Obeying her command, two of the cavemen hurried to the farther end of the hall. There was a muffled sound of grating stone, and then the two leaves of the great portal swung slowly open, revealing the glittering, silent garden of the palace beyond. XIX A QUEEN'S CONQUEST Surrounded by her people, the ancient diadem of the Chibchas, with its great, smouldering emerald, on her head, Sajipona waited at the entrance to the court. Without, the motionless flowers and shrubbery of the garden were steeped in a pale, quivering light outlining every object with a weird intensity sharper, yet more indefinable than gleams from moon-drenched skies. In this spectral scene the cavemen stood in rows, like carven statues; even Sajipona, mobile, versatile of mood, seemed a woman of marble. But Una, stirred profoundly by the picture she had seen, doubtful of its reality, not altogether sure of her own ground, aware of the dangers that threatened, but ignorant of their exact character, could not hide her anxiety. Seizing Sajipona's hand, her eyes were eloquent of unspoken questioning. Her mute appeal was answered by a wistful smile, a glance at once gracious and sorrowful. "For you there is no danger," said the queen. "For me--yes, for me there is, perhaps, danger." "How can that be?" "You fear this Raoul Arthur. It is not for you, it is for me he has come. For three years he has plotted to do this thing. My own kinsman, Rafael Segurra, was in league with him. Before now he has attempted to force his way here. The two together found their opportunity in your coming. And now--Arthur has escaped from his captors and again seems to have found traitors among my people." "What is it he wants?" "You ask that--you who know David!" For a moment the anger and suspicion with which she had first regarded Una kindled in Sajipona's eyes. But the mood vanished as quickly as it came. "Surely, you remember what Narva said," she went on. "He seeks treasure. He sought it with David three years ago, the poor treasure belonging to what is left of my people. Segurra told him where it was, how to get it." "Ah, yes!" exclaimed Una. "Now I know! The treasure of Guatavita, of El Dorado, it is here." "It is here--it is mine!" said Sajipona sternly. "It will never be his. Always your people have fought for it, have sinned and died to make it theirs. They have driven us off the face of the earth, to hide for centuries in this cave and in that other land that as yet you know nothing of. Here we have made our world--and we will keep what is ours, unless David----"