Then, to the surprise of Prof. Easy, one of the men stepped forward and began addressing the girl in Spanish.
“Oh, queen,” said he, “here are five more people who have dared find their way into the land of Hez. What shall be their doom? Shall they be confined in the magic chamber with the other prisoner to witness the dance of death, or shall they be slaughtered at once?”
“Conduct them to the magic chamber,” said the queen, with an imperious wave of her hand.
She turned to enter the building, when the professor, who could speak Spanish fluently, exclaimed:
“Most gracious queen, listen a moment, please!”
At this the girl turned as if she had been stung, and the fold of her garment, becoming loosened, fell from her face, revealing the most beautiful countenance our friends had ever looked upon, or even dreamed of.
“Heavens!” thought Dick Vincey, “what a beautiful creature.”
The queen had fixed her eyes upon the face of the professor.
“Were you addressing me, sir?” she demanded.
“I was, oh, queen,” he returned. “I would like to say, in behalf of my companions and myself, that if we did wrong in coming to this place, we were not aware of it. Surely you will not condemn us to death for making such a mistake.”