imself into
the thought that a gracious dona awaits his return! It is the only
protection against such sirens as this one of the loosened braids.
To be sure, my goddess of Mexico--(so says the padre)--was only a
mad woman--and her servants gave me a scratched skull. Yet, as I
am weak and need protection, I carry the scarf of the wench, and call
her a goddess and my 'Dona Bradamante'--in my dreams--that does no
harm to any one, and enables me to leave the ladies of the road to
Gonzalvo--and the others! Oh--a dream woman is a great rest to the
mind, lad,--especially is she so when she affects a wondrous perfume
for her silks!"

He drew the scarf from his pocket and sniffed at it, content to make
the lad laugh at the idle fancy, and while he jested thus, Padre
Vicente and Gonzalvo gathered much information from Yahn Tsyn-deh.
There was a feast, she told them, and all the village was merry, and
the time of the visit was a good time.

From the terraces of Kah-po and Povi-whah many eyes watched the coming
of the men of iron. But the women who watched were few,--all the maids
and even the young wives, had started at once for the sanctuary of the
ancient dwellings of the place of Old Fields. There the Woman of the
Twilight was awaiting them--much corn and dried meat and beans had
been stored there in the hills in waiting for this time. If fighting
was to be done, it should not be a quarrel for wives--as had happened
with Coronado's soldiers in Tiguex.

But the white adventurers gave every evidence of the desire to be
modest in their demands. They did not even enter the village--nor seek
to do so until the place of the camp had been decided upon. Even Jose
was not allowed to precede the others in search of kindred. He and his
wife Ysobel watched the terraces, and the courage of the latter grew
weak unto tears at the trials possibly behind the silent walls.

The boy Chico reassured her with jestings and occasional whisperings
until the woman smiled, though her eyes were wet.

"I shall risk my own precious soul and body beside you," he
stated,--"since my master Don Diego makes me a proxy while we learn if
it is safe enough inside those walls for his own sacred bones. He will
say the prayers for us until our faces are shown to him again!"

Then he threw himself on the green sward and laughed, and told Ysobel
what a fine thing it was to be carefree of a spouse and able to kick
up one's heels:--"If it had not been for love and