In the tiger's lair

The way back to the city was short, and Ted and Stanley, accompanied only by Soncco and the disguised Quizquiz timed their march so as to arrive after nightfall. They did not want to be observed by the populace. The white-haired amautas, who were on the lookout, took them directly to the royal palace—the one that had been occupied by the late Huayna Capac, and more recently by Quizquiz.

“In the olden days each ruler had his own residence,” Soncco apologized. “When an Inca died his palace was closed forever and a new one built for his successor. But there is so little room in the valley that the same edifice is used by all the rulers. But the old furnishings are always destroyed and new ones provided.”

“That is perfectly all right so far as we are concerned. We shall retire at once. Come back early in the morning; there are a million things to do,” Stanley replied. Then to Ted, after the amauta had gone: “We shall have our hands full for quite a while. Their whole system of government will have to be studied, but we must make as few changes as possible.”

At daybreak the two were awakened by the chatter and whistling of troupials in the garden. Further sleep was impossible, so they went out into the crisp air to view their surroundings and to witness the birth of the new day.

“What gorgeous birds!” Ted exclaimed when he discovered the source of the early serenade. “It’s a pity their voices are not so beautiful as their feathers.”

A number of troupials, or orioles, of a black-and-yellow color were confined in cages suspended from the lower branches of the trees. They were of a fearless and happy disposition and pecked at the fingers of the men when they thrust them between the golden wires of the little prisons.

The two wandered between the trees and flowers for some time. Among the growing, blossoming plants were clumps of artificial ones wrought in gold and silver. They admired and marvelled at the extravagant beauty of the garden; and to think that it was all theirs!

The murmur of water came to their ears, and following the sound they came upon a basin hewn in the solid stone and lined with silver. It was the Inca’s bath. Streams of water flowing from silver tubes poured into the pool on two sides. Vines covered with brilliant flowers formed a canopy over it.

“Just what I have been looking for,” Stanley exclaimed gleefully. “I have not had a bath in ages.”

“Huayna Capac would turn in his grave if he saw us profane the sacred bath of the Incas.”

“Let him turn. I am certainly going in for a swim.”

“If you can, I will too.”

They splashed about for a while and had hardly finished dressing again when Soncco appeared and greeted them with a low bow.

“I am at the service of the king,” he said humbly.

“Remember,” Stanley rebuked him, “I do not want to be addressed that way. And stop the bowing—at least for a while. What news?”

“Villac Umu has been captured.”

“Good work! Now we have both the troublemakers.”

“What is your pleasure regarding him?”

“Keep him prisoner—closely guarded. Feed him all he can eat and do not mistreat him in any way. He shall have a fair trial.”

“Why not have him brought here so we can keep him under observation and size him up?” Ted asked.

“I have no objection. Bring him to the palace. And now about the meeting: have all the nobles here to-morrow morning an hour after sunrise. Above all things, do not let out the secret that Quizquiz is here. That must remain absolutely unknown.”

Soncco, forgetting himself, bowed and departed. The two returned to their apartments and spent the day examining the wonders of the palace and in questioning Quizquiz.

The next day the council chamber was packed with the nobles who had been gathered together by Soncco. They formed a silent and expectant mass. It was their first official visit to the new sovereign they had chosen during the moment of darkness and terror when the eclipse had wiped out the light of the sun. Ted and Stanley felt the importance of the occasion. Their future might depend upon the way they handled the situation. They must impress the assembly favorably and more firmly establish their power over it. For these reasons they consented to use the thrones that stood at one end of the room, but were concealed from the assembly by heavy curtains.

Attendants drew aside the draperies slowly, and as the two Americans were revealed the nobles bowed low their heads in homage and reverence, nor did they raise them until Stanley spoke.

“Quizquiz is no longer king by reason of his desertion of his throne and because you, the nobility of the nation, have declared his reign at an end,” he said without rising. “By popular acclamation I have been chosen his successor.”

