l "All is well,"--also he knew that the
signal would be echoed back along the trail until each watcher would
know that their visitor was on the trail alone, and all was well, and
each could go back to Te-gat-ha and report to the war chief, and find
sleep.

The watchfulness told him also that the maid they sought was one of
importance. The visitor in the sky, called by his people the Ancient
Star,--and called by Fray Luis the planet Venus, gave special meaning
to a captive from the tribe of an enemy. It saved some clan from
devoting a son or a daughter to sacrifice.

He did not halt at once even after the last call was sent back into
the night, and he was far on the south trail ere he turned and more
slowly retraced his steps. No lingering watcher must be overtaken by
him on the trail.

So it was that Arcturus (the watcher of the night when the sun is
away) was high overhead when he came again to the place of the great
rock where as youths, he and his comrades climbed on each others'
shoulders--and even then only the most agile and daring had scaled the
smooth wall, and lay hidden there in a water worn depression. Many
scouts might pass it without thought that a maid could be hidden
there!

But the mere whisper of a whistle like the bluebird call brought her
head over the edge, and their eyes met in the starlight.

Half the day, and half the night, had she lain there waiting for his
call, hearing more than once the pad of the feet, or the panting
breath of scouts:--she had even heard words of the sentinels sent from
Te-gat-ha ahead of Tahn-te--eager as wolves they were in search of the
maid--for it was evil medicine most potent to lose a captive after the
symbols of ceremony had been drawn on the body!

But all her fear of them gave her no fear of Tahn-te. His first look
into her eyes had been the look which said strange things, and sweet
things--it was as if he had spoken thanks that he had found her on the
trail.

And when he held up his arm to her in the night, she wrapped closely
the deerskin robe about her, and slipped downward into his embrace.

The wall was so high he had himself gone ahead and dragged her up by
help of the skin robe. And, strong though he was, the weight of her as
she slipped downward against him staggered him, and his arms went
tightly around her slender girl's body to save her, and to save
himself.

And in that moment one of the magical things came to pass in the
starlight, her you