ords to argue with
their superiors as does this insolent dog! Listen, Don Ruy, for I have
found the clue--and he belongs to me--that man!"

"To you--Capitan?"

"To me! You have listened to mad things of his birth and of his
clan--the girl of the twilight and the seed bearer--well, what I tell
you seems even more mad, but it will be true if ever we get to the end
of it--that story of the thrice accursed Teo the Greek--you recall
it?--he did without doubt cross this river and saw the Pueblos,--this
sorcerer is of his spawn--he and his medicine mother come back in good
time with their Star God story, and the seeds--the identical seeds of
the padre's story! See you not what it all leads to? He has the blood
of the Greek in him:--in any Christian land he has enough of it to be
broken on the wheel for his damnable heresies!"

"But--since we are not in a Christian land, and doubtless shall never
see him in a Christian land?"

"That narrows it down to man and man, Excellency! His father made a
slave of mine--my earliest oath on the Cross and on the Faith, was
vengeance against the Greek and all his blood! God of Heaven!--to
think that of all the priests of Mexico you chose the one who knew
that story!--and that of all the Indian tribes, we have come to the
one where the half Greek sorcerer rules like a Turk! Don Ruy--you have
led me north to vengeance--my sword and my arm are forever to your
cause."

"Many thanks to you, Capitan, but in this case it is not your sword I
shall command--except to remain in its scabbard!--but your speech I
must silence while we give this matter of the Cacique a season of
prayer and due consideration."

"Excellency--I do not understand--"

"You understand at least all that a soldier need, Capitan," said Don
Ruy with smiling ease. "Your commission comes from me,--and I did not
bestow it for the furtherance of private quarrels. Until I give the
word, your speech must not again mention the thing you suspect--"

"But--the padre--"

"Least of all must the padre or Senor Brancedori hear even a whisper
of it! Neither private vengeance, nor religious war must be pursued
while the company is on our present quest."

"You would have me break my oath on the cross--save a heretic alive
who belongs in the deepest pit?--Excellency!"

Gonzalvo's voice had much of pleading. He felt himself a man cheated
of his righteous dues.

"Your holy vengeance will keep until our quest is over--and the more
time