“We come because we have heard fair things of 153 these people,” was the reply. “Our god tells us all men are brothers on the earth––we come to find new brothers.”
“And if the Navahu come in the night––or the Yutah come many and strong for the corn––whose brother would your god tell you to be at that time?” asked the governor of Kah-po, a tall shrewd faced old man who had not spoken heretofore. Chico showed his teeth in a quickly suppressed smile.
“Our god would tell us,” said Padre Vicente with slowness and duly impressive speech––“that our brothers must be the men who are friends with us.”
“That is good,” agreed the man from Kah-po, and the others said also it was good. Brothers who wore iron coats would be good brothers to have in the time of a war.
“It is as Tahn-té told us of the priests of the white god––they are wise in their thoughts,” said the old man who had insisted there was no king in Povi-whah, or any Te-hua village––“all Tahn-té has told us were true words.”
“He told us also,” said the man from Kah-po––“that the men of iron were not friends to trust.”
“They were other men of iron, not these. These men Tahn-té has not yet seen.”
The Padre gave no hint that he knew enough of Te-hua words to catch the meaning of their discourse. So long as might be, he would keep that secret,––much might depend upon it.
The name Tahn-té met him at every turn––this was the mysterious Ruler––the hidden Cacique or Po-Ahtun-ho––the one chief who gave them no greeting.
“Ask for me what the name means––the name Tahn-té,” he said.