gainst all this nonsense
about the wolf, she painted her face with an extra coat of yellow, and
sat in a bad temper at the door of her tepee.

Things were in this state, when, one morning early, a scout came into
camp. He brought alarming tidings. He had rashly crossed the border of
the Yellow Dog country, and had been seen and chased. Fortunately his
pony was a very swift one, and he had reached the Wide-Water river in
time to swim across, and so escape. All day he had lain hidden in the
willow thickets of the southern bank, and had only dared to leave them
after dark. He said that his pursuers were in advance of a large body of
Indians who were camped to the north-west of the Sokomix hills.

Instantly Spotted Eagle ordered a strong war-party to start off, in
order to meet the advance guard of the enemy, and, if possible, drive
them back. Dusty Star's father, Running Wolf, as one of the leading
braves, was a member of the party.

At sundown, a solitary Indian came galloping into camp. He was the
bearer of terrible news. The war-party had encountered the enemy, and
had given battle shortly after noon; but, owing to the fact that the
Yellow Dogs greatly outnumbered them, they had been defeated and finally
put to flight. But in spite of their victory he did not know whether
they would continue their advance immediately or not. It was best to be
prepared for the worst.

When the news became known, panic seized the camp. Terrified squaws ran
from tepee to tepee, uttering shrill screams and tearing their hair. To
their cries were added the neighing of ponies driven into camp, the
barking of huskies, and the beating of drums.

During the evening, the remainder of the defeated war-party returned.
Fully a third of its members were missing. Among the missing was Running
Wolf.

Nikana did not run, nor scream. She walked restlessly up and down in
front of her tepee, holding Blue Wings closely in her arms, and filled
with a horrible fear.

The night which followed the defeat was one of terrible anxiety. With
the exception of the children and the animals, hardly any one slept.
From moment to moment no one could say what might happen. If their
enemies were already in the neighbourhood, they might attack at any
instant. People wandered aimlessly about, or squatted at the entrances
of the tepees, listening uneasily to the slightest sound, even if it
were nothing more than the howling of some distant coyote far off upon
the pra