222 PRINCE RICARDO.

 

“Thou hast come, oh, Pachacamac, as is
foretold in the prophecy of the Cord of the
Venerable Knots ! Thou hast come, but
behold the shadow of the stone! Thou
art too late, oh Lord of the Earth and the
Sea!”

Then he pointed to the shadow, which,
naturally, was growing shorter, as the sun
drew near mid-day.

He spoke in the language of the ancient
Incas of Peru, which of course Prigio knew
very well; and he also knew that Pachacamac
was the god of that people.

“TI have come,” Prigio said, with presence
of mind, ‘“‘as it has been prophesied of
old:

“Riding on a beast that. flies,” said the
old priest, ‘‘even as the oracle declared.
Glory to Pachacamac, even though we die to-
day!”

“In what can I help my people?” said
Prigio.

‘Thou knowest; why should we instruct
thee? Thou knowest that on midsummer-day,
every year, before the shadow shrinks back to
the base of the huaca* of Manoa, we must offer
a maiden to lull the Earthquaker with a new
song. Lo, now the shadow shrinks to the foot
of the huaca, and the maid is not offered! For
the lot fell on the daughter of thy servant the

* Huaca, sacred stone.