Now she was in front of their foremost rank, and, halting there, was
silent for a moment. Then she changed her song.

"Will ye not greet me, children of my children?
Have ye forgotten the promise of the dead?
Shall I return to the dream-land whence I wander?
Will ye refuse me, the Mother of the Snake?"

The soldiers looked upon one another and murmured each to each. Now she
saw that they understood her words and were terror-stricken by them.
For another moment there was silence, then suddenly the three priests or
medicine-men, who had drawn near together, passed through the ranks and
stood before her, accompanied by the warrior-chief.

Then one of them, the most aged, a man who must have numbered ninety
years, spoke in the midst of an intense silence. To Juanna's joy, as
they had understood her, so she understood him, for his language was the
same that Soa taught her many years before, and in which, for the sake
of practice, they had always conversed together for the last two months.

"Art thou woman, or spirit?" asked the ancient priest.

"I am both woman and spirit," she answered.

"And he with thee, he whom we know of"--went on the priest, pointing
tremblingly to Otter--"is he god or man?"

"He is both god and man," she answered.