and true as in the days when Neepoosa chid thee for wrong-doing, and
thou wouldst not put false words upon thy tongue. Ai! Ai! Not as
thou art the other women who come now into the land!"

"And why is a white woman without honor among you?" Frona demanded.
"Your men say evil things to me in the camp, and as I came through the
woods, even the boys. Not in the old days, when I played with them,
was this shame so."

"Ai! Ai!" Neepoosa made answer. "It is so. But do not blame them.
Pour not thine anger upon their heads. For it is true it is the fault
of thy women who come into the land these days. They can point to no
man and say, 'That is my man.' And it is not good that women should he
thus. And they look upon all men, bold-eyed and shameless, and their
tongues are unclean, and their hearts bad. Wherefore are thy women
without honor among us. As for the boys, they are but boys. And the
men; how should they know?"

The tent-flaps were poked aside and an old man came in. He grunted to
Frona and sat down. Only a certain eager alertness showed the delight
he took in her presence.

"So Tenas Hee-Hee has come back in these bad days," he vouchsafed in a
shrill, quavering voice.

"And why bad days, Muskim?" Frona asked. "Do not the women wear
brighter colors? Are not the bellies fuller with flour and bacon and
white man's grub? Do not the young men contrive great wealth what of
their pack-straps and paddles? And art thou not remembered with the
ancient offerings of meat and fish and blanket? Why bad days, Muskim?"