Page:Gaston Leroux--The bride of the sun.djvu/183

Rh wounds while fighting at the side of the illustrious Christobal de la Torre!"

The Marquis had always said that Garcia was in no way descended from Pedro de la Vega, and Garcia knew it.

"Those same infidels have now carried off my daughter, Excellency."

"The beautiful señorita! But what do you mean by infidels? What infidels?"

"She has been kidnaped from Callao by the Quichuas … as a sacrifice to their gods during the Interaymi."

"Sacrifice!… Interaymi … but that cannot be, señor."

"I am sure of what I say, Excellency, and she has certainly been carried off. Let me introduce Señor Perez, the inspector superior of the police of Callao. Like myself, he is devoted to your cause. He will tell you the same thing. Speak, Natividad."

Horrified at the form of the Marquis' introduction, Natividad stammered a corroboration. If Garcia did not win now, all that was left for him to do was to cross the Bolivian frontier.

The change in Garcia's manner was immediate. He did not want trouble with the Quichuas, his partisans and allies.

"But I can do nothing for you, señor. All