e question surprised him. "You are my true wife and the only wife I
want." He recalled Black Hawk's loyalty to Singing Bird. That was the
right way to live.

Redbird said, "If you do go to her in the night, I will understand.
Especially now when I am so big and we cannot get together easily. I
believe you when you say you love me more than her. But she is tall and
has hair like gold and very white skin, and I am small and have brown
skin. Perhaps the pale eyes in you would prefer her."

"I think the pale eyes in me and the Sauk in me are one. And that one
prefers you."

She took his hand and moved it down her body till he felt the warm, soft
place whence, in little more than a moon, their baby would emerge.

"I want to do this with you now," she whispered. "I think we can, if you
go into me only a little way."

When Redbird and White Bear returned to their wickiup, the crescent moon
had reached the high point of its trail across the sky. Within the
simple shelter he and Redbird had built, it was too dark to see anyone.

His mother's voice whispered, "Eagle Feather and Yellow Hair are
sleeping. She is terribly frightened, but she has been through so much
she is exhausted."

"I thank you for helping her," White Bear whispered. "In the morning I
must tell her that Black Hawk will not let her go."

"That makes me sad for her," said Sun Woman. "She is in such misery. I
sense a strength in her, but this is a very bad time for her. You must
not stop being kind to her, not even for a moment."

Sun Woman ducked out through the doorway of the wickiup.

Nancy was sleeping in Redbird's bed. Redbird and White Bear lay down
together on his pallet of reeds and blankets, her back against his
chest, and slept.

* * * * *

When White Bear's eyes opened, the faint light filtering through the
layer of bark overhead let him see a figure sitting up across from him.
Outside, he heard the sounds of the camp stirring, men and women calling
to one another, horses stamping.

He felt a rush of pity as he recognized Nancy. What she must be feeling
at this moment!

"Oh my God," he heard her say. "Lord Jesus, help me." It must have taken
her a moment to realize where she was.

"Nancy," he said, trying to keep his voice calm and pleasant, "come with
me and let us talk."

They left the wickiup and she walked through the camp with her eyes on
the ground, too frightened, he supposed, to look about her. P