coming.

Little thought gave he to trailers. The night before had been the
night of the scalp dance--and now the trembling earth, and the
council, had left the men weary for the rest of sleep. He ran swiftly
and steadily in the open as any courier to Shufinne might run.

But those of the Tain-tsain clan who followed, noted that he did not
go to Shufinne,--he climbed instead the steeps where they were to
climb, and for that reason their coming was stealthy, and the
cleverest men were sent ahead, and all said prayers and cast prayer
meal to the gods,--for this was a strange thing the white priest had
seen in a vision--it was to be proven if he was of the prophets!

The two couriers of the clan knew it was proven when they saw the two
dead people near the head of the stone stairway. And when they heard
the sobs of a woman within the dwelling of the Reader of the Stars in
the ancient days--also the soothing tones of a man,--they crept back
into the shadows and told the leaders. And a circle of men was made
about the place, and in silence they waited.

Ere their hearts had ceased to beat quickly from the run, that which
they waited for stepped forth;--a man to whom a creature clung--her
face was hidden against his breast, and he led her with care lest she
see the dead people on the stairway--for the Navahu shrinks more than
another from sight or touch of the dead!

"There are other places--and safe places," he said to her and held her
close. "Does not the bluebird find nesting place in the forest? And
does not her mate find her there in the summer nights?"

And then--with his arms around her, and his robe covering her, his
path was closed by a warrior who stood before him! His eyes turned
quickly on every side, but on every side was a circle of men,--and
the men were all of the clan of Ka-yemo to whom Tahn-te had never been
precious since the days of boyhood--and the camp of Coronado.

And the younger men were for claiming the maid when they saw her face,
and the older men read triumph against Tahn-te for the work of this
night.

"That which is meant for the gods is not to be given to men," they
said in chiding to the young men, and Tahn-te knew what they meant
when they said it.

"It is the Navahu witch maid of Te-gat-ha," cried
another--"look--brothers! This is a Navahu arrow through the eye of
Ka-yemo, and through the heart of Yahn Tsyn-deh. Alone here she has
destroyed them!--and alone here would Tahn-te the P