the mass."

"What?" exclaimed the Indian, starting back. "It is too solemn a thing
to joke about; but do you wish to make me believe that the people can
really believe that they eat the body of their God, and that human
beings can change pieces of paste into that body? No, no, no! Monsieur
Governor. We Indians have not a knowledge of the numerous arts you
Frenchmen possess, but we are not so foolish as to believe such a gross
imposture as that. I am afraid that your priests are like our
medicine-men, in whom we trusted till we found them to be rogues and
deceivers."

These words were uttered by Tecumah in a loud, indignant tone, and were
overheard by one of the priests, who, having changed his gorgeous robes,
had followed the governor out of the church in order to speak to him.

"Beware, young man, what you say!" he exclaimed, in an angry tone. "How
can you understand the mysteries of our faith? But I know well where
you received your instruction, and he who taught you shall have his just
reward."

Tecumah stood calmly listening to the priest's angry threats. "He who
taught me is under the protection of my tribe," he answered, "and those
who injure him will be our foes. I now see that you are one of the men
who played the tricks in the church hard by, and deceived the people by
persuading them that you have the power which belongs to God alone, to
work a miracle."

These words so enraged the priest, that he would have struck the Indian
had he dared. The governor observed his anger, and being well aware of
the importance of not offending their Indian allies, on whose support
their very existence depended, now interfered and tried to soothe the
angry priest as well as Tecumah. The latter, however, felt more scorn
than anger towards the man whom he, with his acute and unprejudiced
mind, looked upon as guilty of practising a gross imposture, and he was
therefore quickly pacified; but the priest, grinding his teeth,
continued to mutter threats of vengeance, till the governor, drawing him
aside, reminded him of the importance of not offending the Indians.

"You may do what you like with the heretic minister," he observed; "but
the services of these Indians are required, and we cannot afford to lose
them."

"The guilty one shall feel the vengeance of our Church, then," answered
the priest. "We cannot allow a doctrine which so greatly supports our
authority to be called in question."

"Of course not, my fr