Then at last Juanna gave way. “Oh! Leonard, Leonard,” she said, weeping bitterly, “they were my father’s servants whom I have known since I was a child, and I have brought them to this cruel end. Cannot you think of any way of getting out of this place? If not, I shall die of fear. I can sleep no more. I feel that I am watched at night, though I cannot tell by whom. Last night I thought that I heard some one moving near the curtain where you and Francisco lie, though Soa declares that it is fancy.”
“It is impossible,” said Leonard; “Francisco was on guard. Ah! here he comes.”
As he spoke Francisco entered the room with consternation written on his face.
“Outram,” he gasped, “some one must have been in the throne chamber where we slept last night. All the rifles have gone, ours and those of the Settlement men also.”
“Great heavens!” said Leonard, “but you were watching.”
“I suppose that I must have dozed for a few moments,” answered the priest; “it is awful, awful; they are gone and we are weaponless.”
“Oh! can we not escape?” moaned Juanna.
“There is no hope of it,” answered Leonard gloomily. “We are friendless here except for Olfan, and he has little real power, for the priests have tampered with the captains and the soldiers who fear them. How can we get out of this city? And if we got out what would become of us, unarmed and alone? All that we can do is to keep heart and hope for the best. Certainly they are right who declare that no good comes of seeking after treasure; though I believe that we shall live to win it yet,” he added.
“What! Deliverer,” said a satirical voice behind him, “do you still desire the red stones, you whose heart’s blood shall soon redden a certain stone yonder? Truly the greed of the white man is great.”
Leonard looked round. It was Soa who spoke, Soa who had been listening to their talk, and she was glaring at him with an expression of intense hate in her sullen eyes. A thought came into his mind. “Was it not possible that this woman had something to do with their misfortunes? How came it about that the others were taken while she was left?”