by Juanna herself.
Then she gave him a minute history of the object and details of their
expedition, down to her final quarrel with Leonard and her mistress on
the previous day.

To say that the old priest was thunderstruck at these extraordinary
revelations would be too little; he was overwhelmed--so overwhelmed that
for a while he could scarcely speak.

"It is fortunate for this jade of a mistress of yours, who dares to
make a mockery of our goddess that she may steal her wealth, that I have
sworn to save her from harm, daughter," he gasped at length, "else she
had died, and swiftly. At least, the others remain to me," and he sprang
to his feet.

"Stay awhile, father," said Soa, catching his cloak, "what is your
plan?"

"My plan? To drag them to the temple and denounce them. What else is
there to do?"

"And thereby denounce yourself also, who proclaimed them gods. I think I
have a better."

"Tell it then, daughter."

"It is this. Do you pass in before the gods this day, speak humbly to
the gods, praying them to change the face of the heavens that the sun
may shine; telling them also that strange talk has come to your ears by
the mouth of Saga and the other women, of words that have been spoken
by the god Jal, which would seem to show that he is no god, but that of
this you believe nothing as yet. Then say to them that if the face of
the heavens remains grey on the morrow, you will know that this talk is
true, and that they will be brought to the temple, there to be judged
and dealt with according to the finding of the people, who have heard
these things also."

"And what if the weather should change, daughter?"

"It will not change yet awhile; but if that should chance, we must make
another plan."

"Just now I swore to you that I would not harm her whom you love, and
yet, daughter, if she is proved to be a false goddess in the face of all
the multitude, how shall she escape harm, for then her end must be quick
and terrible?"

"She shall escape because she will not be there, father. You have seen
the white man with her--not the Deliverer, the other. Were that man
dressed in the robes of Aca, and sat on high upon the head of the statue
when the light is low, who should say that he was not Aca?"

"Then you would give all the others to death, daughter?"

"Nay, I would save the Deliverer alive, for a while at least."

"And wherefore? You are too subtle for me."

"For this reason, father; he loves her