radamante' of the scarf is not to set
eyes on these serious pages,--and the Don Diego will certainly exact
that I keep record of how near our company falls in the wake of the
Capitan Coronado's--their troubles began about a wife--thus it is well
to keep count of fair favorites--and this one who tells you plainly
she is no wife, looks promising. Helena of Trois might have had no
more charms to her discredit!"

Don Ruy said no more, for he saw that Yahn was straining her ears to
catch at their meaning, and they were all losing the words of council.
It appeared plain that all the chief men were quite willing that the
Po-Ahtun-ho should meet the men of iron as was the padre's wish--but
that no one could command it.

"Through what power is one man more supreme than others?--Yet you say
you have no king!"

"No--no king. The Governor is made so each year by the men in
council--only one year--then another man--the Governor gets no corn in
trade for his time,--and no other thing, but honor, if he is good!
Tahn-te has talked to us in council of kings,--thus we know what a
king does. We have no king."

"But while a man is the governor does he not rule all the people?"

"No--it is not so. He works for the people. He has a right hand man,
and a left hand man to talk with of all things. But when it is a big
thing of trouble or of need, at that time the council is called, and
each man speaks, and in the end each man put a black bean or a white
bean in a jar to say for him 'yes' or to say for him 'no.' That is how
the law is made in all the villages of the P[=o]-s[=o]n-ge valley.
There is no king!"

"We are of a surety in a new world if rulers work only for honor--and
get not any of that unless they are good!" decided Don Ruy. "Make
record of that novelty, Chico--our worthy Maestro Diego will find no
equal of that rule in all Europe!"

"It is well for civilization that it is so!" decided Juan Gonzalvo.
"Who is to advance the arts and knightly orders except there be Courts
of Pontiff and of Royalty?"

"And the royalty would be a weak stomached lot if they gained not even
extra corn for all their sceptre waving, and royal nods;--eh? But what
of this Po-Ahtun-ho--this man who is not king--yet who is supreme?"

This query was interpreted by Jose, and after talk and deliberation
one of the oldest men made answer.

"The Po-Ahtun is an order very ancient. When the earth was yet soft,
and the rocks wet, and the first people were t