llTzTi] FICTION 269 



her feet in his footprints. At last he said, as if in answer to her 

 thoughts: "You have become my wife; you can not help yourself. 

 My home is near.'" They descended the wall of a precipice until they 

 i-eached a large opening in the rocks. She was glad at any rate to be 

 so near the lodge. Stopping again, she took council with herself and 

 ■ilmost resolved to go back, but an inward feeling that she must keep 

 on prevailed. 



As they entered the hole in the rocks, which led into what seemed 

 to her to be a lodge, she saw many fine things which she thought 

 would be a comfort to her. In one corner was a beautiful skin 

 couch ; her husband said to her, " This is your couch." She was 

 well pleased with her new home. 



Some time passed. She did not discover that the man was differ- 

 ent from other men. As soon as the sun rose everj- day, he went 

 away. 



One day he told her that he was going a long distance, where- 

 upon she thought: "Now he will be gone a good while. I will 

 look around and see where I am." On going out she found that she 

 did not know where the place was, nor in what direction they had 

 come. She went on and on, more for amusement than anything 

 else, thinking perhaps that she should find the way out. and that 

 then she could reach home. At last she decided to go back into 

 the lodge. She had not gone far when she heard some noise behind 

 her, at which she was greatly frightened. " You need not be fright- 

 ened," said a man ; " I was looking for you. Stand .still, my grand- 

 child, and do not be afraid of me; I am sent to tell yoxi of your dan- 

 ger; you must do my bidding, for I pity you. Your husband is a 

 great horned snake. I am going to kill him and destroy his lodge. 

 You must go up in that high place yonder; sit down and watch. 

 Nothing will happen to you. When you see your husband, keep 

 your eyes on him and learn to laiow what he is." On going up into 

 the place indicated and looking around, she could see no clouds in 

 the sky — all was bright and clear. Suddenly, however, she saw 

 beyond the place a large body of water rising, and soon it was as 

 high as the hole in the rocks which led to her home. Then she 

 saw approaching the rocks a great horned snake with glistening 

 face. She was frightened when she looked on this creature and 

 knew it was her husband. Just as its head was inside the rocks, 

 she heard a terrible thunder clap; lightning struck the rocks and 

 they were all blown to bits. Then the water subsided. After a 

 while the old man came, saying : " Your husband is killed. There 

 are three of us. We laiow that you are under evil influences now, 

 but we will try to save you. You can go home, but you must be 

 purified first." While he was talking the other two came. Ths 

 old man told her to take off her clothes. She knew that she had 



