he pool of water, and with a knife of the
black flint cut the bandage--to the extreme distaste of Don Diego, who
had been chief surgeon.

Then, still without words to the people, he did a strange thing, for
he knelt there on the ground and leaned his shoulder against the leg
of the horse, and slipped slowly, slowly down until his cheek touched
the pastern, and his strong slender hands slid downward again and
again over the leg of the animal while his lips moved as though in
whispered speech to the ground itself.

No man spoke for a long time, but some of the elder men cast prayer
meal that it fell on the kneeling savage and on the horse, and the
animal reached down and rubbed its nose on his shoulder as if he had
been its well known and long beloved master.

Curious were all the Castilians, but Juan Gonzalvo, who had spent time
in speech with Yahn Tsyn-deh, was more than curious. Like a tiger cat
above its prey he stood frowning at the silent "medicine" of the naked
worker in devilish arts.

Then the kneeling man arose and spoke in Castilian.

"It is good," he said. "It is done," but he did not lift his eyes from
the ground. The task of some prayer was yet unfinished--and he turned
again towards his home and walked swiftly and the horse followed him
until Juan Gonzalvo caught it and gave careful heed to the stricken
foot, and could see no sign where the swelling should be.

"It is big medicine," said the Te-hua men. "Now our brothers, the
strangers have seen that our god is strong and our men to work are
strong."

"It is sorcery of the devil," said Juan Gonzalvo. "Some medicine he
had in his hands--some medicine we could not see. No physician in all
Europe has skill to cure by such magic. Is it like that a naked savage
should know more than the learned professors?"

"No:--it is not to be believed," assented Don Ruy--"but thanks to the
Saints it is true for all that!--and that silent youth is after all
Tahn-te the Cacique!"

"No--" said Padre Vicente with decision--"the sooner that office is no
longer his the sooner do we arrive at that which brought us here. That
is Tahn-te the worker in accursed red magic--Tahn-te the sorcerer!"

CHAPTER XIII

A PAGAN PRIEST IN COUNCIL

Little else was spoken of in the camp of the Castilians, but the
witchcraft of the noble steed. The more pious picketed their own
animals at a respectful distance from the one healed by sorcery.

Don Diego took the healing as a