Part 26 (1/2)
We first procured a vessel of granite fro the gold Then we pried a slab of limestone from a corner of one of the seats; luckily for us it was very soft, having been selected by the Incas for the purpose of inserting in its face the crystal prisms Then we procured a dozen ortheranite as hammers, set to work at the block of limestone
It was sloork, but we finally succeeded in hollowing out a groove in its surface about eighteen inches long and two inches deep That was our olden platters We took four of the urns, placing theroup on the floor, and just at the tip of the flaranite vessel, supported by four blocks of stone which we pried loose froolden platters
But we found, after several hours, that we did not have sufficient heat--or rather that the vessel was too thick to transain we set to ith our improvised chisels and hammers, to shave off its sides and bottom That was more difficult and required many hours for completion
Finally, with the profane portion of our vocabularies coless by repetition, and with bruised and bleeding hands, we again arranged our furnace and sat down to wait We had waited until the dishes from our dinner had been removed, and ere fairly certain to be alone for several hours
Finally the gold was melted, stubbornly but surely We took the thick hide cover from the couch and, one on each side, lifted the vessel of liquid metal and filled our mold In an hour it was hardened into a bar the shape of a half-cylinder We reold
It would appear that the gain was hardly worth the pains, and I admit it But at the least I had kept Harry occupied with so besides his amatory troubles, and at the best we had two heavy, easily handled bars of ainst foes who had none whatever
We had just removed the traces of our work as completely as possible and secreted the clubs of yellowfootsteps calance; I moved between him and the door But it was Desiree
She entered the room hurriedly and crossed to the farther side, then turned to face the door Her cheeks were glowing brightly, her eyes flashed fire, and her breast heaved with unwonted agitation Before either she or I had tirasped her arm
”What has he done now?” he demanded in a tone scarcely audible in its intensity
”I--don't--know,” said Desiree without reo, Harry; let me sit down Paul! Ah! I was afraid”
”For us?” I asked
”Yes--partly The brute! But then, he is huht--you should have gone to the Cave of the Sun when he required your presence”
”But it was merely an invitation Cannot one refuse an invitation?” I protested
”But, my dear Paul, the creature is royal--his invitations are commands”
”Well, ere busy, and we've already seen the Cave of the Sun”
”Still it was an error, and I think you will pay for it There have been unusual preparations under way for ers and guards have been arriving constantly, each with his little bundle of quipos, as you call them”
”Did you see the quipos?”
”Yes”
”Did any of thele knot at either end?”
”Yes, all of them,” said Desiree without an instant's hesitation
”That e! Can you remember any of them?”