looked around. On a stool on the side of the room far away from thesingle lamp, what looked to him like the form of the Inca bent over someturbans which he seemed to be sorting on a low bench over which thegaudy colored woolen and spun vicuna-fleece hung in thick folds.
There was no other in the room. Cliff had fled behind the curtain.
"Say on," came a mutter.
"We have caught one of the servants of Chasca," reported the soldier.
The form bent over the turban material straightened but only halfturned.
"It is the one that Chasca called--'Nee-kee!'"