at he had not gone with the troop. Since they
had won honor and thanks, it was the good time to work for the one
favor of the gold in return.

And Don Diego regretted the Te-hua men who had died without
absolution.

The secretary stated that the clans of the dead men were clamoring for
the Navahu captive taken by Gonzalvo, and there was much talk about
it. Also that the Navahu said it was one maid they came searching
for--a Navahu maid who wore bluebird wings--they had not thought to
harm Te-hua women! Of course the Te-hua men thought that was a lie,
for the Navahu always wanted more women.

But the old men of the village to whom it was told looked at each
other with meaning.

It was a strange thing that the men of Te-gat-ha to the north, and the
men of Navahu from the west, took the trail to search for that one
maid of mystery. The ground over which she passed had reached far, and
the evil wrought by her had been great. The wise men of Te-gat-ha knew
that the tornado followed her trail, and the Navahu men who searched
for her, had found death and defeat. Prayers must be made against the
evil of her if her feet should cross the land of the Te-hua people.

And all through the long beautiful twilight the tombe sounded from the
terraces, and the mourners for the dead on the high mesas knew that
prayers were being made against new evil--and that the medicine men
would in an early day demand penance and sacrifice of many if the
cloud of dread was not lifted from their hearts.

Four days of purification must be observed by the warriors ere
entering again their home village after a battle to the death. And
Yahn could not by any means approach Ka-yemo during that time, which
did not prevent her speech with other men. To Juan Gonzalvo she
talked, and Gonzalvo chafed under the restrictions of Don Ruy.
Steadily in his mind had grown that thought of the parentage of
Tahn-te. He was unwilling to think that the native mind could have the
keenness and the logic of this barbarian whose eyes were the color of
the darkest blue violets, and whose diabolic power made even the
Castilians awe-struck, and sent them to prayers more swiftly than did
the sermons of the padre. If he only dared hint it to the padre--if
by some god-given power he, the insolent Cacique, could be delivered
into their hands--if as the son of Teo the Greek, he could come within
the law of the Inquisition for his devilish heresies--the all too
lenient Inquisitio