he with whom to communicate, for
his lips were sealed; not one whom he might enlighten and prepare for
the hour of the crisis. And he felt unconsciously that he was the pillar
on which rested the safety of his people,--he and the Shiuana! The
feeling was no source of pride; it was a terrible load, which he longed
in vain to share with some one else. Topanashka did not attempt to do
penance externally; he was too shrewd for that; but he prayed as much as
any one,--prayed for light from above, for the immense courage to keep
silent, to hope, and to wait.

The news that Kauaitshe, the delegate from Tzitz hanutsh, was fasting
had reached the cave-dwellings of his cluster late in the afternoon.
Zashue had carried it thither, communicating the intelligence secretly
to his mother and sister. They were speaking of it, the old woman with
apprehensions, and Zashue in his usual frivolous manner, when Hayoue
entered.

"Do you know," said he, "that the nashtio of Tyame is doing penance?"

"So does ours," remarked Zashue, growing serious. He began to see
matters in a different light.

"What may this all be about?" wondered the younger brother.

The elder brother shrugged his shoulders, sighed, and rubbed his eyes;
and all four kept silent.

"Is it perhaps from the uuityam?" asked Hayoue; and his mother
exclaimed,--

"Surely it is."

"Then something must have occurred," continued Hayoue; and with a
side-glance at his brother, "I wonder if Tyope is fasting also?"

Zashue denied it positively, and added, "The Naua is out of doors."

"In that case it is our people again who have to suffer." His passion
was aroused; he cried, rather than spoke "The Shyuamo never suffer
anything. Who knows but the shuatyam, Tyope, and the old one have again
done something to harm us!" Ere Zashue could reply to this sally the
young man had left the cave.

When Hayoue stood outside he noticed Shotaye sitting on her doorstep.

"Guatzena, sam[=a]m," he called over to her.

"Raua A," the woman answered, extending her hand toward him as if she
wished to give him something.

He went over to her, took the object, and looked at it. It was the
rattle of a snake.

"Where did you get this?" he asked.

"I found it above, where a rattlesnake had been eaten. Do you want it?"

He shook the rattle and inquired,--

"Will you give it to me?"

"Yes."

"It is well; and now I will tell you something that you don't know yet.
Our father, Kauaitshe, is