at once. He wavered, but
at last the impressions received during the day, especially the warnings
about Mitsha's mother, prevailed, and he concluded not to go at this
time. He was afraid as yet to cross the threshold of that woman's home.
So he crept into the estufa of Tanyi hanutsh, sat down beside the
others, and soon joined in the chorus of discordant voices in the
everlasting refrain,--

"Ho-[=a]-[=a]! Heiti-na! Ho-[=a]-[=a]! Heiti-na!"

In the meantime Hayoue had drawn closer to Say in the kitchen, saying,--

"Sister-in-law, I have come to speak to you concerning Okoya."

She motioned to him to remain where he was, and said, half in jest, half
in earnest,--

"Stay where you are, I hear you. You talk loud enough for me."

"Rest easy, sam[=a]n," he replied, with a peal of laughter that fairly
shook his tall and slender form. "Have no fear, I am tired out after
yesterday. But I must talk to you about the mot[=a]tza." He patted his
knees and looked straight into her face. "Are you aware that your child
goes with the child of Tyope?"

"I am," said Say, with a smile.

"What do you think of it?"

"Good," was the simple reply. "And you?"

"Good, yes, in one way, and not good in another."

"What do you think of the girl?" the woman inquired.

"Very, very good!" Hayoue emphatically exclaimed. "But her mother and
her father,"--he hissed through his teeth and shook his head with every
sign of disgust,--"they are very, very bad."

"I think as you do," said Okoya's mother, "and yet I know that the boy
is good and the girl is good. Why should they not go together?"

"I say the same, but how comes it that you believe so now?"

"I presume the mot[=a]tza has told you a different story?" Say
suggested, with a smile.

Hayoue nodded.

"I thought differently," she explained, "but now my heart has changed."

"You are right," the young man said approvingly, adding, "but he must
avoid the snares which that turkey-buzzard Tyope may set for him, and we
must preserve him from them."

"I warned him."

"So have I, and he promised to be wise."

"Had we not better speak to Zashue?" suggested Say Koitza.

Hayoue remained thoughtful for a while; then he said,--

"I dislike to say aught against my own brother, but in this matter I
dislike to speak to him."

"He is Okoya's father," objected Say.

"True, but he is Koshare, and completely under Tyope's influence.
Nevertheless do as you like, for you know him bet