At this every one, very naturally, looked astonished--that is,
all save Donna Inez, who still preserved her fixed smile. Mrs.
Jasher took a mental note of the same, and decided that the young
lady was not very intelligent. Meanwhile Don Pedro continued his
speech after a glance round the circle.
"I have the blood of the royal Inca race in my veins," he said
with pride.
"Ha!" murmured the widow to herself, "then that accounts for your
love of color, which is so un-English;" then she raised her
voice. "Tell us all about it, Don Pedro," she entreated; "we are
usually so dull here that a romantic story excites us
dreadfully."
"I do not know that it is very romantic," said Don Pedro with a
polite smile, "and if you will not find it dull--"
"Oh, no!" said Archie, who was as anxious as Mrs. Jasher to hear
what was to be said about the mummy. "Come, sir, we are all
attention."
Don Pedro bowed again, and again swept the circle with his
deep-set eyes.
"The Inca Caxas," he remarked, "was one of the decadent rulers of
ancient Peru. At the Conquest by the Spaniards, Inca Atahuallpa
was murdered by Pizarro, as you probably know. Inca Toparca
succeeded him as a puppet king. He died also, and it was
suspected that he was slain by a native chief called
Challcuchima.
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