t. But he knew that his visions were real. The Bear spirit was not
just another part of his mind. It had a life of its own. It had left the
marks of its claws on his body. It had left its paw print in the earth
beside Pierre's body when it took his spirit away.

"If it was wrong for me to try to fight Raoul, Grandpapa, I would
receive a warning."

Elysee shook his head sadly, disbelieving. Auguste was sad, too,
thinking how much more there was to the world than Grandpapa would ever
let himself know.

The Seth Thomas clock on the mantel over the fireplace chimed once,
making them all jump. One o'clock in the morning. Auguste, at the end of
a journey by railroad, steamboat, coach and horseback that had taken
weeks, felt a bone-deep ache of exhaustion. But it was only bodily
fatigue. Now that he was in Victor he was excited, and his mind was wide
awake.

Frank put an ink-stained hand on Auguste's shoulder.

"Listen, Auguste. Even if you were to succeed in killing Raoul, you
wouldn't get Victoire back."

"Why not?"

"Things have changed around here. People don't hold with the idea that
every man should carry a gun and be a law unto himself. They've seen
that only leads to a gang like Raoul and his rogues running things.
They've decided they wanted the county run by those they've picked. And
men like David Cooper and Tom Slattery came forward. Slattery is our new
sheriff."

Elysee said, "The _Victor Visitor_ has had much to do with this change."

Frank shrugged modestly and went on, "Right after your trial a group of
men in Victor and on the farms hereabouts, mostly newcomers, formed an
organization called the Regulators. They said it was a disgrace that the
Army had to guard you during your trial and that you had to flee from
the town when it was over. They're determined to keep order in Smith
County, and Slattery has sworn them all in as deputies to make what they
do legal. Things are tense now between the Regulators and Raoul's men,
but the Regulators have more numbers and more spirit."

"Well then," said Auguste, exasperated, "why wouldn't these Regulators
support me if I kill Raoul?"

"Because dueling is against the law. You'd stand trial again, for
murder. And, by God, much as it might pain him, Cooper will hang you."

"And if you don't kill Raoul," said Nicole, "you'll die and he will
still have Victoire."

Auguste felt as if he were struggling in a net of heavy ropes. His hands
and heart ached for re