Not a sound interrupted the speech. All ears were strained so as not to lose a single word.

“My first and only desire in accepting the lofty office is to serve the people. This sounds strange to you. But the welfare and happiness of the nation must be brought about, and I shall work toward that end. In order to accomplish this it is only just and proper that the people should have a voice in their government through chosen representatives from the various districts. Theirs shall be the duty to meet and discuss the needs of the populace, and to advise the king of them, and to act with him in council. Therefore, the first step under the new régime is to secure these representatives.”

Soncco, who had been in the front of the gathering, now came forward and stood on the left side of the golden chairs on which Ted and Stanley were seated; after bowing to the two he turned and faced the audience. It was necessary for him to assume this position in addressing the gathering, for it was unlawful for any one to turn his back upon the ruler.

“It has been decreed by our most wise sovereign,” he began in a solemn voice, “that two representatives shall be chosen from each of the twelve districts—one to be a noble and the other from among the common people, and in the following manner. On the day of the election all the men must gather in the respective capitals of the various districts to make their choice. The office is open to any man above thirty years of age. Those who seek election must present themselves in the public square and stand facing the sun, twenty paces apart; they may not ask support of any one, but each may briefly state his policy so that every one may hear. One hour after sunrise each voter will fall in line in back of the candidate of his choosing. The groups will then be counted by the resident chief of the district, and the man having the greatest number of supporters will be declared elected for a term of two years. If any candidate solicits a vote, or if any voter sells his ballot, he will be guilty of a crime; the penalty for either offense shall be disqualification to ever vote again or to ever hold office. Furthermore, the offender shall work for a period of one hundred days in the public fields, clothed in a distinctive black mantle of disgrace. If there be any one who would ask questions, let him speak!”

An avalanche of queries were hurled at the speaker and for a moment he was nonplussed.

“One at a time,” Stanley ordered, and then the commotion subsided.

Soncco was kept busy explaining the matter for over two hours, but finally they understood. It was all so different, so unheard of, that at first they could not comprehend the situation.

Before dismissing the assembly Stanley ordered them all to return to their homes without delay and in a series of mass-meetings explain the tidings to the inhabitants of the valley. At the end of twenty days the elections were to be held, and at the end of thirty days the representatives were to report to the Coricancha for the coronation of their ruler and for the inauguration into their new offices.

“We cannot do everything,” Stanley said to Ted when they were alone after the meeting. “Changes in government come slowly, and if they are too radical and too complicated they cause only confusion. All we can do here is to point out the right road; then let them find their own way. In the long run it is they, not we, who must work out their salvation.”

“Even at that it will be one of the biggest steps forward they have made in ages. I believe we are accomplishing something well worth while. To have a whole nation in one’s absolute power, and to set it on its feet, is a thing the greatest statesmen in the world are trying to do at this very minute, and without glaring success either.”

The ensuing thirty days were busy ones for Ted and Stanley. Each morning they received the amautas and spent several hours in conversation with them. After that they strolled in the garden with its marvellous flowers, gorgeous birds, and sparkling fountains. The afternoons were spent closeted with Quizquiz, whose presence they had succeeded in keeping secret save only for Soncco and a few trusted guards. They received reports daily from the caciques, or chiefs, of the various districts who were conducting the search for the supposed fugitive, and these reports, of course, always admitted failure to capture the elusive Quizquiz.

Villac Umu remained surly and unapproachable. The Americans tried in every way to penetrate into his real character, and to learn if there was not a single good trait in his make-up, but his case proved hopeless. He repelled all their advances with sneers and threats, and convinced the two that any attempt to reason with him was worse than futile. So, after deciding definitely the future of Quizquiz, they also passed upon the fate of the high priest.

The month passed all too soon. By the end of the twenty-second day the representatives from the nearer districts began to arrive. Those from the more remote cities did not reach the City of Gold until the day before the ceremonies. Each one was accompanied by the chief from the district that had sent him, and the latter was compelled to vouch for his identity and to certify to his proper election. Those of noble birth as well as the commoners were given quarters in one of the large buildings adjoining the Inca’s own residence.

