, Neekewa," she whispered, drawing the ropes of her hair about
her as if she were cold.

Then she drew a slim hand over her eyes, and shivered.

"It is well, Neekewa," she spoke softly. "I have gone through the
clouds to where lives Oo-Mee, the Pigeon. I found her crying in a
trail. I whispered to her and happiness came, and that happiness is
going to live--for Neekewa and The Pigeon. It cannot die. It cannot be
killed. The Red Coated men of the Great White Father will never destroy
it. You will live. She will live. You will meet again--in happiness.
And happiness will follow ever after. That much I learned, Neekewa. In
happiness--you will meet again."

"Where? When?" whispered Jolly Roger, his heart beating with sudden
swiftness.

Again Yellow Bird passed her hand over her eyes, and as she held it
there for a moment she bowed her head until Jolly Roger could see only
her dew-wet hair and she said,

"In the Country Beyond, Neekewa."

Her eyes were looking at him again, big, dark and filled with mystery.

"And where is this country, Yellow Bird?" he asked, a strange chill
driving the warmth out of his heart. "You mean--up there?" And he
pointed to the gray sky above them.

"No, it is happiness to come in life, not in death," said Yellow Bird
slowly. "It is not beyond the stars. It is--"

He waited, leaning toward her.

"In the Country Beyond," she repeated with a tired little droop of her
head. "And where that is I do not know, Neekewa. I could not pass
beyond the great white cloud that shut me out. But it is--somewhere, I
will find it. And then I will tell you--and The Pigeon."

She stood up, and swayed in the gray light, like one worn out by hard
travel. Then she passed into the tepee, and Jolly Roger heard her fall
on her blanket-bed.

And still stranger whisperings filled his heart as he faced the east,
where the first red blush of day drove back the star-mists of dawn. He
heard a step in the soft sand, and Slim Buck stood beside him. And he
asked.

"Did you ever hear of the Country Beyond?" Slim Buck shook his head,
and both looked in silence toward the rising sun.

Peter was glad when the camp roused itself out of sleep with waking
voices, and laughter, and the building of fires. He waited eagerly for
Sun Cloud. At last she came out of Yellow Bird's tepee, rubbing her
eyes in the face of the glow in the east, and then her white teeth
flashed a smile of welcome at him. Together they ran down to t