, has told me
something that may be good, although it may also not be good. It is
something I like to see, and yet it also makes my heart heavy. He has
spoken about it to satyumishe, too,"--she nodded at Hayoue,--"before he
said anything to me. Therefore Hayoue came to see me, and we thought it
would be well to seek your advice. For, umo, you are wise and we are
foolish; you are old and we are but children. Therefore listen to our
speech kindly, and then open our hearts with your speech as a father
should with his children."

The old man was flattered by this address from his daughter, and glanced
at Hayoue with the air of one who feels proud of the achievements of his
child. The young man, too, bowed in approbation. Topanashka turned to
Say, and said in an affable tone,--

"Speak, sa uishe; I am glad to listen."

"Sa nashtio," she began, "Okoya is young, but he is no longer a child.
His eyes have seen a girl and that girl has pleased his heart. So he
has gone to that girl and may be with her at present. I hold this to be
good, umo. What do you think?"

"It is well, and it is good for him and for the tribe," the old man
asserted.

"Afterward he came and said, 'Sanaya, I am going with that makatza; does
she please you?' I believe that was right also?"

"It was right."

The woman omitted the incident of her quarrel with Okoya as well as her
interview with Shotaye, and said,--

"He also went to Hayoue and told him to speak to me for him. Was that
right, sa nashtio?"

The old man remained thoughtful for a while, and then declared,--

"It was right."

"Should he not have said to his father, 'sa nashtio, do you speak to the
yaya for me'?"

The reply was very positive,--

"No."

"Why not, sa umo?" Hayoue interjected.

"I will explain this to you later on," Topanashka answered. Turning to
his daughter again he inquired,--

"Who is the makatza, and to which hanutsh does she belong?"

"She belongs to your people."

"To Tyame? Who is her mother, and what is the name of the girl?"

"She is called Mitsha Koitza; Tyope Tihua is her father, and her mother
you know too. Is all that good also?"

The maseua pressed his lips together firmly, energetically, lowered his
eyelids, and gazed before him in silence. The others exchanged a rapid
glance, and then both looked at the ground, remaining thus in
expectation of the old man's reply. He kept silent for a long while. At
last he inquired of the woman,--

"Do yo