Page:Gaston Leroux--The bride of the sun.djvu/311

Rh interview at Arequipa, and gave me a message for you. Here it is:

"'Tell that young man, whom I do not know, that the señorita will be as free as her heart, which is mine neither to take, to buy nor to sell. He must know that. I have done him no harm, and he has insulted me. I forgive him.'

"Then, as he was about to go, he turned again:—

"Do not thank me, señor. Thank the one who is now in heaven, and who was the Señora de la Torre. I ask for only one thing in exchange for my services, and that is for you never to speak of them. The memory of the High Priest of the Incas must not be dishonored.'

"That is Huascar's message, Dick. There is no reason why you should not marry Maria-Teresa."

At this moment Uncle Francis and Natividad dashed into the room. On their way from the harbor, they had learned of the Marquis' miraculous return to Lima with his two children, and hearing that the whole family had come to Callao that day—Maria-Teresa to see her dear old office for the last time!—they had come there running. Aunt Agnes and Irene, anxious for their charge's health, would have taken her away, but the young girl insisted that this