among strangers. While I reigned in my valley I heard of the white
man's magic and of the power of his gods, and I longed to prove them.
Now I have learned many things which were hid from the eyes of our
oldest men. I have learned that a man may be a great brave, and yet
gentle and merciful, as was the Master, I have learned that a man may
be a lover of peace and quiet ways and have no lust of battle in his
heart, and yet when the need comes be more valiant than the best, even
as you, brother. I have learned that the God of the white men was
Himself a man who endured the ordeal of the stake for the welfare of
His enemies. I have seen cruelty and cowardice and folly among His
worshippers; but I have also seen that His faith can put spirit into a
coward's heart, and make heroes of mean men. I do not grudge my years
of wandering. They have taught me such knowledge as the Sachems of my
nation never dreamed of, and they have given me two comrades after my
own heart. One was he who died yesterday, and the other is now by my
side."

These words of Shalah did not make me proud, for things were too
serious for vanity. But they served to confirm in me my strange
exaltation. I felt as one dedicated to a mighty task.

"Tell me, what is the invasion which threatens the Tidewater?"

"The whole truth is not known to me; but from the speech of my
tribesmen, it seems that the Children of the West Wind, twelve moons
ago, struck their tents and resolved to seek a new country. There is a
restlessness comes upon all Indian peoples once in every five
generations. It fell upon my grandfather, and he travelled towards the
sunset, and now it has fallen upon the whole race of the Sun. As they
were on the eve of journeying there came to them a prophet, who told