As soon as we got within the range of her voice Mrs Peachtree spoke to her children, "Where ere now?   What is afoot?"

   From the tone of her voice and the look on her face I was sure she was not asking what sort of game we wanted to play!   Before either Kalana or Roliti could answer her, the priest added, "By reason of my concern I came hither, your infirmity to inquire of and, Lo! -- you be nowise present!   Our alarm surely you can fathom?"

    There was an awkward silence while Father Logis and Mrs Peachtree waited for an response (ostensibly from the children, but in reality from me) and while the others with me silently pleaded with me to come up with a good answer!   I let my companions sweat and the authority figures stew for a moment or two while I considered.   On the one hand I had no doubt that I wasn't going to be pushed around by these people any more now that I had a good idea what was going on, but on the other hand I had no doubt that I didn't want to antagonize them to the point that it would jeopardize everything!   And I also had no doubt that the priest had not been worried about my health at all -- despite what he'd just said!   Instead he had become very suspicious about my motives and was going to try to put a stop to whatever it was that we had planned.   So I needed both a diversion and needed to walk a fine line with that diversion.   I thought a moment longer and thought -- hoped! -- I had it!

   "I was loathe, afore the nonce, to broach the subject.   Ridicule I feared!   However my companions and I be, in reality, members of a sect while not rival, nonetheless foreign to your reason.   For this cause I fain would not besmirch your belief!   We one and all are Aertherians!   As such we worship both the native elements and those unseen and higher -- the gods of Earth AND Sky!   We spoke not on this and presented our harmless ruse for the reason that our creed demanded that upon this day we perform a ritual needful to our gods!   We saw no harm in Kalana and Roliti observing as long as they merely did!   If this offends you overmuch very sorry we be!   Nevertheless, a duty we maintain!"

   While Mrs Peachtree simply looked bemused, Father Logis blinked several times in confusion.   It was obvious that what I'd said was the last thing he expected me to say!   But would he buy it?   After all, hadn't I told him earlier that I was not overly religious?   Still, people were known all the time to lie for politeness sake and it COULD be possible, from his point of view, that that was what I had been doing, couldn't it?

   Father Logis studied me for several moments.   Finally a smile appeared on his lips, but I noticed that the smile did not reach his eyes.   It was a theatrical smile, placed there primarily, I was sure, for the Peachtree family.   Then he spoke, "Let it not be said that I am one for bigotry.   Of a surety, in God's great plan room there be for leniency.   However --" He held up a forestalling hand as if I had raised an objection "Only amongst world wise adults should this be observed.   Impressionable, unformed children must be protected for their reason.   Therefore, in light of these admissions you spake, I believe it best for you and your party to seperate be from the children.   But only until such time as we have to converse further upon this matter.   Therefore, you shall bide awhile in the parsonage!   Or feel free to fare upon your own."

   Mrs. Peachtree nodded her grim acknowledgement of the wisdom of the Priests's plan.   No matter how much Kalana and Roliti protested, she and the Priest stood firm.   I was glad that they had the sense not to mention anything specific -- like Edgar, for example.   And I was also glad that it was not worse.   It could have been!   The Priest could have decided to alert the Anunnaki to our presence and they might have decided to do something drastic -- way before we were prepared to fight back.   It seemed to me that the Priest wasn't really that sure about us and wanted to be sure before he took more drastic steps.   That was in our favor.   We could still -- hopefully! -- wait until very early morning and go for the fiery chariot.   The only serious impediment was that we would have to be extra, extra careful not to alert or alarm anyone.   And the way it was before we would have had to have done almost that anyway.   It was just going to make it a little more difficult to sneak out, as we would have to do it right under Father Logis's nose.   And get Kalana and Roliti out of the house without alerting Mrs Peachtree, something we could have done easier had we already been in the house.   But!   We WOULD work something out!   Now it was even more imperative that we did!   So I gave Kalana and Roliti a surreptitious sign that they should not worry and turning to the Priest said, "Of a certainty, sire, the wisdom of your words are overweening.   I thought, simply, to offer an example.   However it occured not to me that against their reason it mote be.   I am your supplicant.   Lay on!"   We parted then.   And as we parted, I thought to myself, "There ARE ways around this roadblock!   Aren't there?"

   Later that evening we sat down togther at a meal Father Logis had prepared himself.   He turned out to be a surprisingly good cook.   I commented on this -- especially singling out the meat dish and asking him what it was.   I was not sure since it had a bit of gamey flavor that I was not used to and was also prepared in some sauce or gravy that I did not recognize.

   "Have you never had braised horse flank marinated in rum?   Oh!   The rum marinade makes an excellent gravy base too!" Father Logis replied.

