They were quite close together; from where we stood I could see
thirty or forty of them. I guessed that they, too, led to rooms
similar to the one in front of us, probably likewise occupied;
but it was necessary to go on in spite of the danger, and I
pulled again at Harry's arm.
Then, seeing by his face that something had happened, I turned my
eyes again on the Inca in the room. He had turned about, squarely
facing us. As we stood motionless he took a hasty step forward;
we had been discovered.
There was but one thing to do, and we didn't hesitate about doing
it. We leaped forward together, crossing the intervening space in
a single bound, and bore the Inca to the floor under us.
My fingers were round his throat, Harry sat on him. In a trice
we had him securely bound and gagged, using some strips of hide
which we found suspended from the ceiling.
"By gad!" exclaimed Harry in a whisper. "Look at him! He's a
woman!"
It was quite evident--disgustingly so. Her eyes, dull and
sunken, appeared as two large, black holes set back in her skull.
Her hair, matted about her forehead and shoulders, was thick and
coarse, and blacker than night.
Pages:
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370