n
hemp. She halted for breath, and leaned, a frail, breathless ghost of
a woman, against the wall.

Then with a pebble she tapped on the portal of the star, four times
she made the signal ere another met her in the dusk, and took from her
the burden, and clung to her hand in dread.

In the dusk of the starlight they sat and whispered, for no fire dare
be lit within, and the girl of the bluebird wing ate the bread and
drank water, and breathed her gratitude while she strove to understand
the words of the mother of Tahn-te.

That there was danger she knew for she had seen the many men. Like
things enchanted had she seen them--the men who looked like part of
the animals they rode! In dread and fear had she waited for Tahn-te
while she watched the Ancient Star glowing like an eye of wrath in
the western heavens. It was looking back with an evil look because no
gift had been made to it on the altars of the valley people. Tahn-te
had told her that so long as it shone must she remain hidden. She did
not need to ask why. When with the Navahu savages she had been taunted
at times because the altars of her people knew well the blood of human
sacrifice which they offered with elaborate ceremony to propitiate the
gods of the stars in the sky.

"Tahn-te?" she whispered to the mother, but the mother shook her head.
Apart from all woman-kind must a priest live when times of stress
come. Tahn-te was fasting and making prayers. A girl hidden in the
caves must not go hungry, but the thought of her must not mingle with
thoughts of penance for the tribe. All heads of the spiritual orders
do penance and make prayers for clear vision when the evil days come.

"And they are here?" questioned the girl.

"They are here. The land was smiling, the corn was good, all was good.
Then the Great Star came--and the men of iron came--the corn was laid
low by the God of the Winds. The Most Mysterious has sent signs to his
people, and the signs are evil and come quickly. My son, the
Po-Ahtun-ho, has seen these signs, and the gods have talked with
him."

The maid knew that a mere stray creature could not find room in the
thoughts of so great a man--at so great a time; and she sat silent,
but she reached out and held the hand of his mother. Since he could
not speak with her he had sent to her the woman most high and most
dear. He could not come, but he had not forgotten!

"He will come again?" she murmured, and some memory in the heart of
the Twi