stom of a
remote, fierce, old world. Dick and Albert at last recovered
somewhat; they threw off the power of the flute and the excited
air that they breathed and began to assume again the position of
mere spectators.

It was then that Bright Sun came upon them, and they noticed with
astonishment that he, the product of the white schools and of
years of white civilization, had been dancing, too. There was
perspiration on his face, his breath was short and quick, and his
eyes were red with excitement. He marked their surprise, and
said:

"You think it strange that I, too, dance. You think all this
barbarism and superstition, but it is not. It is the custom of
my people, a custom that has the sanction of many centuries, and
that is bred into our bone and blood. Therefore it is of use to
us, and it is more fit than anything else to arouse us for the
great crisis that we are to meet."

Neither Dick nor Albert made any reply. Both saw that the great
deep of the Sioux chief's stoicism was for the moment broken up.
He might never be so stirred again, but there was no doubt of it
now, and they could see his side of it, too. It was his people
and their customs against the white man, the stranger. The
blood of a thousand years was speaking in him.

When he saw that they had no answer for him, Bright Sun left them
and became engrossed once more with the dance, continually urging
it forward, bringing on more neophytes, and increasing the
excitement. Dick and Albert remained a while longer, looking
on. Their guards, Lone Wolf and Pine Tree, still stood beside
them. The two young warriors, true to their orders, had made no
effort to join the dancers, but their nostrils were twitching and
their eyes bloodshot. The revel called to them incessantly, but
they could not go.

Dick felt at last that he had seen enough of so wild a scene.
One could not longer endure the surcharged air, the wailing of
the whistle, the shouts, the chants, and the beat of thousands of
feet.

"Al," he said, "let's go back to our lodge, if our guards will
let us, and try to sleep."

"The sooner the better," said Albert.

Lone Wolf and Pine Tree were willing enough, and Dick suspected
that they would join the dance later. After Albert had gone in,
he stood a moment at the door of the lodge and looked again upon
this, the wildest and most extraordinary scene that he had yet
beheld. It was late in the night and the center of the sun dance