aced there?"

"While the Koshare were at work in the estufa."

"Do you know more?"

"Nothing more." Tyope sat down, and the interrogatory was over.

It was as still as a grave in the dingy, ill-lighted chamber. No one
dared even to look up, for the matter was in the hands of the yaya, and
they were still thinking over it. The demands of Shyuamo hanutsh were
completely forgotten. The owl's feathers had monopolized the attention
and the thoughts of every one in the room.

At last the Hishtanyi Chayan rose. He threw a glance at his colleagues,
who understood it, and rose also. Then the great medicine-man spoke in a
hollow tone,--

"We will go now. We shall speak to our father the Hotshanyi, that he may
help us to consult Those Above. Four days hence we shall know what the
Shiuana think, and on the night following"--he turned to the tapop--"we
will tell you here what to do. In the meantime,"--he uttered these words
like a solemn warning,--"hush! let none of you exchange one word on what
we have heard or seen to-night. Let none of you say at home, 'I know of
something evil,' or to a friend, 'bad things are going on in the tribe.'
Be silent, so that no one suspect the least thing, and that the sentence
of the Shiuana be not interfered with. Nasha!" he concluded, and went
toward the exit. Ere leaving the room, however, he turned once more,
adding,--

"And you go also. Each one for himself and alone. Let no one of you
utter words, but all of you pray and do penance, keep open your ears,
wide awake your eye, and closed your lips."

With this the shamans filed out, one after the other. Their muffled
steps were heard for a moment as they grated on the bare rock. One by
one the other members of the council left the chamber in silence, each
wending his way homeward with gloomy thoughts. Dismal anticipations and
dread apprehension filled the hearts of every one.

CHAPTER XII.

At the time when the tribal council of the Queres was holding the stormy
session which we have described in the preceding chapter, quite a
different scene was taking place at the home of the wife of Tyope. That
home, we know, belonged to Hannay, the woman with whom Tyope had
consorted after his separation from Shotaye; and it was also the
dwelling in which he resided when other matters did not keep him away.
The tie that bound Tyope to his second wife was of rather a sensual
nature. Hannay was a very sensual woman, but in addition to this sh