you could do--_that_?"

"When the gods are angered against earth people, it is always the most
precious they demand in sacrifice," he said. "When we make vows, the
gods watch that we keep the vows--else we pay, Senor,--we pay--we
pay!"

CHAPTER XXIII

THE PROPHECY OF TAHN-TE

Vague tremblings were still felt underfoot; the river was red with the
clay of fallen banks. Smoke came from an ancient crater to the south,
and also the east, and above the Mesa of the Hearts hung a cloud of
volcanic dust, or a puff of smoke escaped from the red ash-covered
fissures of the Underworld.

The women were gathered in terror in the court, but fled at the sight
of Tahn-te. The anger of the earth was a thing of fear; but he was
made see that there were worse things, and they covered the faces of
their children that his eyes might not rest on them.

At the door of the council house he paused and Don Ruy beside him.
There was much talk. All the leading men were there, also Padre
Vicente and Don Diego. They entered and there was silence.

No one offered to Tahn-te the pipe, and no one spoke to him.

The priest of the New God had told them things--he knew men's
hearts--he had confessed so many!--He told them it was love for the
witch maid by which the hand of the sorcerer kept every other man from
touching her.--Even to take the heart from her breast, was an easier
thing than to give her to the men of Te-gat-ha or of Povi-whah, who
had looked on her face and asked for her, also he had wrapped about
her his priestly robe of office before he laid her in the earth where
Satan had broken the rock to reach for her!

Their sorcerer had traded his robe of office for the evil love of an
enchantress:--never again must a god be offended by sound of his
prayers!

And no one offered him the pipe, and no one spoke to him. He sat alone
and looked with unseeing eyes at the weeping god on the altar.

Padre Vicente was seated in a place of honor. He looked at Tahn-te
across the circle, and it was plain that the ways had changed since
that other day of council when they had looked into each other's eyes,
and the pagan had been the Ruler!

The right hand man of the governor arose. He was the oldest man, and
he spoke.

"While the earth has trembled we have talked--and the trembling has
grown little while we talked," he said. "It is plain that the gods
have sent these signs that we may know our white brothers are indeed
of the sun, and t