Manco, the Peruvian Chief | Page 5

a prisoner in the hands of his fierce brother Atahualpa when the Spaniards attacked Peru with their small but determined band of robber-warriors. I thought I was aiding Huascar to escape from among his brother's army. We had passed the guards, who were fast asleep, when we came to a broad river. We attempted to swim across, when I felt my strength failing me. Huascar was bravely buffeting the stream by my side. Suddenly the bank was lined with troops. They shouted to us, and let fly a cloud of arrows at the Inca. He stopped swimming. I endeavoured to drag him on; but as I grasped at him he sank below the water. The shouts grew louder. I awoke. The noise was real, for I heard the voices of some men calling in Spanish at the court-yard gate, and desiring to be let in.
I trembled with alarm; for I at once suspected that the strangers must be the emissaries of government come in search of our guest. I jumped up and began to dress myself, intending to go out to inquire who they were; but before I had left my room I heard Jose, the servant, hold a parley with them at the gate.
"Who are you," he asked, "who come at this unreasonable hour to disturb a quiet family?"
"Open in the king's name, and we will let you know," was the answer he received.
"I must get my master's leave first, and he is fast asleep," he replied.
"We are government officers in search of a fugitive malefactor, and are benighted on our road; so you must awake your master whoever he is, and he will not refuse to give us shelter," they exclaimed.
I now went out to join Jose. He was afraid they were robbers; and I suspected that they by some means knew that the fugitive was harboured in the house, and only made this a pretext to gain an entrance. Fortunately my father was not awakened by the noise, or he might have had more difficulty than had the servant in answering the questions put by the officers of justice. Opening a slide in the gate through which he could look out, Jose let the light of the lantern fall on the strangers, and the inspection convinced him that they were what they represented themselves to be.
"Be quick there," said the strangers, "for we have but a short time to rest, and we must speedily be again on our road."
"What shall I do, Master David?" said Jose. "If we do not let them in they will batter down the door; but still I do not like to disturb the Senor Rexton. They do not look like robbers, so it is all right." With the knowledge that the Indian concealed in the house was in all probability the fugitive the officers were seeking, I felt that it was all wrong, and would have given much to have kept them out; but still I saw that it would be equally dangerous to attempt to do so. My heart all the time was beating audibly with agitation; and I was afraid that even Jose would suspect the secret. However, I replied, "Let them in, Jose, by all means, and do you attend to what they require."
He accordingly withdrew the bolts and bars of the gate, and two chief officers--alguazils they are called--and four subordinates made their appearance.
Two of them remained without to take care of their horses. They were all fierce, rough-looking fellows, armed with muskets, pistols in their belts, and swords by their sides. The officers of justice (though I do not think the name is a proper one) were often pardoned banditti, cut-throats and robbers of the blackest dye, who were glad to accept the office as an alternative for the garotte; and I believe our visitors were of that description. The inferiors were Mestizos, half Indian and half Spaniards by descent, with dark brown complexions and savage countenances--altogether gentlemen of a very unprepossessing appearance. They were accompanied by a dog, a huge, savage-looking hound, whom they called by the very ugly name of Demonio. If he was a bloodhound, as at first I thought he was, I felt that the detection of the Indian would be certain.
"You were a long time opening the gate, friend," observed, one of them as they strode into the house. "You took us for robbers, I suppose?"
"O no, Senor, not at all," said Jose; "but a servant should not let strangers into the house without his master's leave."
"Is that young senor your master then?" inquired the alguazil.
"He is my master's son; my master is Senor Rexton, an Englishman, and he is fast asleep," said Jose.
"Well, you need not disturb him then; all we want is food and shelter for the night," replied the