Meanwhile the people, eagerly watching the new dance, gave little heed to aught else. For behold! the waters rose in the terraced bowl and flowed out toward the dancers, yea, and the mists increased greatly, shrouding the watchers and the dancers alike, until within them the Maidens of Corn, all white their garments, became invisible! Then sadly and noiselessly they stole in amongst the people and laid their corn-wands down amongst the trays, and passing the seed-corn over their persons, placed it back in the trays, and laid their white broidered garments thereupon as mothers lay soft kilting over their babes. Behold! having thus by their wonderful knowledge now placed within the corn the substance of their flesh, then even as the mists became they, and with the mists drifting, fled away, verily, to the far south Summerland! As the day dawned the dancers of the flutes completed their custom, the players, waving their flutes over the people assembled, followed Paíyatuma as he strode, wordless, forth from the midst of the people. THE MOURNING FOR LOSS OF THE MAIDENS OF CORN. The call was voiced, and the song of the Maidens of Corn sounded as when the others had retired before; the drum was beaten and the rattles were shaken--but all in vain. No maidens came forth from the bower. Then eagerly the leaders sought all through the bower. Naught found they save the precious wands and the garments all softly laid thereupon, of their beloved Maidens of the Seed. Deep was their grief and all silent were the people. Then spake the fathers: "Look ye now; ye have watched ill, ye matrons and elders, and therein grievously have ye sinned, wherefore lost be our beloved maidens, mothers of the Seed of Seed, for some amongst our children have dared to hold them less than precious, and look upon them as upon maidens of the people they look! Wherefore arise, and brush away from thy persons and spit forth from thy mouths the evil of this night, that the day find ye not shame-darkened, and further ill befall ye not than the grievous loss of our beautiful maidens; for the rash forwardness of our youths, and the negligence ye have proven guilty of in failing to watch all things well are sore, and are punished full meetly as was warned us aforetime by this our grievous loss!"