His only reply was that he would go now, and he would go quickly.
“No––not quickly,” said Tahn-té. “You will not go quickly any where ever again. I am looking at you! I say so!”
The man stared at Tahn-té like a bird that was under a charm. All the others saw the steady gaze of Tahn-té, and saw also that the outcast began to tremble.
“Hold out your hand,” said Tahn-té, and when it was done, Tahn-té took from his medicine pouch some pieces of yellow gold. They were heavy, he passed them around until all might see, then he put the gold in the hand of the outcast.
“Your clan was a proud clan and good, and you made them ashamed,” said Tahn-té. “You had strong medicine and you used it for evil until your name must not be spoken by your brothers. To these men of iron you would trade that which is not yours: Without speech of council you would do this––and to do it would be traitor! Because your heart wishes to give the sun symbol to these strangers, I send you to them with what your hand can hold. To the priest of the white god give it! Tell him I, the Po-Ahtun-ho, send it, and no more than that will he ever see here in Povi-whah. Tell him that the weight of it makes your hand shake and your body shake. Tell him that the sickness is now in your blood, and when the day comes again your tongue cannot make words to tell him things. Tell him if 242 his men put you in the saddle, or carry you to the hidden place of the Sun Father, that the light of your eyes will go out on the trail! I am looking at you!––and you, who once had a name, and were a worker of magic, know that I look on you with Power, and that it will be as I say.”
He stooped and drew in the ashes of the place of fire, the figure of a man with hand stretched out, then, with a breath, he sent the ashes in a little cloud and each line was obliterated.
“To destroy you would not be good,”––he continued. “It is better that the boys and the young men see the fate given to a traitor. My brothers,––is this well?”
“It is well!” said the men, but the voice of the war chief was not loud, and his hands shook until he clasped them together and held them steady.
Tahn-té looked around the circle as though undecided, and then rested on Ka-yemo.
“You speak the words of the Castilian man, and like to speak them,” he said quietly, “so it will be well for you to make the words for this man who carries to their priest the gift of the sun symbol. Forget no thought of it––for all the words have meaning.”