   Weslee, who had just put a generous helping of the meat in his mouth and was chewing vigorously, suddenly, upon hearing the Priest's words, turned his head and spat the mouthful onto the floor.   His muzzle looking grayish green, he exclaimed, "HORSE?!   You mean you eat your transportation?   How can you?   They are such magnificent creatures!"   Then he looked at the floor where he had impulsively spat the mouthful of meat, "Uh, sorry!   I'll clean that up!   It's just that I'm afraid I'm a bit too civilized to eat something that I would consider a pet -- or a friend, for that matter."

   Father Logis laughed uproariously for a few moments and then said, "Pity me, Weslee, No good humor at your expense did I mean!   It were simply priceless the look upon your visage!   Nay!   I shall remove the offending victuals betimes with the morsel expunged from your mouth.   But stay!   The matter shall be attended to upon the later moment!   For the nonce have a bit of the hen -- it is perhaps more seemly?"

   I was feeling a bit queasy myself, but something had occured to me and I figured this was a good time as any to bring it up.   "Observe!   "Upon this matter expound I shall, by your leave, at greater length."

   Father Logis gave me a gracious little bow, "Say you on!"

   "This were lead towards mine point of creed.   How say you?   Do all life be divine?   If so be -- in what manner and what service?"

   Father Logis appeared to be mulling it over as if he was looking for any verbal trap that might lie in my question.   (And of course there was!)   Without showing his full hand finally he answered, "Of a surety all life be divine.   Where the theologians part company do is on exactly your penultimate questions.   One school of thought holds forth that the greatest service to the creator is the ultimate betterment of one's self by one's self.   Of a course the opposing view is thus, that one may only be bettered by the creator Himself and that one must ultimately surrender all will.   Methinks the truth do lie somehow betwixt the two."

   It was a clever attempt to evade the issue, but I was going to pin him down if I could, without too heavily tipping my own hand, of course!   I gave him a tenative smile, "Mayhaps appearances be deceiving do, nonetheless it seemly appears to me that thus is not the case herein.   Pray tell, whence have I steered wrong in mine philosophy?"

   I expected that this might get his ire up.   Or that he would get all condescending on me.   He was much more clever than that.   He threw the ball back in my court.   "How so?   By what star do you steer by?"

   What did I say now that didn't give us away?   I was still floundering to come up with a response that would fit the imaginary parameters I had set while at the same time not show my hand when Perki came to my rescue.   "For ensample let us consider Weslee."   Not knowing where she was going, still Weslee preened himself.   Perki gave him an indulgent smile and went on, "Were Weslee a bear or were Weslee a man?   Say not!" It was her turn to hold up a forestalling hand as if Father Logis had started to voice an objection.   He had not, he had just sat there with his chin cupped in his hand, regarding her thoughtfully, but I thought it was a nice piece of theatrics.   After a moment Perki went on as if she had had to wait for Father Logis to quell himself, "By some leave he were a man and by some he were not.   Should his exalted state he celebrate or should he recant the nature and to debasement bow?   To wit!   May Weslee a man considered be -- whether by his own hand or by another?   Or must he conform to some creed not of his making?"

   "I have meant ere now to inquire deeper more into the matter of Weslee's land of origin.   Pray!   Someone elucidate further on?" Father Logis crossed his arms across his ample stomach, sat back in his chair and waited patiently, looking expectantly around at us all.

   It sounded like Father Logis was sidestepping the question, but I wasn't sure he was.   I was sure, though, that Perki was astute enough to see that.   I wasn't worried that she would fall into a trap.   I WAS concerned with where he might be going with this.   Where?   And what could Perki say that wouldn't blow the whole thing?

   I should have known better.   I should have known that I didn't need to worry.   Perki came through like a TV Evangelist!   Convincing!   And oh so cunning! "It seems manifest that upon this heavenly globe you have not been afar.   Else common knowledge would you have of the wonders that lie hither and yon.   This nook be a place of no great report; in similitude it be less than equal.   Before you bides one such ensample of the wonders elsewhere -- Weslee!   And such wonders abound!   And more!   What manner of people think you reign there?   How so do they be unlike you?   And do this variance present a durance vile?   Or come upon nothing?   Or all in all?   Aye! Submit do I that it IS all in all the world and more!"

   I figured she had him.   If he insisted that he was a world traveler then he would have to agree with us on facts that did not exist.   (Or if he simply claimed to be well read, we could always claim author's bias or ignorance, claiming we knew better -- and he would be back to having to claim to be a world traveler or else back down.)   Or if he tried to prove us liars -- by appealing to his relation with the Annunaki -- he would obviously have to tip his hand whether he was ready to or not!   But would he do that?   I didn't think so since it seemed like he would want to wait until he had more of the "goods" on us -- and so far we had done nothing overt (that he could prove!)or else we wouldn't be having this conversation!   (This was just a heavy handed attempt to flush us out -- I was sure!)   And so without being able to appeal to superior knowledge what COULD he say or do?   And the best part of it all was that Perki had really given away nothing -- while sounding like she had!   It was going to be interesting to see what he did or said next -- no matter what it was!

