Page:Gaston Leroux--The bride of the sun.djvu/36

22 way clear, Maria-Teresa put on speed only to pull up sharply a second later, just in time to avoid running down a man wrapped in a poncho, who stood motionless in the middle of the street. Both young people recognized him.

"Huascar!" exclaimed Maria-Teresa.

"Huascar, señorita, who begs you to take another road."

"The road is free to all, Huascar. Stand aside."

"Huascar has nothing more to say to the señorita. To pass, she must pass over Huascar."

Dick half rose in his seat, as if to intervene, but Maria-Teresa put a hand on his sleeve.

"You behave very strangely, Huascar," she said. "Why are there no Indians in the town to-day?"

"Huascar's brethren do as they please, they are free men."

She shrugged her shoulders, thought a moment, and began to turn the car round.

Before starting again, however, she spoke to the Indian, who had not moved.

"Are you always my friend, Huascar?"

For an answer, the Indian slowly raised his sombrero, and looked up to the early, stars, as if calling them to witness. With a brief "Adios!" Maria-Teresa drove on.

When the motor stopped again, it was before