"Hush!" he commanded sternly. "These are things of which you know nothing. If he be the Capitan Da Vasco, being divine he will drink the gold and be unharmed."
Into a rude pottery pitcher, which had been heated in the pot of fire at the base of the altar, he poured the molten gold. At a signal, several of the young men laid aside their spears, and, with the evident intention of prying her teeth apart, advanced on Leoncia.
"Hold, priest!" Francis shouted stentoriously. "She is not divine as Da Vasco is divine. Try the golden drink on Da Vasco."
Whereat Torres bestowed upon Francis a look of malignant anger.
"Stand on your haughty pride," Francis instructed him. "Decline the drink. Show them the inside of your helmet."
"I will not drink!" Torres cried, half in a panic as the priest turn
