The members of these secret societies are therefore magicians or wizards, and when any one dreads danger from evil sorcery it is his duty to consult the proper shaman for relief, unless he should be sure of the person of the sorcerer, in which case he may kill him outright without even mentioning the deed.  In the present instance Say could not resort to such a summary expedient.  It was therefore the duty of Shotaye, who was better informed on institutions and customs, to direct her sick friend to a shaman.  But Shotaye was not on good terms with the official wizards, particularly the Chayani, those who cured, and still less with the highest religious powers, the Yaya.  It suited her pride to attempt the experiment at her own risk, conscious all the while that it was dangerous,—­dangerous for herself, as well as for her patient.  For it entailed performances which only the shaman can undertake, and should they be detected, the very crime of sorcery, against which their experiments were directed, would be charged against them.

Shotaye had still another reason for not encouraging her friend to speak to the higher chayani.  The fever coincided with the rainy season.  As soon as this was over it subsided.  Natural as this was, both women attributed it to a mysterious cause; and Shotaye, suspicious and vindictive even, thought she had discovered a clew to the guilty party.

The rainy season in New Mexico is of course essential to the growth of the chief staple of the Indian,—­maize or Indian corn.  When, therefore, in July daily showers should occur, the principal shamans of each tribe and the yaya must pray, fast, and mortify themselves, in order that Those Above may send the needed rain.  The hishtanyi chayan scatters the powder of the white flower to the winds, meanwhile murmuring incantations.  At night he imitates thunder, by whirling a flint knife attached to the end of a long string, and draws brilliant flashes from pebbles which he strikes together in a peculiar manner.  For the Indian reasons that since rain is preceded in summer by lightning and thunder, man by imitating those heralds is calling the desired precipitation,—­beckoning it to come.

This is the time of the year when the Koshare perform their chief work.  Four days and four nights, sometimes longer, they must fast and pray in order that the crops may obtain the moisture indispensable for ripening.  The people look upon the Delight Makers with a degree of respect akin to fear at all times, for they are regarded as powerful intermediaries in matters of life and death to the tribe; but during that particular time they are considered as specially precious to the higher powers.  Shotaye hated the Koshare.  They in turn disliked the woman, and gave vent to their dislike by turning her into ridicule at public dances as often as possible.  This she resented greatly; but she was powerless to retaliate, since the Delight Makers enjoy special privileges on festive days.  The medicine-woman’s hatred was still increased by the fact that her former husband, Tyope, was a leading Koshare.  To his influence she attributed the insults which the jesters offered her, and she saw in the whole group but a crowd of willing tools handled by her personal enemy.