Besides the delegates, hundreds of nobles and a host of the populace swarmed to the capital for the great event, and these were taken care of either in the numerous barracks or in the private houses of the city. No one was left without suitable accommodations and food, as befitted his rank.

Long before sunrise of the appointed day the crowds began to make their way to the great plaza, where they took up their stations, silently and expectantly. The space had been divided into three sections, the limits of each of which was defined by a line of soldiers. In the first part, immediately in front of the palace, was a raised dais on which the coronation was to take place; it was covered with a fringed canopy of snowy cloth, and an enclosed passage led from it into the royal residence. On each side was a lower platform for the newly elected delegates of the people.

The second section was reserved for the nobles. And in the third as many of the populace crowded as the space would hold.

The Americans had planned to make the ceremony as unpretentious as possible. All the pomp and splendor that had previously attended the crowning of a sovereign should be lacking. Only those things were retained that were absolutely required by the ancient code of laws to make the act legal and binding in the eyes of the nation. The importance of the occasion should impress itself indelibly upon the minds of the assembly by its seriousness and simplicity.

The sun was high in the heavens when all was in readiness. A single herald stepped from behind the curtains that hid the stage from view and, raising a silver bugle, blew a loud blast. Instantly all conversation was hushed, and a breathless silence fell upon the throng. A second blast, but not so loud as the first, rang out upon the still, morning air. And then a third, so low and plaintive that it was scarcely audible, and seemed to die with a sob. Then the trumpeter withdrew.

One hundred youths, dressed in simple blue tunics, with bare arms and legs, now filed out of the palace with slow, measured steps. On their shoulders they carried a massive golden chain, each link of which was four inches long. They formed a semicircle in front of the soldiers between the first and second sections—a kind of barrier between the king and the people.

When they had taken their places six trumpeters appeared on the stage and sounded the three blasts, as before, in unison. Then the curtains were slowly drawn aside revealing the massive throne of wrought gold that had been removed from the palace; beside it stood Ted, dressed in the robes of Villac Umu, and in front of him knelt an attendant holding a white cushion, upon which rested the borla, or crimson fringe, that had been given to them by Quizquiz on the ledge the night he had saved them from the tiger, and which was the diadem of the kingly office.

Once more the bugles sounded, but this time it was the royal fanfare of twelve loud blasts; it announced the coming of the one to be crowned king. At last the great moment had arrived. The assembled thousands uncovered their heads and reverently awaited the appearance of their white ruler.

A single figure walked out upon the stage, clad in a simple white tunic and scarlet sandals. Not a jewel, not an ornament of gold, adorned the newcomer, and this fact alone was unexpected and startling to the multitude. But the thing that caused them to gasp in even greater astonishment was that the lone figure was not Stanley—but Quizquiz. They were speechless with amazement. Where a thunderous roar should have greeted the appearance of the sovereign, there was the silence of death.

Quizquiz, pale but unafraid, stood in the centre of the dais and faced the people. He said nothing, but in his eyes there shone a new light that bespoke courage, firmness of purpose, and at the same time repentance. After standing quietly for a few minutes he spoke in a clear, steady voice:

“The past cannot be recalled. You know what my conduct was. I have no excuses to make. I was a fool. Judge me as you will, do with me as you will. I am ready to abide by your decision.”

The surprise had been so overwhelming that for a short time no one was able to utter a word. They simply stared, unable to believe their eyes. But finally Huascar, he who had been condemned to be boiled in oil, assumed the rôle of spokesman:

“It is Quizquiz,” he cried hoarsely, “who wanted to kill us. Where is the white man who saved all of us and who was chosen to be king? Has this evil one done away with our benefactor, who came from the sky and whose commands even the sun obeys? Is he usurping the power given to another and which he so shamefully gave up?”

