Inside the circle, the old Maya, with trembling forefinger in the sand, traced further cabalistic characters; and the sand did not shout back at him. Outside the circle it was the same because the sand had become wet, and because it was the way of the sand to be vocal only when it was bone-dry under the sun. He fingered the knots of the sacred writing tassel.
"It says," he reported, "that when the sand no longer talks it is safe to proceed. So far I have obeyed all instruction. In order to obey further instruction, let us now proceed."
So well did they proceed, that, shortly beyond the barking sands, they overtook Torres and Mancheno, which worthy pair slunk off into the brush on one side, watched the priest and his son go by, and took up their trail well in the rear. While Henry, taking a short cut, missed both couples of men.
CHAPTER XV
"EVEN so, it was a mistake and a weakness on my part to remain in Panama," Francis was saying to Leoncia, as they sat side by side on the rocks outside the cave entrance, waiting Henry's return.
"Does the stock market of New York then mean so much to you?" Leoncia coquettishly teased; yet only part of it was coquetry, the major portion of it being temporization. She was afraid of being alone with this man whom she loved so astoundingly and terribly.
Francis was impatient.
"I am ever a straight talker, Leoncia. I say what I mean, in the directest, shortest way-"
"Wherein you differ from us Spaniards," she interpolated, "who must garnish and dress the simplest thoughts with all decorations of speech."
But he continued undeterred what he had started to say.