The Arrow-Maker Part 2

The best the camp affords. Think you we would stint when the smoke of the Castacs goes up within our borders?

WACOBA

Where is she?

CHOCO

Abroad in the hills gathering roots and herbs for to-night's medicine. Wait for her.--We must go look to our fighting gear.

(_He goes out in the direction of the campody._)

PAMAQUASH

(_To_ WACOBA.) My bow case, is it finished?

WACOBA

And the bow inside it. See that you come not back to me nor to your young son until the bowstring is frayed asunder.

PAMAQUASH

If you do your work with the Chisera as well as we with Castac, you shall not need to question our bowstrings. (_Going._)

SEEGOOCHE

Leave us to deal--though if she cannot help us in this matter, I do not know where we shall turn.

TIAWA

Never have I asked help of her, and been disappointed.

WACOBA

(_Gathering flowers._) Aye, but that was mere women's matters, weevil in the pine nuts, a love-charm or a colicky child. _This is war!_

SEEGOOCHE

(_Still peering about._) As if that were not a woman's affair also!

TIAWA

You may well say that! It was in our last quarrel with Castac I lost the only man-child I ever had, dead before he was born. When the women showed me his face, it was all puckered with the bitterness of that defeat. You may well say a woman's matter!

SEEGOOCHE

That was the year my husband was first made Chief, and we covered defeat with victory, as we shall again. It was Tinnemaha, the father of the Chisera, went before the G.o.ds for us, I remember.

TIAWA

Well for us that he taught her his strong medicine. Not a fighting man from Tecuya to Tehachappi but trusts in her.

(_Goes to the creek and dips up water to drink in her basket cap._)

WACOBA

(_Tentatively._) It is believed by some that she makes medicine for Simwa, the Arrow-Maker, and that is why his arrows are so well feathered and fly so swiftly to the mark.

SEEGOOCHE

Simwa! Why, he scoffs at charms and speaks lightly even of the G.o.ds.

TIAWA

(_Giving the others to drink from her cap._) Aye; Simwa puts not faith in anybody but Simwa.

SEEGOOCHE

And with good reason, for he is the most skillful of the tribesmen.

He has made all the arrows for the fighting men. Do you think they will make him war leader?

WACOBA

(_Ornamenting the basket she has brought with a wreath of flowers, which she plucks._) Padahoon will never agree to it.

TIAWA

But if Simwa is the better man?

WACOBA

The Sparrow Hawk is older, and has the greater experience.

SEEGOOCHE

Prutt! If age and experience were all, my husband would not ask that a new leader be chosen. Young men are keenest-eyed and quickest afoot.

(_She moves up the trail looking for signs of the_ CHISERA.)

TIAWA

(_Going over to_ WACOBA, _aside from_ SEEGOOCHE.) So the Chief favors Simwa? I would not have thought it.

WACOBA

(_Significantly._) Seegooche's daughter is not married, and the Arrow-Maker has many blankets.

TIAWA