   I thought Father Logis was not going answer at all because he said nothing for a long, long time.   Finally he stirred himself, rubbed his jaw ruminatively for a moment or two longer and then spoke, "Of a surety we all God's children be no matter our provenance.   And mayhaps God in his great wisdom has unto varied races given a diverse light so that we may all upon that path be found.   Now.   I have matters that my attention desires.   Quarters you will find down the hall.   There the night you may reside in respose." And he pointed to a doorway leading off the kitchen in the opposite direction from the sanctuary.

   Father Logis had said many things in those few short sentences -- most of them between the lines.   But of course I was going to wait until we were alone to see what sort of take Perki and Weslee had on his words.   So we thanked him for the meal (Weslee grudgingly), excused ourselves, and headed down the hallway we found on the other side of the doorway Father Logis had indicated.

   Since the parsonage was not as large as the Peachtree residence, there were only two doorways on that hallway, one on the right hand and one on the left a little father down.   The one on the right proved to be a bathroom with a large clawfooted bath tub dominating most of the space.   There was also a hand sink and a toilet with running water.   The guest room was outfitted with two double beds, a large walk in closet and contained -- on shelves on the right hand side -- plenty of clean bed linen and towels, wash rags, bars of soap and shampoo!   The other side had a built in bureau with plenty of space to store clothing in.   While I stood there wondering why Father Logis would need such elaborate guest quarters when he most likely never entertained any guest (Who would it be?   There were, after all, no other towns and I could not see him entertaining any of the local folks that way.) I could hear Perki and Weslee talking amongst themselves.   I left the closet and joined them.

   "Wasn't that priceless?" I said, after I was comfortable lying on the bed Perki had chosen for her and me.

   Weslee sat up, rolled over on his stomach and said as he kicked his feet in the air, "Wasn't what priceless, Doc?   Do you mean what Father Logis said?   Or do you mean what Perki said?   Or do you mean what you said to get the whole thing rolling?"

   "All three!"   I answered with a dry chuckle.   I mean when Perki asked Father Logis if you were a man I almost lost it and --"

   Weslee stopped idly swinging his feet in the air and gave me an indignant glare, "What do you mean -- IF I am a man?   Of course I am a man, er, I mean of course I am a very smart bear that is as good as any man!"   He then gave Perki and me a flustered look. "I don't know what I mean!   Yes I do!   Well at least you guys know what I mean, I think!" And he looked at us both hopefully.

   After me and Perki finished laughing I resumed making my point!   "See?   That's what I mean.   Father Logis couldn't call you an animal without demeaning you and he certainly didn't want to admit that you were somehow as good as a man so he had to settle for appealing to double talk.   That's one clue.   Here's another one.   What did he say when I alluded to all life being divine?   Again with the double talk!   And what did he say when Perki mentioned the question of you having to bow to some creed not of your own?   Double talk!   In other words, what all these clues lead to are this: if he was completely hoodwinked by the Anunnaki and now really believes they are gods then he would have been completely dogmatic about it.   I think this shows us conclusively that he is NOT completely hoodwinked by them!   But there's more these clues point to!   I think it's pretty obvious that he was trying to get us to put our feet in our mouths by giving us plenty of leeway!   We were just too smart for him so he backed off since he didn't want to press the issue and tip his hand.   However that doesn't mean that he won't be watching us very closely.   Quite to the contrary!   Since we have now proven ourselves -- at the very least! -- to be something besides simple circus folks he is going to be waiting for us to make the slightest mistake.   And that brings me to another point that is not quite so humorous!   We can't afford to wait around and give him any opportunities to catch us in a mistake.   However, do we dare go for the so called fiery chariot tonight as we planned?   I mean, won't he be watching us extra close tonight?

   Perki gave me a concerned look. "I see what you mean.   But here's something else to think about.   He said he had matters to attend to.   What if suspects that we know about the fiery chariot and has gone there to double the guard and to lay in wait for us?"

   Weslee stopped swinging his feet like a bored school girl and sat up, facing us both with a growl. "Good point, Perks old girl.   But Doc, I say we gotta go for it! One of us can at least check and see if he's here at all.   If he isn't that doesn't necessarily mean he's gone there to the shrine.   But even if he has we can have Roliti guide Edgar to a place close enough yet far enough away, if you see what I mean?"

   I knew exactly what he meant.   We could go there and check out the lay of the land first before we went closer.   We would just have to hope that he had not brought the Anunnaki in just yet, that instead he wanted to grab as much glory for himself as he could by trying to capture us singlehandedly, as it were -- and then alert the Anunnaki.   In any case we would have to be VERY, VERY careful not to get caught!   And if he was there we'd have to hope that we could go back some other time -- or at least hope there WAS another time!   But for now . . . we NEEDED to at least try it.   I couldn't see that waiting gave us any advantage.   Trying for a little grim humor I said, "We're going in!"