Facing Raoul and Una in the deserted hall, flooded with light from the magic sun that a short while since had traced in moving characters of fire the approach of her enemies, Sajipona told of her purpose in bringing them there. She spoke as if she had long foreseen and even planned this interview, and amazed them by her intimate knowledge of various matters that seemed quite beyond the reach of her sources of information. It was as if she had been thoroughly familiar for some years past with Raoul's schemes, and had even shared in the hopes and fears that brought Una to Colombia. "I knew of your coming; I planned for it," she said to Raoul. "For months I have known that you were using every art your cunning could suggest--aided by the treachery of one of my own people--to find your way here. Until now you have been unable to do anything. I was always able to keep you out of here--and I could still have kept you out, had it not served my purpose better to let you come. You are here now--you are looking for what you have always looked. You guessed, long since, of the existence of a great treasure house, built here centuries ago by the rulers of our mountain kingdom who disappeared before the white invaders of this country. Idle stories and legends of those far off times, repeated to you by the peons whom you questioned, vague hints and romances picked up from ancient books, led you to this cave and to the belief that I was, in some way, mixed up with its secret. I will not say that you were right or wrong in all of this. Here you look for a mountain of treasure; as yet you have found none. But you have seen marvels enough since you entered this unknown region to make you eager to solve a mystery that every moment has grown deeper. I will help you--but it must be in my own way, and just so far as it suits my own plans.