“What does it mean?” Kate said to her.
“It means, Niña, that they won’t ring the bells any more. They have taken the bells away, and they beat the drums in the church. Listen! Listen!”
The drums were shuddering rapidly again.
Kate and Juana went across to the open window.
“Look! Niña! The Eye of the Other One! No more crosses on the church. It is the Eye of the Other One. Look! How it shines! How nice!”
“It means,” said Ezequiel’s breaking young voice, which was just turning deep, “that it is the church of Quetzalcoatl. Now it is the temple of Quetzalcoatl; our own God.”
He was evidently a staunch Man of Quetzalcoatl.
“Think of it!” murmured Juana, in an awed voice. She seemed like a heap of darkness low at Kate’s side.
Then again she glanced up, and the eyes of the two women met for a moment.
“See the Niña’s eyes of the sun!” cried Juana, laying her hand on Kate’s arm. Kate’s eyes were a sort of hazel, changing, grey-gold, flickering at the moment with wonder, and a touch of fear and dismay. Juana sounded triumphant.