Terry's lips low, simple, majestic:

"--is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory.... Forever...."

CHAPTER XV

THE SIGN

The sun striking on his face through the open window waked the Major
to the cool clear morning. Sitting up, he saw Terry sunning himself on
the threshold, wrapped in a scant blanket such as Ohto had worn, his
hair wet from his bath in the creek which emptied the big spring at
the foot of the crag. Even in the stupor in which he woke from his
heavy sleep the Major noted the ruddy glow of the skin which covered
Terry's bare arm and leg, was surprised at the development of the
muscles which played into being at each slight movement. His face was
as evenly pallid as ever.

The Major stopped yawning. "Terry, I always thought of you as
being--sort of skinny, but you're as hard as nails."

He wrapped closer in the cotton cloth. "I've always taken good care of
myself, Major. From the time when I was a boy I have thought a good
deal about--all sorts of things--and I realized early that one thing
was certain--that this is the only body I'm ever going to have."

Learning from Terry where he could wash up, the Major made his way to
the creek and after disrobing waded into the deepest spot and soaped
himself liberally. For a moment he enjoyed the bath, but as the
spring was the source of water supply for the village and as the young
women were allotted the task of carrying it, his exhilaration was
short lived. The water came but to his knees, so most of the half hour
he spent in the pool he lay submerged to his chin, his agonized
bachelor face exposed to the maidens who observed him from the spring
three rods away. He would have taken no comfort from the thought--if
it had come to him--that to them comparative nakedness was the normal
state.

Mountain springs are usually clear and chill, and this was no
exception. He was numb with cold when, hearing a snort of
irrepressible joy behind him, he twisted his head about to discover
Terry enjoying his discomfiture. After Terry drove the girls away the
Major jumped out of the creek and hurried into his clothes, blue
lipped, shivering.

"T-Terry, you'd better q-q-quit laughing! M-Millions have been
m-m-murdered on less p-p-provocation!"

After breakfast Terry, intent upon discovery of some way out of their
predicament, left for a long walk. Alone in the little house, the
Major brooded half the morning over the plight in which the old
chief's dic