the three of you for keeping good watch." He dropped a tenth piece of
eight into the boy's cupped hands. "That's for you, for bringing me the
good news."

Josiah grinned, all teeth. "Thanks a heap, Mr. de Marion."

"Armand, I want about twenty men. Go round them up. Have them meet me at
the trading post gate."

"Tres bon, mon colonel."

Raoul thought a moment. He had planned to hang Auguste, but they
couldn't leave a body around for the Regulators to find.

"We'll take him out to the lead mine and finish him there. I know parts
of that mine where nobody'll ever find anything."

"Can I come, Mr. de Marion?" Josiah asked. The glow of admiration in his
eyes warmed Raoul.

Raoul gave the boy a grin. "Sure, Josiah. Bring your dad's rifle. I'll
show you how Smith County takes care of its Indian problem."

* * * * *

"Do Nicole and Grandpapa know about us?" Auguste asked Nancy as they sat
side by side on the split-rail fence Guichard had built around Elysee's
garden.

"I told Nicole," she said. "I was afraid she'd condemn me, but I had to
confide in someone. She was very sweet to me about it, not a hint of
reproach."

"Nicole understands." His voice sounded choked. He didn't know how he
knew Nicole that well--from glances, from hints in her voice
perhaps--but he was sure that her own desires were as large as she was.
And her generosity larger still. She would feel nothing but goodwill
toward another woman's longing for a man.

Nancy put her hand on Auguste's, and his breath quickened. Her face
seemed to pull his eyes, and he saw, in the light of the waxing moon,
that she was more beautiful tonight than he had ever seen her. Her
cheeks were rounder now: he hadn't fully realized how haggard she had
been as a captive of the Sauk.

_We all looked like buzzards' meals. But even then I loved to look at
her._

Right now he felt the blood throbbing in his body. He wanted to pick her
up and carry her into the woods beyond the house and be upon her. As any
healthy Sauk husband and wife would greet each other after a long time
apart. He was so aware of his hunger for Nancy and hers for him that he
could hardly think of anything else. Their need lit up the little
garden with a glow brighter than the moon's.

But what of Redbird? Even though she accepted Nancy as truly his wife,
as much as herself, somehow it did not seem right for him to love Nancy
now. It had been right when they were l