It thus escaped her notice that the curtain over the doorway had been cautiously lifted several times, and that a human face had peered into the apartment.  She even failed to hear the shuffling step of two men who stealthily entered the room.  Only when they stood quite near her did the woman start and look up.  Both men broke out into roaring laughter at her surprise.  Shotaye grew angry.

“Why do you come in so unceremoniously,” she cried.  “Why do you sneak in here like a Moshome, or like a prairie wolf after carrion?  Cannot you speak, you bear?” she scolded without rising.

Her anger increased the merriment of the intruders.  One of them threw himself down by her side, forced his head into her lap, attempting to stroke her cheeks.  She pushed him from her, and recognized in him the gallant Zashue, Say Koitza’s husband.  He grasped both her hands.  This she allowed; but continued scolding.

“Go away, you hare, let me alone.”  He again reached toward her face, but she avoided him.  “Go home to your woman; I have no use for you.”

The men laughed and laughed; and the other one knelt down before her, looking straight into her face with immoderate merriment.  Then she became seriously angry.

“What do you want here,” she cried; and when the first one attempted to encircle her waist she pushed him from her with such force that he fell aside.  Then she rose to her feet and Zashue followed.

“Be not angry, sister,” he said good-naturedly, rubbing his sore shoulder; “we mean you no harm.”

“Go home and be good to your woman.”

“Later on I will,” he continued, “but first we want to see you.”

“And talk to you,” said Hayoue, for he was Zashue’s companion; “afterward I shall go.”  He emphasized the “I” and grinned.

“Yes, you are likely to go home,” she exclaimed.  “To Mitsha you will go, not to your mother’s dwelling.”

“Mitsha is a good girl,” replied the young man, “but I never go to see her.”

His brother meanwhile attempted to approach the woman again, but she forbade it.

“Go away, Zashue, I tell you for the last time.”  Her speech and manner of action were very positive.

“Why do you drive us away?” he said in a tone of good-natured disappointment.

“I do not drive you away,” replied Shotaye.  “You may stay here a while.  But then both of you must leave me.”  Her eyes nevertheless gazed at the two handsome forms with evident pleasure, but soon another thought arose.

“Sit down,” she added quietly, as she grasped after the stew-pot, placed it on the fire, and sat down so that she was in the shadow, whereas she could plainly see the features of both men.  The visitors had squatted also; they feared to arouse the woman’s anger, and the surprise they had planned had failed.

Hayoue spoke up first,—­

“You are good, sanaya, you give us food.”

“Indeed,” she remonstrated, “when I am not willing to do as you want, you call me mother and make an old woman of me.”  She looked at the young man, smiling, and winked at him.