and pointing with his fingers,
but Owen remained standing within about thirty yards of the pole.
Suddenly there came a glare of light, and the pole was split into
fragments; but although the shock was perceptible, they remained unhurt.
Almost immediately a second flash leaped from the cloud, and Owen saw
Hokosa stagger and fall to his knees. "The man is struck," he thought
to himself, but it was not so, for recovering his balance, the wizard
walked back to the stream.

Owen never stirred. From boyhood courage had been one of his good
qualities, but it was a courage of the spirit rather than of the flesh.
For instance, at this very moment, so far as his body was concerned,
he was much afraid, and did not in the least enjoy standing upon an
ironstone plateau at the imminent risk of being destroyed by lightning.
But even if he had not had an end to gain, he would have scorned to give
way to his human frailties; also, now as always, his faith supported
him. As it happened the storm, which was slight, passed by, and no more
flashes fell. When it was over he walked back to where the king and his
court were standing.

"Messenger," said Umsuka, "you are not only a great doctor, you are also
a brave man, and such I honour. There is no one among us here, not being
a lord of the lightning, who would have dared to stand upon that place
with Hokosa while the flashes fell about him. Yet you have done it; it
was Hokosa who was driven away. You have passed the trial by fire, and
henceforth, whether we refuse your message or accept it, you are great
in this land."

"There is no need to praise me, King," answered Owen. "The risk is
something; but I knew that I was protected from it, seeing that I shall
not die until my hour comes, and it is not yet. Listen now: your god
yonder is nothing but a stone such as I have often seen before, for
sometimes in great tempests they come to earth from the clouds. You are
not the first people that have worshipped such a stone, but now we know
better. Also this plain before you is full of iron, and iron draws
the lightning. That is why it never strikes your town below. The iron
attracts it more strongly than earth and huts of straw. Again, while the
pole stood I was in little danger, for the lightning strikes the highest
thing; but after the pole was shattered and Hokosa wisely went away,
then I was in some danger, only no flashes fell. I am not a magician,
King, but I know some things that you do n