“The white king!” other voices took up the cry. “We want the white king who saved us from the darkness and the demons, and——”

At this juncture Stanley, who had been waiting on the rear of the stage, thought it best to show himself. His appearance was the signal for a demonstration of welcome that sounded like the rumble of thunder.

“Hail! Hail the king!” and “Let him be crowned at once!” the multitude shouted until Stanley raised his hand to command silence.

“I am not unappreciative of this, the greatest of all honors, which you offer me,” he said with feeling, “and I thank you. My companion and I did not come here to rule you.”

“You saved the nation from destruction,” Huascar shouted. “Do not desert us now.”

“Our work is finished. Therefore we shall return again to our own people.”

“And leave us to the mercy of Quizquiz the Tyrant? Never!”

“Wait! Quizquiz is the son of Huayna Capac, whom you all loved and venerated for his many noble qualities. Does it seem possible that the son of the Inca so justly beloved for his kindness, justice, and understanding should have inherited none of his father’s greatness?”

“He has never shown it. He was cruel and unjust and selfish. He treated us like vermin, and tried to exterminate us.”

“No one knows that better than I, unless it is Quizquiz himself. But listen, and when you have heard my words you will understand; and, understanding, you will agree that what we would do is for the best.”

Stanley then related how they had found Quizquiz in the crater, alone, and with only a fragile bow and arrows, surrounded by strange and terrible beasts, and of the courage he displayed in facing them; how he had saved their lives when the tiger was about to spring upon them, and how he had climbed to the ledge and voluntarily surrendered his crown after acknowledging the wrongs of his past life. Finally, he told of the months during which they had kept him under constant observation, and of the decision they had reached regarding his future.

“Furthermore,” he concluded, “we have surrounded you with safeguards for the future. The code of laws has been revised, and the death-penalty abolished, so your lives are safe. Every person accused of a crime or offense will be considered innocent until proven guilty in a fair trial, by the regularly constituted court. The king may suggest new laws, or changes in the existing ones, but unless two-thirds of the representatives, chosen by the people, agree with him they shall not be effective. But to all government there must be a head. Quizquiz is your king by law and heritage. Respect him as such and he will rule wisely and well in return for your devotion. We are sure of this or we should not ask you to take him back.”

“Truly, the white man’s words are those of a god, and not of a mortal!” Huascar exclaimed. “The things he says must be true, for have we not had proof of his powers? To keep him here against his wishes would be poor gratitude for his goodness—and, anyway, he would find a way to leave us if he so desired. A great light is dawning upon me. Instead of taking advantage of our helplessness, the men from the outer world have made over our king and are giving him back to us. They could have power and riches, but their unselfishness causes them to reject the temptation. Let us kneel in gratitude and bless them.”

The words of Huascar had a magical effect, which only proves how easily mobs are swayed provided there is a strong leader among them. As one man the mass of people obeyed, and as they knelt Stanley spoke to them for the last time:

“Receive your king with the acclamation that is due him,” he said.

Then Quizquiz advanced and extended his hands toward his people. The roar that greeted him left no doubt in the minds of the Americans of the success of their plan. So Ted came forward and placed the crimson fringe on Quizquiz’s head; then he stepped back three paces, saluted the new king smartly, and followed Stanley into the passage.

Quizquiz descended the steps and taking a sword cut a cord that joined two links in the golden chain, whereupon the youths carrying it stepped aside, leaving an opening in the centre. The Inca then invited the twenty-four representatives of the people to follow him up the dais and take their places by his side. After that he delivered a short address, lauding the Americans for their work and thanking them, and assuring his subjects that henceforth his life would be devoted to their welfare.

The crowd was delirious with joy. It was one of the happiest days in the lives of the populace, for, despite their denunciation of Quizquiz in the hour of panic, old beliefs die hard, and most of them still felt deep in their hearts the old reverence for the Child of the Sun, and were glad to have him back. And they celebrated the festival for a period of ten days. They also rejoiced over the fact that Villac Umu, the real cause of all the trouble, had been banished to the high slopes, to be a herder of llamas.

