first-born lawful son of Upanqui and by right heir to
the Inca throne, no less, O Huaracha. Urco my brother robbed me of my
wife, as through the folly of my father, upon whose heart Urco's mother
worked, he had already robbed me of my inheritance. Then, to make sure,
he strove to poison me as he has poisoned your daughter, with a
poison that would make me mad and incapable of rule, yet leave me
living--because he feared lest the curse of the Sun should fall upon
him if he murdered me. I recovered from that bane and wandered to a far
land. Now I have returned to take my own, if I am able. All that I say I
can prove to you."

For a while Huaracha stared at him astonished, then said:

"And if you prove it, what do you ask of me, O Kari?"

"The help of your armies to enable me to overthrow Urco, who is very
strong, being the Commander of the Quichua hosts."

"And if your tale be true and Urco is overthrown, what do you promise me
in return?"

"The independence of the Chanca people, who otherwise must soon be
destroyed, and certain other added territories which you covet, while I
am Inca."

"And with this my daughter, if she still lives?" asked Huaracha looking
at him.

"Nay," replied Kari firmly. "As to the lady Quilla I promise nothing.
She has vowed herself to my Father the Sun, and what I have already told
the Lord Hurachi here, who loves her I tell you. Henceforward no man
may look upon her, who is the Bride of the Sun, for if I suffered this,
certainly the curse of the Sun would fall upon me and upon my people.
He who lays a hand upon her I will strive to slay"--here he looked at me
with meaning--"because I must or be accurst. Take all else, but let the
lady Quilla be. What the Sun has, he holds forever."

"Perhaps the Moon, her mother, may have something to say in that
matter," said Huaracha gloomily. "Still, let it lie for the while."

Then they fell to discussing the terms of their alliance and, when it
came to battle, what help Kari could bring from among those who clung to
him in Cuzco.

After this Huaracha took me to another chamber, where we debated the
business.

"This Kari, if he be Kari himself, is a bigot," he said, "and if he has
his way, neither you nor I will ever set eyes on Quilla again, because
to him it is sacrilege. So, what say you?"

I answered that it would be best to make an alliance with Kari, whom
I knew to be honest and no Pretender, since without his help I did not
think that