d Cumner, "and the exalted chief, Pango Dooni, came to save us. He
shielded us from evil and death and the dagger of the mongrel chief,
Boonda Broke. Children of heavenly Mandakan, Pango Dooni has lived at
variance with us, but now he is our friend. A strong man should rule
in the Palace of Mandakan as my brother and the friend of my people. I
speak for Pango Dooni. For whom do you speak?"

As he had said, so said all the people in the Hall of the Heavenly
Hours, and it was taken up with shouts by the people in the Palace yard.
Pango Dooni should be Dakoon!

Pango Dooni came forward and said: "If as ye say I have saved ye, then
will ye do after my desire, if it be right. I am too long at variance
with this Palace to sit comfortably here. Sometime, out of my bitter
memories, I should smite ye. Nay, let the young, who have no wrongs to
satisfy, let the young who have dreams and visions and hopes, rule; not
the old lion of the hills, who loves too well himself and his rugged
ease of body and soul. But if ye owe me any debt, and if ye mean me
thanks, then will ye make my son Dakoon. For he is braver than I, and
between ye there is no feud. Then will I be your friend, and because my
son shall be Dakoon I will harry ye no more, but bide in my hills, free
and friendly, and ready with sword and lance to stand by the faith and
fealty that I promise. If this be your will, and the will of the great
Cumner, speak."

Cumner bowed his head in assent, and the people called in a loud voice
for Tang-a-Dahit.

The young man stepped forth, and baring his head, said:

"It is meet that the race be to the swift, to those who have proven
their faith and their swords; who have the gift for ruling, and the
talent of the sword to sustain it. For me, if ye will hear me, I will
go another way. I will not rule. My father hath passed on this honour to
me, but I yield it up to one who hath saved ye from a double death, even
to the great Cumner's Son. He rode, as ye know, through peril to Pango
Dooni, bearing the call for help, and he hath helped to save the whole
land from the Red Plague. But for him Mandakan would be only a place of
graves. Speak, children of heavenly Mandakan, whom will ye choose?" When
Cumner's Son stood forth he was pale and astounded before the cries
of greeting that were carried out through the Palace yard, through the
highways, and even to the banyan tree where sat the beggar of Nangoon.

"I have done nothing, I have don