with his own means, and
neither had any thought of going beyond what the tribal organization
could give them. There was no idea of revolutionizing or even reforming
the organization. Had one of them entertained such a thought the other
would have become his bitterest enemy, for both were deeply imbued with
the principles on which rested the existence of the society in which
they had been born. All they aspired to was to eliminate a certain
number of men or people, in order to secure with greater ease certain
advantages. It was the survival of the fittest, as primitive society
understands it and as refined society attempts to enact, though with
more refined means.

The stumbling-blocks in the path of these intriguers were the chief
penitents,--the cacique, or as their titles run, the Hotshanyi, or
principal cacique, and his two assistants, the uishtyaka and the
shaykatze. These men, selected for the purpose of doing penance for all
and thus obtaining readier access to the ear of the immortal ones, were
the official keepers of peace among the tribe. For the Indian feels that
a house divided against itself cannot stand, and that the maintenance of
harmony through a constant appeal to the higher powers is the most
important feature in the life of his tribe. To discredit in an underhand
way the caciques was the special aim of the Koshare Naua, and to direct
the eyes of the people to his own achievements in religious magic,--in
one word to place the power of the Koshare and their specific medicine
on a higher plane than all that the official penitents might achieve. To
do this was a very slow piece of work, and it had to be brought about in
such a manner that nobody could suspect his object. But both Tyope and
the aged scoundrel were working their plans with the utmost caution, and
the religious heads of the tribe had not the slightest suspicion of what
was going on against them.

The Tyuonyi, therefore, was quiet on the surface, but there were
occasional ripples of that placid brook which earnest and thoughtful
observers could not fail to notice. Hayoue, although very young, was one
of these observers; but none saw more and penetrated deeper into the
real state of affairs than Topanashka. He and the Hishtanyi Chayan, who
to some extent was his trusty friend, felt that a tempest was coming.
Both saw that the disturbing powers were rooted in the society of the
Koshare, that Tyope and the Naua must be the leading spirits. But