are at those times; and those who
happened to learn the speech of another tribe kept it secret, as Tyope,
for instance, concealed his knowledge of the Navajo language from the
people of the Rito. The knowledge of more than one tongue was a
suspicious and therefore a dangerous gift. The man who now conversed
with Shotaye in the Queres dialect was not a native of the Puye. He
belonged to the linguistic group of the Tehuas, but to the southern
branch, the Tanos, who inhabited several villages west of the Rio Grande
and in the country where the city of Santa Fe now stands. Between the
Tanos and the Queres there was limited commercial intercourse, for the
Tanos claimed the veins of turquoise that abound on the heights near
some of their villages, and the Queres went thither at rare intervals to
trade for the gems which they were unable to obtain by force.

Through this rare and limited traffic the Tano had become acquainted
with some of the men of the Rito, and many years ago had even
accompanied them to their home in the mountain gorge. Such visits were
literally great affairs at the time, and they lasted long. Extensive
formalities were required to ascertain first how far the Shiuana
appeared favourable to the new-comer, and how he should make himself
understood to them. The medicine-men had to make strenuous efforts in
behalf of the visitor. Equally long formalities preceded his departure,
and our Tano had in this manner, between reception, residence, and
leave-taking, spent more than a year at the Rito de los Frijoles. During
that time he had acquired a knowledge of the Queres language, and spoke
it therefore not fluently, but still intelligibly.

As Shotaye had appeared excited and agitated as long as she felt
helpless in matters of speech, so now she became free, easy, and above
all, calm and clear in her utterances, when she could make herself
understood. The Tano began to question her in a methodical, and even in
an argumentative manner. He spoke slowly and brokenly; but she
understood him, and he comprehended fully her replies, for they were
given to the same categoric way. Each of her sentences he translated
into Tehua, turning to the tuyo at the end of every one of her answers.
Shotaye told him everything, with the exception of the matter of the
owl's feathers, for these would have been as dangerous among the Tehuas
as among the Queres. She explained the misunderstanding that lay at the
bottom of the hostility di