Quizquiz had arranged an impressive demonstration to commemorate the departure of the Americans. By his command every inhabitant of the valley capable of making the trip had journeyed to the foot of the range that formed the western enclosure of the hidden retreat. There was to be a gala celebration, after which the strangers would depart through the secret pass that opened up once every ten years.

During the first day there were music, dancing, and feasting. On the second all the nobles came to bid the two farewell, and to offer their well-wishes for a safe and speedy return to their homes. On the morning of the third day a surprising thing occurred. Soncco, who was master of ceremonies, had arranged a startling spectacle. At his command a number of menials removed the covering from what had appeared to be a great heap of wood or stones. To their surprise they saw that it was a great mound of gold.

“Assembled here is all the treasure in the valley,” Soncco said solemnly. “Gold has been the curse of the nation, but we are determined to be cursed with it no longer. So much of the gold and precious stones as one hundred men can carry on their backs will be sent with our white friends to the outer world, as a token of the Inca’s appreciation of their unselfish service to him and to the people. The remainder will be destroyed.”

To the astonishment of Ted and Stanley a long line of men began filing past the glistening heap. Each one picked up as much of the treasure as he could carry, and started up the slope to the rim of one of the numerous craters; there the precious burdens were dropped into the volcano.

Not until dusk did the homeward journey commence. The people had been sent away to their own homes. Only Quizquiz and his attendants, Soncco, and the hundred soldiers with their officers remained with the Americans. After embracing the two the Inca gave the officers their final orders. Then he turned to Ted and Stanley.

“As I have told you before, the journey to the coast is not a long one—ten days at most. You will be among my people all of the time, for the trail runs through a region into which white men never venture. Food will be supplied by the villages through which you pass. On the shore of the great water stands the town of Tula. There you may safely store your treasure until such time as you care to remove it; the inhabitants are my faithful subjects, and my orders to serve you in every way will not be disobeyed. Good-by.”

Soncco accompanied the two to the very end of the narrow passage between the seething volcanoes.

“Before you go,” he said with a merry gleam in his bright eyes, “I want to tell you something. That eclipse of the sun came at a very opportune moment for all of us.”

“What!” both Ted and Stanley exclaimed in chagrin. “You knew about it?”

“Of course, and so did all the other amautas, for do we not know everything? Eclipses have occurred before, and we have records of them, but the Inca and the people are not told about such things. If we told them everything we know we should lose our standing among them.”

“Then why did you help us and seem so reluctant about doing it?” Ted asked.

“Because, from my knowledge of you, gained during your previous visit here, and also this one, I felt that you could be trusted. But I wanted to test you in every way so as to be sure. You acted just as I expected you would. Quizquiz was getting intolerable, and something had to be done. You offered the solution.”

“And now, Soncco,” Stanley said smiling, “let me tell you something. You made a great show of destroying all that treasure. We should have believed that you did actually have it thrown into a seething volcano were it not for the fact that early this morning we saw a number of soldiers go up the slope and disappear into the very place they later carried the gold to. The carriers simply handed it over the rim, carefully, to those others waiting to receive it. To-morrow, no doubt, they will bring it out again.”

Soncco appeared confused and panic-stricken.

“Do not fear,” Stanley hastened to assure him. “You said you trusted us. Continue to do so. Your secret is safe with us. We shall never return under any circumstances, and we shall never tell any one else, either. I swear it!”

“And I,” added Ted.

“Good-by. And may the greatest blessings of life be yours. I shall always remember you with gratitude, and the story of your visit will be handed down from generation to generation by the amautas as part of the history of the nation.”

One of the officers gave a sharp command and the column of men, each carrying a pack containing one hundred pounds of gold and gems on his back, started forward. Ted and Stanley followed.

An hour later they were descending a green slope, their first glimpse of the outer world in many months. They were happy, for they were on the way home.