"What I am called matters little," she said. "I think Wiki lies when he says I came from Massi. I seem to remember a time many years ago when I often saw people who were white like you. But that does not matter. Tawannears is a man! And I am tired of priests and their ways. Ay, a man who would travel as far as Tawannears for a woman is a man!"
"We shall all of us go soon upon a longer journey," I returned significantly. "And you, too, if you stay here."
"Yes," she agreed, her voice still muffled.
I thrust out my hand and found her body in Tawannears' arms.
"What!" I gasped in astonishment.
Tawannears laughed softly—and at that note, contented, caressing, Peter, also, indulged in a peal of low laughter.
"Dot's funny," he squeaked. "We come all dis way, andt Tawannears gets her, andt we die quick."
"What did the fat one say?" inquired Kachina, wrenching herself from the Seneca's embrace.
I told her.
"Yes," she said a second time. "Death is coming. That is why I am here. The Awataba told the council they must have you to sacrifice. They said they dreamed that your lives would appease their gods, but I think that ant Kokyan planted the idea in their heads. I would have said so, but Wiki would not let me, and so I ran away."