Girl in a Buckskin

then walking fearlessly behind her when she moved on. She carried Eseck’s musket in her hands and her bow across her shoulder but she did not dare to shoot lest she only wound the wolf. So long as he remained her shadow she counted herself safe, but her eyes searched the woods for his companions lest she find herself encircled. It was a bad, bad winter and there was no sign of thaw.
    When she reached the encampment it looked deserted. Snow almost covered the wigwams but there were tracks here and there leading to the river and when she looked closer she could see thin gray smoke rising from the wigwams toward the pale gray sky. As she hesitated a single cur-dog crept from a lodge and howled at her. The sound was taken up by a dozen others and presently Black Eagle’s squaw stuck her head from their wigwam and made signs to her.
    In Black Eagle’s lodge Becky sat down at the fire and waited for him to speak.
    “Little Doe,” he said, and a moment later his squaw appeared with food for her and Black Eagle smiled. ” Meetseh,” he said. “Eat thou.”
    Becky hungrily ate with her fingers while Black Eagle Watched. When she had finished she looked at him. “I come alone,” she said in sign language.
    Black Eagle bowed his head.
    “I hope I find you well.”
    “You find us well but filled with mourning.”
    “I, too, am mourning,” she told him. ”Indian-with-the-white-scalp went hunting at the full of the moon. Indian-with-the-white-scalp has not returned.”
    Black Eagle’s eyes sharpened. “He has not returned?” She shook her head. “Ten days—ten suns have come and gone and I have waited. The moon will soon be full again and I fear that harm has come to him.”
    Black Eagle’s eyes narrowed. “This is bad. Indian-with-the-white-scalp is my friend, my brother, as Blue Feather was my brother. He is brave and fearless, a good warrior.” He pondered this a moment. “No snows have fallen since the new moon. Did he go north or west?”
    “He went north.”
    Black Eagle shook his head. “Very bad. Trail cold now after ten suns. But tomorrow I send Redfoot and Aupaunmut to look for signs of Indian-with-the-white-scalp.”
    “It will please me very much,” she told him.
    He studied her with sympathetic eyes. “Little Doe is welcome in our lodges. Little Doe is our daughter. Stay here with us.”
    Becky shook her head. “Indian-with-the-white-scalp is my blood brother. He left me at Shoonkeekmoonkeek and there he will return if he still lives. When he returns I must be there waiting for him.”
    Black Eagle looked doubtful. “Winter bad. Deer scarce. It is bad to be alone.”
    Stubbornly Becky shook her head. “He may be wounded,” she told him. “He may need help. Indian-with-the-white-scalp is a good brother to me. I must be there waiting.”
    “Very well. You have meat?”
    Becky lifted her chin. “I have meat.”
    Black Eagle nodded. “Redfoot will know. Redfoot will see. He is good tracker. You walk with him tomorrow?” Remembering the wolves Becky nodded. “Yes,” she said. “May I see Dawn-of-the-sky before I go?”
    “Dawn-of-the-sky lives alone now. She waits for child.”
    “I know. But I love her. Nduh-whu-nuw,” she said carefully, speaking one of the words Eseck had taught her.
    He smiled. “We mourn Blue Feather. An-nu-wee-weh-ne-maun-nau-woo.
    “Yes,“ Becky said softly, “he was truly a man of great courage.”
    Black Eagle stood up. “Come,” he said, “you may speak with her.” He led her across the wastes of snow to a bark lodge set apart from the others. “You must stand here,” he told her, and lifting his voice he called for Dawn-of-the-sky.
    The flap of the lodge stirred, and a bulky figure bundled in skins emerged. It was Dawn-of-the-sky but only a hollow imitation of her old friend for under its white paint her face was thin and drawn and the eyes full of a sadness that lifted only a little at sight of Becky. “Little Doe!” she murmured gratefully.
    “I am happy to see you,” Becky said, “but sad that Blue Feather walks with Man-ni-to. Does all go well with you and the unborn child?”
    Dawn-of-the-sky nodded. “As well as can be with its father nboo-or-ne-poo.”
    “I have wept for you,” Becky said.
    “You are good friend,” Dawn-of-the-sky said simply.
    “Come, we must go,” Black Eagle said, and taking her arm led her away.
     
    In the morning Becky walked back to Shoonkeekmoonkeek with Redfoot and Aupaumut and there were no