he best advantage, the wedding dower of the
Chief's daughter. By her father's house_ BRIGHT WATER _is being
dressed for bridal by her young companions. They braid her hair,
paint her face, tie her moccasins, and arrange her beads over the
robe of white doeskin; they laugh as they work and are happily
important as is the custom of bridesmaids. The older women are
winnowing grain and grinding at the metate._

_At the left and front_, SIMWA, TAVWOTS, _and others are gambling
with dice made of halves of black-walnut hulls, filled with pitch;
the number indicated by bits of shell embedded in the pitch. They are
shaken in a small basket and turned out on a basket plaque._

_The older men look on, smoking._ TAVWOTS _is broad-faced and merry,
and does not neglect to ogle the girls at intervals, which causes
them to giggle and hide their heads in their blankets. The men have
on their holiday dress, especially the younger companions of_ SIMWA.

TAVWOTS

(_Throwing._) Five!

SIMWA

(_Throwing._) And five again!

INDIANS

Hi! Hi!

TAVWOTS

Four!

SIMWA

Seven! (_Exclamations._)

SEEGOOCHE

(_Bringing a blanket._) Here, let us spread the blanket where the
newly married pair shall sit when first my daughter comes to her
husband's house.

(_The women assist her, spreading it in front of_ SIMWA'S
_house._)

TIAWA

And this time next year, may you be a grandmother.

SEEGOOCHE

I pray so. To-morrow I shall go to the Chisera and get a charm to
make it sure.

WACOBA

Does not the Chisera come to the wedding?

SEEGOOCHE

I wished it so, but Simwa has no faith in magic medicine. He thinks
we show her too much respect because of her mumblings and wavings of
arms.

WACOBA

It would have been neighborly to invite her.

TIAWA

I should be afraid lest some mischief came of this neglect.

SEEGOOCHE

So am I; but Simwa would not have her asked.

(_She passes to her own hut and brings out grain and pine nuts,
with which the other women fill their ceremonial baskets._)

TIAWA

No doubt Simwa feels that the gods have done so much for him that he
can afford to dispense with an advocate.

HAIWAI

(_Who has approached unnoticed._) Small wonder he thinks so when you
remember how he brought our men back scatheless with the spoil of
Castac. Seegooche, I bring the best of my share to grace your
daughter's wedding. (_Offers basket._)

SEEGOOCHE

(_Taking