d new prayers to the true god must they learn. Out of the
far land had the true god made the trail that the faith be carried to
the Te-hua people. Under the cross he wished to give the sacrament of
baptism."

The kneeling Castilians impressed the pagan men more than might have
been hoped. They were strong--yet they were as bidden children under
that Symbol. It was big medicine! Ka-yemo found his own head bowed
lower and lower--the spell of the older days was working!--when he
lifted his eyes, it was to see the brief glance of Tahn-te rest on
him. He sat erect again as though a spoken command was in that look.
All this saw Don Ruy, and all this saw the padre, and his teeth locked
close under his beard.

Many were the exchange of thought over faiths old and faiths new in
the land, also of the ancient republics, the Pueblos, and the interest
of the majestic ruler who was king of Spain and the Indies was made
manifest by his subjects. Of many things did they speak until all the
old men had spoken, and it was plain to be seen that the Castilians
were not unwelcome. The winning courtesy of Don Ruy made many friends,
and the wise brain of the padre made no mistakes. Yet of the one
central cause of the quest not any one had spoken, and the silent
Cacique had only designated by a glance or a motion of the hand who
was to be the next spokesman. He was the youngest of all, and he
waited to listen.

Then, when the smoke had been long, and silence had been long, Tahn-te
the wearer of the white robe arose. For a space he stood with folded
arms wrapped in the mantle of high office, and quietly let his gaze
rest on one after another of those in the circle, halting last at
Ka-yemo whose glance fell under his own--and whose head bent as under
accusation.

[Illustration: TAHN-TE STEPPED FORWARD _Page 179_]

Tahn-te smiled, but it was not a glad smile--he had seen that the old
magic of the gray robe was holding the war chief in thrall to the
strangers.

Then Tahn-te stepped forward from the seat of council--and threw aside
the white robe, and slender and nude as the Indian gods are nude but
for the girdle, and the medicine pouch, he stood erect, looking for
the first time direct and steadily into the eyes of Padre Vicente. The
circle of the council room might have been an arena and only those two
facing each other and measuring each other.

While one might count ten he stood thus silent, and Don Ruy could hear
his own heart beat,