"When the meat she had eaten had made her strong, Nukewis sat up and crossed her hands on her bosom. "'M'toulin,' she said, 'the evil that has come on you belongs to me. I will go away with it. I am a witch and bring evil on those who are kind to me.' "'Who says you are a witch?' "'All my village, and especially Waba-mooin. I brought sickness on the village, and on you hunger and the breaking of your vow.' "'I have seen Waba-mooin,' I said. 'I do not think too much of his opinions.' "'He is the Shaman of my village,' said Nukewis. 'My father was Shaman before him, a much greater Shaman than Waba-mooin will ever be. He wanted my father's Medicine bundle which hung over the door to protect me; my father left it to me when he died. But afterward there was a sickness in the village, and Waba-mooin said it was because the powerful Medicine bundle was left in the hands of an ignorant girl. He said for the good of the village it ought to be taken away from me. But _I_ thought it was because so many people came to my house with their sick, because of my Medicine bundle, and Waba-mooin missed their gifts. He said that if I was not willing to part with my father's bundle, that he would marry me, but when I would not, then he said that I was a witch!' "'Where is the bundle now?' I asked her. "'I hid it near our winter camp before we came into the mountains. But there was sickness in the mountains and Waba-mooin said that it also was my fault. So they drove me out with sticks and stones. That is why they would not take me back.' "'Then,' I said, 'when Waba-mooin goes back to the winter camp, he will find the Medicine bundle.' "'He will never find it,' she said, 'but he will be the only Shaman in the village and will have all the gifts. But listen, M'toulin, by now the people are back in their winter home. It is more than two days from here. If you go without me, they will give you food and shelter, but with me you will have only hard words and stones. Therefore, I leave you, M'toulin.' She stood up, made a sign of farewell. "'You must show me the way to your village first,' I insisted. "I saw that she meant what she said, and because I was too weak to run after her, I pretended. I thought that would hold her.