"Do you not know who I am?" she said. "The Wacondah is with me; he inspires the words I utter. Tremble, lest you arouse my anger."
"The Wacondah loves the Indians," the redskin replied timidly; "he would not wish to do them harm."
The warriors listened to this conversation with interest, although they did not dare to take part in it. Doña Emilia made her daughter a signal to join her; the latter obeyed, and tottered up to her mother's side.
"Courage!" the latter said.
Then she drew herself up, her features assumed an expression of indescribable haughtiness, and her eyes seemed to flash fire, as she said—
"I order you to let me pass; you must obey me."
She moved a few steps forward. The Indians fell back without breaking line.
"Do you refuse?" she asked, as she looked imperiously at them.
No one answered.
"Good," she said, with a strange expression. "Recognize the power of the Queen of the Savannah."