u know the child?"

"I have seen her, but have never spoken to her."

"Do you know her?" He turned to Hayoue.

"Why not?" replied Hayoue, with a smile. "I know everybody who wears a
petticoat."

"Have you been to see her?"

"No."

"Never?" Topanashka looked at him suspiciously.

"No!"

"How can you know her, then?"

"As I know all the others,--by meeting them out of doors, talking, and
playing with them. I know them all,--all!" And the beau of the Rito
yawned complacently, and stretched himself.

"Is she a good girl?" continued Topanashka.

"She is," the youth replied emphatically.

"Does she talk much?"

"No."

"Is she easily angered?"

"That I don't know. I have never teased her."

"Is she a good worker?"

"So they say."

"Good-looking?"

"Raua, raua!" Hayoue exclaimed.

"Tall?"

"Yes."

"Strong?"

"I believe so."

Topanashka became silent again, and both Say and Hayoue observed the
proper decorum by fastening their glances on the floor in silence. Then
the old man raised his head, and spoke slowly and in solemn tones,--

"It is well; all you have said to me is well, my children. The daughter
of my hanutsh is a good girl, she is a handsome girl, she is a strong
girl. Therefore she is as a woman ought to be. Okoya is like her; they
belong to each other; and it is wise for a son of Tanyi to wed a
daughter of Tyame. The body must be as the heart; each must suit the
heart and the body of the other, and since the two go with each other it
is a sign that they are fitted to live together. But the hearts of men
must abide by what Those Above"--he pointed upward--"command, and before
we decide we should ascertain how the Shiuana are disposed."

Here Say interrupted him, and suggested,--

"When he was coming to speak to me the rainbow stood in the skies. Is
not that a sign that the Shiuana are with my child?"

Topanashka smiled a kind, benignant smile, and said,--

"It is right to think thus, sa uishe, but remember that the rainbow is a
messenger to a great many and for many purposes. As long as we have not
asked the Shiuana themselves, we cannot say; we do not know whether they
approve or not. I shall therefore go to the yaya of our tribe and ask
them to pray to Those Above that they may let them know if what we now
treat of is good or not. For as long as P[=a]yatyama himself does not
connect the paths of the two young people all our doings are in vain. In
the meantime do not hinder Ok