e, and they could not stay in this place much longer.

Wolf Paw said, "I have brought cattle."

"Then the people will eat well because of my husband," Running Deer
said. "But the pale eyes woman will not need to eat." Running Deer
turned to the crowd. "Many women lost their husbands in Wolf Paw's raid.
It is right that the women avenge themselves on this pale eyes."

White Bear's back crawled with gooseflesh. Running Deer meant for the
women of the band to torture Nancy to death.

For as long as they could make her pain last, it would take their minds
off their hunger and sickness and sorrow. And their own fear of death.

It must not happen. But how could he prevent it?

Feeling like a drowning man being swept away on rapids, White Bear
watched Running Deer and Burning Pine lift Nancy from the ground and
carry her off, with her feet dragging. Wolf Paw and most of the braves
who had returned with him followed.

Wolf Paw's wives pulled Nancy through the band's collection of hastily
built wickiups and lean-tos. They brought her to a tall elm tree growing
up in the center of the camp. The tree was dying. Its bark had been
stripped to cover a wickiup.

By the time White Bear caught up with the crowd around Nancy, her eyes
were wide open, but unfocused. Running Deer pushed her against the trunk
of the elm tree and drew a knife. With swift, angry slashes, Wolf Paw's
senior wife stripped away Nancy's dress and the chemise under it. Nancy
stood naked before the tribe. Her eyes were still open and unseeing.
She made no attempt to cover herself. She did not seem to know what was
happening to her. White Bear's skin crawled with shame at the sight of
her degradation.

Women laughed. "Her skin is like a frog's belly!"

Men stared greedily.

Running Deer took a coil of rawhide rope and lashed Nancy to the tree,
and White Bear felt the muscles of his neck and shoulders knotting till
they ached. He could scarcely bear to look at Nancy, who hung in her
bonds, her eyes closed again.

He did not care if they killed him. He would not let them do this. He
would not allow it to go on a moment longer.

He put his hand over the five claw scars on his chest and spoke to his
spirit self. _O Bear spirit, give me the power to move the people to
mercy._

He felt strength surge into his chest and arms, and raising his medicine
stick, he strode forward.

When he was only a foot away from Nancy, her eyes opened suddenly, huge
and tur