It would have been different had the yaya alone retired for penitential performances; nobody would have been struck by that, for everybody was accustomed to see them at work, as such voluntary sacrifice on their part is usually called; it was their business.  But since the nashtio also, at least in part, performed similar acts, it could not help producing, slowly and gradually but surely, a tremendous amount of gossip and a corresponding number of speculations of a rather gloomy nature.

That gossip was started in the cave-dwellings of Tzina hanutsh.  The stout representative of the Water clan had married into that cluster, and lived consequently among them with his wife.  He returned home wildly excited; he did not go to rest at all; and when his family awoke they saw him sitting in a corner.  As soon as he declined to eat, remaining there in morose silence, they all knew that he was grieving and chastising himself.  Everybody thought, “The nashtio of Tzitz since his return from the council is doing penance.  What can have happened last night!”

Owing to the custom which compels a man to marry outside of his own clan, the abodes of the women of each clan were frequented by their husbands.  They of course belonged to different clans.  Their natural confidants were not their wives, still less their children, but their clan-brothers and clan-sisters.  During the day that followed the council, a man whose wife was from the Turkey people, but who himself belonged to Shyuamo, went down to the caves of the latter.  There he was received with the remark,—­

“The nashtio of the Eagles, Tyame, who lives with us, is fasting.”

He replied in surprise, “And Kauaitshe is also doing penance.”

A third, whose wife belonged to the Bear clan, was within hearing; and he quickly added, “The delegate from Hiit-shanyi dwells with Kohaio; he, too, is fasting!” It was strange!  People said nothing, but they shook their heads and separated.

Similar things occurred in the houses of the Tanyi.  There the representative of the Bear clan was in retirement.  In the big house news circulated faster than anywhere else on the Tyuonyi, and in a very short time it became known that not only the nashtio from Kohaio, but especially that the Hishtanyi Chayan and the Cuirana Naua were secluding themselves.  Step by step the news got abroad and went from clan to clan, while the people compared notes without expressing opinions.  At sunset it was known all over the Rito that since the council at least six of the clan delegates were fasting, besides the three shamans.  When at last news came that a woman had gone to see the wife of the chief penitent, and had heard from her that her husband was working, things began to look not only strange but portentous.