er, Zashue, and Shiape, your
grandfather's brother,--do you believe they would forsake you? Mind,
boy, even if the Koshare be against you, you are not lost. There is your
umo, Topanashka, and he has great weight with the old men, with the
council, and with the people. There is your clan, Tanyi, and in fine I
and my people are here too." He uttered these words proudly, looking at
his nephew encouragingly. But Okoya was not fully reassured; his doubts
were not removed. There was one thing yet that he held in reserve for
the last, and that was his dread of witchcraft and the suspicion that
such a danger threatened him from his own mother. He resolved to tell
his friend all, including the scene of the morning and the conclusions
he had drawn from it.

"Hayoue," said he, "you are good and wise, much wiser than I; still,
listen to me once more."

Louder and nearer sounded the thunder. Hayoue bent over toward Okoya, a
close, attentive, sympathizing listener. The young man related
everything,--his relations with Mitsha, how he had quarrelled with his
mother, and the conclusions at which he had arrived touching his
mother's evil designs and practices. At this point Hayoue began to
laugh, and laughed till he coughed.

"And you really believe this!" he cried. But at once he grew very
serious and even stern. "Mot[=a]tza, it is not right in you to think
thus of your mother. Say Koitza is good; she is better than most women
at the Tyuonyi, far too good for my brother Zashue, and better than I or
you. I know her well, and even if there should be witches, which I do
not believe--"

A loud thunderpeal caused the mountains to tremble. Hayoue started,
shook his head, and muttered,--

"They call loudly. It may be that there are witches. At all events"--he
raised his voice again--"if there are such women, your mother does not
belong to them. It is not right, brother, for you to think such things
of your mother. You have done her a great wrong, for I tell you again
she is good and she is your best friend. Where do you belong? Whose
blood is yours? Is it your father's? Are the Water people your people?
No, Tanyi is your hanutsh. Your mother's clan are your kindred. Mind,
satyumishe, our life is in our blood, and it is the blood of her who
gave you life that flows in your veins. When you say aught against your
mother, you tarnish your own life."

"But why does she not want me to go with Mitsha?" Okoya asked, and
pouted.

"Don't you s