ish army was formed, and which it was understood the Peruvian Inca would enter to meet the white strangers, was defended on three sides by low ranges of buildings, consisting of spacious halls, with wide doors or dormitories opening into the square. In these halls Pizarro stationed his cavalry in two divisions, one under his brother Hernando, and the other under De Soto. The infantry he placed in another of the buildings, reserving twenty chosen men to act with himself as occasion might require. Pedro de Comedia, with a few soldiers and the artillery-two small pieces called falconets-he established in the fortress. All received orders to wait at their posts until the arrival of the Inca.

Estevan was at the side of De Soto, mounted on a powerful black Arabian steed, and on his left was Nicosia on a white one. All waited with trem

bling anxiety and eagerness.

Felipillo, with eyes

gleaming, hurried hither and thither, muttering sometimes in Spanish and sometimes in his native tongue,

"The hour of vengeance is come."

All had heard of the seizure of his bride by the Inca and knew to what he referred.

From his

post Estevan had a good view of the plaza.

"Do they come?" asked an impatient soldier in

his rear.

"No."

Hour after

All waited in trembling silence. hour passed, until the sun reached the meridian and began its descent, and still the Inca came not. The soldiers became uneasy and restless, and began to murmur, but were not allowed to break ranks. Some began to fear that Atahualpa had discovered the design of Pizarro and had determined to not place himself in his power. Even the captain-general grew anxious. The middle of the afternoon had passed, when suddenly there came a whisper from the lookout on the watch-tower:

As the news passed from soldier to soldier, every man became erect and the lines were dressed. The cavalrymen straightened up in their saddles, seized their lances and lowered their visors in a most determined manner. Some craned their necks to get a glimpse of the coming procession.

"I see them!" whispered Nicosia, who was well to the front.

"Are there many?" asked De Soto with evident

concern.

"There seems no end to the procession." "Do you see the Inca?"

"Yes, he is coming, borne high above his vassals on a throne of gold, in a palanquin lined with richly colored plumes.

With glittering splendor and nodding plumes

the vast procession filed into the plaza, opening to the right and left for the royal retinue to pass. Everything was conducted with admirable order, and while the monarch traversed the plaza he saw not a single hostile demonstration. Some five or six thousand of his people entered the place, and Atahualpa halted and gazed about him.

"Where are the strangers?"

Fray Vicente de Valverde, a Dominican friar, and chaplain to Pizarro, came forward, his Bible in one hand and a crucifix in the other, with Felipillo as his interpreter.

"I come by order of my commander,” he said, "to expound to you, Inca of Peru, the doctrines of the true faith, for which the Spaniards have come a great distance to your country."

He then proceeded to discuss the doctrines of the Trinity, beginning with the creation of man and ending with the crucifixion and the ascension of Jesus Christ, when the Saviour left the apostle Peter as his vicegerent upon earth, which power had been regularly transmitted to the successors of the apostles, good and wise men, who, under the title of Popes, held authority over the powers and potentates on earth. He concluded as follows:

"The Pope now reigning has commissioned the Spanish emperor, the greatest monarch in the world, to conquer and convert the natives in this

Western Hemisphere; and his great general, Francisco Pizarro, has come to execute this important mission. I beseech you to receive him kindly, to abjure the errors of your own faith, and embrace that of the holy Catholic Church now proffered to you, the only one by which you can hope for salvation. Furthermore, I beseech you to acknowledge yourself a tributary to the emperor Charles V., who in that event will aid and protect you as his loyal vassal.”

The eyes of the Indian monarch flashed fire, and his dark brow grew dark with indignation.

"I

"I will be no man's tributary," he replied. am greater than any prince on earth. Your emperor may be a great prince; I do not doubt it when I see that he has sent his subjects so far across the waters; and I am willing to regard him as a brother. As for the Pope of whom you speak, he must be drunk or crazy to talk of giving away countries which do not belong to him. I will not change my faith. Your own God, as you say, was put to death by the very men whom he created. But mine," he concluded, pointing to the sun sinking behind the mountains for the last time on the glory of Peruvian power, "my God still lives in the heavens and looks down on his children. By what authority do you say these strange things?"

"By this book," and he handed the Bible to the

Inca. Atahualpa, taking it, turned over the pages for a moment; then, as the insult he had received flashed more forcibly across his mind, he hurled the sacred volume from him.

"Tell your comrades they shall give me an account of their doings in my land,” he exclaimed. "I will not go from here until they have given me full satisfaction for all the wrongs they have committed.”

Hastily picking up the book, the indignant monk returned to Pizarro, and informed him of what had been done.

"Do you not see," he added, excitedly, "that while we stand here wasting our breath in talking with this dog, full of pride as he is, the fields are filling with Indians? Set upon them at once; I absolve you."

Every Spaniard was waiting with wildly palpitating heart the terrible onset. Nicosia grasped his

sword nervously.

"The hour has come," he whispered to Estevan. "See there! Pizarro waves his white scarf in the air-the signal!"

Estevan gathered up the reins and couched his lance.

"Boom!" went the fatal gun from the fortress. "St. Jago, and at them!" cried Pizarro, leaping into the plaza. Like one tremendous thunderbolt