The mob shot arrows back , some of them tipped with lighted straw , to burn the palace down . But , in the very centre of the square , was a clear space of ground , on which fell the shadow of a tall column of red stone , all carved with serpents and faces of gods . Beside it stood a figure horrible to see : a man clothed in serpent skins , whose face was the grinning face of a skull ; but the skull was shining black and red in patches , and a long white beard flowed from beneath it . This man , mounted on a kind of altar of red stone , waved his hand and yelled , and seemed to point to the shadow of the column which fell across the square . The people were so furious and so eager that they did not , at first , notice King Prigio as he slowly descended . But at last the eyes within the skull looked up and saw him , and then the man gave a great cry , rent his glittering dress of serpentskin , and held up his hands . Then all the multitude looked up , and seeing the Flying Horse , let their weapons fall ; and the man of the skull tore it from his face , and knelt before King Prigio , with his head in the dust . `` Thou hast come , oh , Pachacamac , as is foretold in the prophecy of the Cord of the Venerable Knots ! Thou hast come , but behold the shadow of the stone ! Thou art too late , oh Lord of the Earth and the Sea ! '' Then he pointed to the shadow , which , naturally , was growing shorter , as the sun drew near mid-day . He spoke in the language of the ancient Incas of Peru , which of course Prigio knew very well ; and he also knew that Pachacamac was the god of that people . `` I have come , '' Prigio said , with presence of mind , `` as it has been prophesied of old . '' `` Riding on a beast that flies , '' said the old priest , `` even as the oracle declared . Glory to Pachacamac , even though we die to-day ! '' `` In what can I help my people ? '' said Prigio . `` Thou knowest ; why should we instruct thee ? Thou knowest that on midsummer-day , every year , before the shadow shrinks back to the base of the huaca -LCB- 190 -RCB- of Manoa , we must offer a maiden to lull the Earthquaker with a new song . Lo , now the shadow shrinks to the foot of the huaca , and the maid is not offered !
For the lot fell XXXXX the daughter of thy servant the Inca , and he refuses to give her up .
Beside as from in near of on that though to