ut."

When the tumult had subsided, the spokesman of the elders addressed Nam,
saying:

"These are heavy words, O Nam, and having uttered them you must prove
them, for until they are proved we will not believe readily that there
are human beings so wicked that they dare to name themselves as gods.
When you proclaimed these strangers to be Aca and Jal, we accepted them,
perhaps too easily and after too short a search. Now you denounce them
as liars, but we will not disclaim them whom we have once received till
we are sure that there is no room for error. It may chance, Nam, that it
would please you well to cast aside those gods who have threatened you
with death and do not love you."

"I should be bold indeed," answered Nam, "if I dared to speak as I have
spoken lacking testimony to establish a charge so dreadful as that which
I bring against these wanderers. Nor should I seek to publish my own
shame and folly were I not forced thereto by knowledge that, did I
conceal it, would make me a partner of their crime. Listen, this is the
tale of those whom we have worshipped: the fair woman, as she herself
told us, is named Shepherdess of the Heavens, and she is the wife of the
white man who is named Deliverer, and the dwarf Dweller in the Waters is
their servant, together with the second white man and the others.

"Dwelling in a far country, these men and women chanced to learn the
story of our people--how, I shall show you presently--and also that we
find in the earth and use in the ceremonies of our temple certain red
and blue stones which among the white people are of priceless value.
These they determined to steal, being adventurers who seek after wealth.
To this end the Shepherdess learned our language, also she learned how
to play the part of Aca, while the dwarf, dog that he is, dared to take
the holy name of Jal. I will be short: they accomplished their journey,
and the rest you know. But, as it happened, none of the stones they
covert have come into their hands, except that gem which the Shepherdess
wears upon her forehead, and this she brought with her.

"Now, People of the Mist, when doubts of these gods had entered into
me I made a plan: I set spies to watch them in the palace yonder, those
spies being the wife who was given to the dwarf and her handmaidens.
Also, I caused their black servants to be seized and thrown to the
Snake, one or two of them at a time, for of this I was sure, that if
they had the power