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"That is what I am," the little fellow bragged. "But you are tapop also," Tyame objected. "Why do you speak thus? Are you angry that you could not be used for the place?" venomously inquired the governor. "If I were in your place," retorted the Eagle, "I should do as is customary, and call upon each one in turn."
Topanashka arose and joined the dancers; the Tapop stood beside him, and both stamped along, keeping time as if they were young once more. The singers were reinforced by several aged men with snow-white hair, three of whom wore dark wraps, sleeveless and covered with red embroidery. These were the chief penitents; those without badges or distinctive dress, the principal shamans of the tribe.
"It may be," he said, "that we shall have to leave in two days against the Tehuas, and I shall remain so that I may be ready when the tapop calls upon us. You rely upon it, satyumishe, we shall go soon, and when it so happens that we both must go you shall come with me that I may teach you how the scalp is taken." Thus dismissed, Okoya sauntered back down the valley.
This was bad news indeed. She muttered, "This is bad, very bad. If the maseua knows it, then the tapop will not be long without notice." "The tapop knows nothing," breathed Say. "But how can the maseua have been informed without the knowledge of the other?" Shotaye asked with surprise. "He is my father," replied Say, and wept aloud.
He wore on his naked body a necklace of wolves' teeth, ear pendants of black and green stones, and wristbands of red leather. The latter he carried in order to relieve his heart, still heavy under the severe blow that he had experienced through the death of his father. The tapop was also at work.
You cannot prevent it; neither can Tyope, the tapop, the Hotshanyi, not even the whole tribe! Those on high hold the paths of our lives; they alone can do and undo, make and unmake." Say wept no more. She was convinced, and lifted her eyes again. "Mother," it was Shyuote's voice which called into the outer room from the court-yard, "mother, come out and look at the fine rainbow."
Again the speaker scattered yellow meal in front of the principal penitent, who only bowed in a dignified manner in response. When each of them had resumed his seat, the Hishtanyi Chayan turned to the tapop and looked inquiringly. Hoshkanyi Tihua assumed an air of solemn importance, for he was to play a prominent rôle.
Everybody did not appear to be satisfied with this; but when the tapop summoned the representative of the Bear clan to give his opinion, the speech of the latter was not only stronger, it was even offensive to the Water people.
He charged the tapop, in the name of the council, with delinquency in not having required the Water people to share their superabundance with those of the Turquoise. The delegate of Kohaio was not only aggressive in his speech, but his manner of delivering it was brusque and violent, and created quite a stir; and many of the members cast glances at him which were not of a friendly nature.
Go and see the tapop. Tell him not the small talk about this and that, but what you have seen with your own eyes about Shotaye, that witch, that snake, of her dark ways, how she sneaked through the brush on the mesa, and how she found and gathered the plumage of the accursed owl. Tell him all, and I will carry Mitsha to your lodges, tied and gagged if needs be."
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