Persuaded that his mother was false to him, and that she was even harbouring evil designs, he rose abruptly and left the house in silence.
He could no longer refuse to believe that she was planning his destruction.

Otherwise, why did she oppose what to him appeared the prelude to a happy future?
And why that apparent duplicity on her part,--condemning the Koshare to his face, and, as he thought, being in secret understanding with them?
Only one explanation was reasonable, the only one within reach of the Indian mind,--that Say Koitza was in some connection with evil powers which she, for some reason unknown to him, was courting for the purpose of his destruction; in other words, that Say Koitza, his own mother, was a witch! Nothing more detestable or more dangerous than witchcraft is conceivable to the Indian.

To a young and untrained mind like Okoya's the thought of being exposed to danger from such a source is crushing.

The boy felt bewildered, dazed.

He leaned against the wall of the great house for support, staring at the huge cliffs without seeing them; he looked at people passing to and fro without taking any notice of their presence.
He could not even think any more, but merely felt,--felt unutterably miserable.
If only he knew of somebody who might help him! This was his first thought after recovering strength and self-control.