itsha any more." With this
he attempted to rise; but Hayoue held him back, and spoke very
earnestly,--

"No; it would not be well. You are fit for each other, and you must come
together. I will help you all I can."

"Can you help me?" Okoya exclaimed, delightfully surprised.

"Perhaps I can, perhaps not. I will talk to your mother and get her to
be in your favour; but there is one thing you must promise me
faithfully, and that is to be very, very careful. When you go to the
house of Tyope's wife and you are asked about anything, say nothing;
reveal nothing in regard to matters of our clans but what you might
shout over the housetops with perfect impunity. Otherwise"--and his
voice sounded like an impressive warning--"you may do great injury to
the tribe."

"But if Mitsha herself inquires of me?"

"You must be wise, brother, wiser than she is; for women are seldom
wise,--only forward, curious, and inquisitive. Wisdom"--and the dandy of
the Rito shrugged his shoulders--"is a gift to man, never to woman.
When you and Mitsha are together alone, be wise. Don't ask her anything
that does not concern you; and if she begins to pry into your matters,
you will have a right to say to her, 'I don't pry into your affairs, so
don't ask me about those of my people.' I am sure that she will let you
alone thereafter, for Mitsha is a good girl. Nevertheless, be careful,
for it is as certain as that the brook runs through here that they will
attempt to draw you out. Tyope will say to his wife, 'Find out this or
that from him.' He may even tell her why he wants to know it. The woman
goes to her daughter, and bids her ask the boy about such and such a
thing. But she is careful not to let out why, and that Tyope is at the
bottom of the inquiry. The girl suspects nothing wrong and asks you, and
you tell her all you know. In this manner precious things get little by
little into evil hands, and the end of it is evil. If you will promise
me that you will be very cautious, I will speak to Say Koitza such words
that she will feel glad to see you and Mitsha become one."

Okoya seized the hand of his friend, breathed on it, then clasped it
with both hands, lifting it up to heaven. He could not utter a word; joy
and hope deprived him of the power of speech. Hayoue suffered him to go
through this ceremony; he also felt glad.

The storm was drawing nearer; dense clouds hovered over the Rito, but
they did not notice them. Louder and louder the t