ame when I was much younger," Naida answered with a shade of
sadness in her voice. "The men who had them penetrated the Valley of the
Geyser, coming by a different route from the one you followed. When the
Duca learned they were there, he sent such men of the race as were still
able to fight to kill them. That order of the Duca's was one of the
first things to turn me against him. The men were not harming us, and
they should have been permitted to go away. But the Duca insisted that
they be killed, and in the fight were lost eight of our youngest and
strongest men."

* * * * *

Kirby stooped to inspect the rifles.

"Has no one learned to use these weapons?"

"No," Naida answered. "The Duca kept them for himself."

"We think," put in Ivana, "that he hoped to learn to use them, and was
afraid for us to have the knowledge."

Kirby filled one of the magazines, and felt the heft of the gun with
pleasure.

"Very well," he said. "It looks to me as though your time to learn the
art of shooting has come at last. Come, I think we had better be getting
back downstairs."

Kirby took three guns himself, and with the others lugging the rest,
they started back. The parchment rolls, he decided, must be left for
examination later on.

They were all elated when they rejoined the girls in the prayer chamber,
and high spirits were still further increased by the report, promptly
given, that all had remained quiet in the amphitheatre. Save only for
the presence of Elana, radiant and calm in death, the give and take of
questions would have been accompanied by actual gaiety.

But the time of peace did not last much longer. While Naida was in the
midst of answering incessant questions about the wonders of the jewel
chamber, Kirby heard a sound from below, and suddenly went over to the
downward-winding steps.

"Listen," he called sharply back to the others.

He had not been mistaken. Many footsteps echoed from the amphitheatre,
and he made out that the caciques were coming toward the bolted gate at
the foot of the steps. While he listened, and Naida came eagerly to his
side, silence fell.

But then clear words came up to them.

"Let the upper-world man come to the foot of the steps," called the
Duca. "I have an offer to make him!"

CHAPTER VII

To himself Kirby chuckled. Such real entreaty filled the Duca's voice
that there seemed no danger of further treachery from him at the
moment.

Wit