Page:Gaston Leroux--The bride of the sun.djvu/202

188 their wild yells punctuated by salvos of cohetes (crackers). On one side of the square they were singing hymns; on the other they were drinking, smoking, swearing. One group of natives swept into a church, still dancing; another entered the theater and became religiously silent, awaiting the arrival of Garcia, for whom a gala was being given.

Dick, arms crossed and brows knit, glared at the passing groups. There was nothing to be done with such brutes as these! Then he took a sudden resolution. To the four winds with Huascar and his promises! He would go to that little adobe house! Feeling to see if his revolver was safe in his pocket, he turned, only to be confronted by Huascar.

"Señor, where go you?"

He put a hand on the engineer's arm, restraining him. Dick roughly shouldered the man away.

"You know where I am going."

Again the Indian intervened.

"Return to the inn, señor," he advised calmly. "I will be there in two hours' time with the little lord. But if you make another step I cannot answer for the safety of your betrothed."

Huascar's voice had changed as he said "your betrothed." Dick, looking up quickly, saw nothing but hatred in the Indian's eyes.