More than eight days had elapsed since the one on which Shotaye had pledged her new friend, the Tehua warrior, to meet him at the homes of his tribe.

She had not redeemed that pledge.

In appearance she was unfaithful to Cayamo, as her knight was called; and yet her lack of compliance with her promise was not intentional.

She calculated that her case would have come up by that time; and until this occurred, the energetic woman had no intention of leaving the Rito, much less of forsaking her friend Say Koitza.

Now that her case had been delayed, the eight days had grown to nearly ten.