The halberdier fought his way to Duero’s side, and they stood in consternation. The still unconscious Rava had been drawn into the doorway. With a motion to his companion Duero picked her up, and they groped through the smoke-filled building into the shrubbery in front, and were away. Clear of the garden, they made a detour to pass the village, halting once to bind and gag the Ñusta as they hurried toward the gorge. A mile beyond the town they joined a small party of Spaniards and Cañares in concealment beside the road. Duero replied to their questions with a comprehensive curse. "Move, blockheads!" he roared. "Fetch the litter. Before ye finish gawping they will be upon us. Hell is uncovered, d’ ye hear? Fetch the litter." A _hamaca_ was brought, Rava thrust into it, and the curtains drawn. Two Cañares took it up, and the party hurried away. At the entrance of the gorge they crossed the stream by a bridge of twisted osiers. On the farther side they hacked with their halberds until the structure hung, a wreck, from its opposite anchorage. It would cut off the retreat of their allies, but would delay pursuit, for the torrent was unfordable. Their route was down the gorge. Toward morning they crossed and destroyed another bridge, then proceeded in security. The conflict raged about the villa until the Cañares retreated to the mountains, leaving their wounded and dead. The villagers turned to the flames, tore away the thatch, and saved the wings of the house, but of the main portion only blackened walls remained. Until Maytalca was found, imprisoned with her maids in a room remote from the flames, the capture of Rava was unknown, and Duero’s party had gained several miles the start. Pursuit, delayed at the first bridge, was balked completely at the second, and forced into a circuitous mountain path before it could come again upon the raiders’ trail. The flight was toward Xauxa, but by the third day the pursuers found themselves impeded by prowling Cañares. Forced again to the mountain trails, the chase was hopeless. Markumi found Cristoval, and with assistance bore him, almost lifeless, to Huallampo’s villa. For the second time he was hovering upon the brink, and for days the aged healer summoned by the _curaca_ answered the villagers with a dubious shake of his head. *CHAPTER XXI* _*The Señora Descends upon Pedro*_ We go forward to find ourselves at Xauxa, a week subsequent to the catastrophe at Xilcala, months after Pizarro’s march to Cuzco.