ly approached to the nostrils of the sleeper until it was within
an inch of them. He held the cloth thus for about five minutes,
allowing the fumes of the liquid to enter the sleeper's nostrils, while
his companion very gently laid his fingers upon the pulse of Escombe's
right hand, which happened to be lying outside the coverlet. At length
the second Indian--he who held Harry's wrist--nodded to the first,
saying, in a low voice, in the ancient Quichua language: "It is enough;
nothing will now awaken him,"--whereupon the holder of the cloth
returned it and the phial to his pouch and stepped back from the side of
the bed. Then, turning to Arima, he said, in the same language:

"Say you, Arima, that this youth always wears the collar upon his
person, night and day?"

"Even so, Lord," answered Arima. "At least," he modified his statement,
"so I surmise; for I have never seen the jewel save the once whereof I
told you, and again on that same night when I stole into his tent while
he slept, and found that he was wearing it then. Whereupon I hastened
to you with my momentous news."

"You have done well, friend," answered the first speaker. "Should all
prove to be as you say, you shall be richly rewarded. And now,"--he
caught his breath with sudden excitement--"to settle the question."
Then, turning to his companion, he said:

"Approach, brother, and look with me. It is meet that we should both
gaze upon the sacred emblem--if so it should prove--at the self-same
moment." He signed to Arima, who turned up the flame of the lamp,
whereupon the two Inca priests--for such the strangers actually were--
bent over Escombe's sleeping figure, one on each side of the bed, and
while one drew down the coverlet the other unbuttoned the lad's sleeping
jacket, exposing to view the jewel which he had fished up from Lake
Chinchaycocha, and which, for safety, he always wore round his neck.

Eagerly the two priests bent down and scrutinised the magnificent
ornament as it lay upon the gently heaving breast of the sleeper; and as
their eyes hungrily took in the several peculiarities of the jewel a
thrill of excitement visibly swept over them. Finally, he who appeared
to be the elder of the two said to the other:

"There can scarcely be a doubt that Arima's surmise is correct;
nevertheless, brother, pass your hand beneath the young man's shoulder
and raise him slightly that I may remove the collar and examine it."

The priest addres