rocky recess where he sat aloof
from the others in the darkest shadow of the already shadowy spot. It
was the old chief of the Delight Makers, the Koshare Naua.

When the last two comers reached the group and offered the usual
greeting, the conversation--in which the delegate from Tzitz hanutsh, a
short, stout man, and his colleague from Oshatsh had been the loudest
participants--came to a sudden stop. The subject of the discussion was
not a reason for its abrupt breaking off, for it was merely the
all-absorbing topic as to whether two summers ago it had rained as
early as this year. It was out of respect for the maseua, out of
deference to his presence, that the other clan representatives became
silent, all except one. That one was Tyope, who continued the subject,
as if he intended to display greater independence than the rest.
Nevertheless, as no one paid attention to his speech, he felt at last
constrained to drop into silence. Not for a long time, however, for as
if he wished to atone for his lack of civility he called out to
Topanashka,--

"You are late, sa nashtio!"

"Early enough yet, satyumishe," replied the old man quietly, and Tyame
remarked,--

"Shyuamo dwells nearer to the uuityam than we. The Turquoise men have
everything close at hand,--the tapop, the place, everything, and
everybody. All we have is the maseua," he added laughing, "and he is
very old."

The laughter became general, and Tyope said in a tone of flattery,--

"Our nashtio is old, but he is still stronger than you, Tyame. He is
also wiser than all of us together. Our father is very strong, runs like
a deer, and his eye is that of an eagle."

There was something like irony in this speech, but Topanashka took no
notice of it. He was looking for the tapop, a difficult task in the
darkness, where a number of men are grouped in all kinds of postures.
Finally he inquired,--

"Where is Hoshkanyi?"

"Not here," came a reply from several voices.

"And the yaya?"

"Tza yaya," was the negative answer.

"Then we are not too late," said the war-chief, turning to Tyame. He sat
down among the rest, and the talk went on as before his arrival.

At last the governor came. He offered a short greeting and received a
careless reply. Then he crawled into the cave, and his assistant
followed him. Soon a rustling noise was heard inside, a grating like
that of a drill followed, and everybody outside became silent. The tapop
was starting the council-f