“Mother,”—­it was Shyuote’s voice which called into the outer room from the court-yard,—­“mother, come out and look at the fine rainbow.”  With this he dashed into the inner door and stood there, the very incarnation of dirt.  He had been playing at Delight Makers in the mud-puddles outside with some of his comrades, and was covered with splashes of mud from head to foot.  Say bounded from her seat and pushed back the forward youngster.

“Who is with you, sanaya?” he inquired, while retreating.

“Nobody, you water-mole!  I want to be alone.  I have no time to look at your rainbow.  Get away!” and she hustled him outside and quickly returned to the kitchen.

But Shyuote, not satisfied with his mother’s statement, rushed to the port-hole to see for himself.  This Shotaye had expected; and as soon as his dirty face darkened the opening, it received a splash of muddy rain-water that caused the boy to desist from further prying.

After Say had resumed her seat by the hearth, Shotaye bent toward her and whispered,—­

“Mark me, the Shiuana are with us; the rainbow stands in the skies.  Those Above know that what I speak to you is the truth.”  Okoya’s mother nodded; she was fully convinced.

The cave-dweller took up the former subject again.

“Do not misunderstand me, sister,” she said; “I do not say that it is well that Okoya should go to the house of the girl’s mother.  There is danger in it.  But your son is careful and wise, and Mitsha is good, as good as our mother on high.  Therefore don’t cross his path; let him go as he pleases; and if Mitsha should come to you, be kind to her, for she deserves it.  All this, however,”—­the tone of her voice changed suddenly,—­“is not what I came to see you for.  What I have to tell you concerns me and you alone.  Keep it precious, as precious as the green stone hidden in the heart of the yaya; and whatever may happen, be silent about it, as silent as the mountain.  Keep your lips closed against everybody until the time comes when we must speak.”

Say nodded eagerly, and Shotaye was fully satisfied with the mute pledge, for she knew that the woman dared not betray her.

“Believe me,” she continued, “your life is safe.  You will not, you cannot, be harmed.”

Say Koitza looked at her in surprise; she could not realize the truth of these hopeful tidings.

“They found nothing in your house,” resumed the other, “because, I presume, you removed the feathers in time, and in this you were wise.  If Tyope says that he saw you holding owl’s feathers in your hands, and you have not kept them, who can speak against you at the council?  Rest assured of one thing.  Tyope is at the bottom of all our troubles, and unless he or somebody else watched you while you buried the hapi at the foot of the beams on which the Koshare go up to their cave, nobody will believe him when he rises against you.  Are you sure,” she added, “that nobody saw you?”