Okoya's mother
nodded; she was fully convinced.

The cave-dweller took up the former subject again.

"Do not misunderstand me, sister," she said; "I do not say that it is
well that Okoya should go to the house of the girl's mother. There is
danger in it. But your son is careful and wise, and Mitsha is good, as
good as our mother on high. Therefore don't cross his path; let him go
as he pleases; and if Mitsha should come to you, be kind to her, for she
deserves it. All this, however,"--the tone of her voice changed
suddenly,--"is not what I came to see you for. What I have to tell you
concerns me and you alone. Keep it precious, as precious as the green
stone hidden in the heart of the yaya; and whatever may happen, be
silent about it, as silent as the mountain. Keep your lips closed
against everybody until the time comes when we must speak."

Say nodded eagerly, and Shotaye was fully satisfied with the mute
pledge, for she knew that the woman dared not betray her.

"Believe me," she continued, "your life is safe. You will not, you
cannot, be harmed."

Say Koitza looked at her in surprise; she could not realize the truth of
these hopeful tidings.

"They found nothing in your house," resumed the other, "because, I
presume, you removed the feathers in time, and in this you were wise. If
Tyope says that he saw you holding owl's feathers in your hands, and you
have not kept them, who can speak against you at the council? Rest
assured of one thing. Tyope is at the bottom of all our troubles, and
unless he or somebody else watched you while you buried the hapi at the
foot of the beams on which the Koshare go up to their cave, nobody will
believe him when he rises against you. Are you sure," she added, "that
nobody saw you?"

"They were all up there, so Zashue himself told me."

"Tyope, also?"

"Tyope," Say replied with animation,--"I saw Tyope. He was outside,
clinging to the rock on high like a squirrel to a tree. But he could not
see me."

"Then, child, you are safe; let them do as they please."

"But if he comes and says, 'I saw Say and Shotaye with black corn, and
owl's feathers on it; and I heard them ask of the evil corn to speak to
them'?"

"Then everybody will say, 'Shotaye is a witch, Say only her tool; we
must punish Shotaye, she must be killed,' and that will be the end of
it."

She brought her face so close to that of her friend that the latter,
while unable to see her features, clearly felt her b