267 



or shall ye grant the freedom for 

 which she beseeches ye?" 



He stopped; a murmur arose. 

 Then stood up an old man, Bear 

 Claws, the father of Pine Leaf, the 

 one who had killed herself because 

 she had been educated away from 

 her people. 



"Let her go free," he said briefly. 



A young buck on horseback in the 

 outer edge of the ring echoed the 

 phrase. Many voices took up the 

 cry. Whiteleg was urged to the 

 front, but the affair had gotten 

 beyond him. He made no resist- 

 ance. A chorus of " How hows," 

 and the thing was done. Manita, 

 with eyes shining, with the painted 

 symbol of virginity still on each 

 cheek, bowed to the four winds and 

 sped away to be once more a member 

 of Seatiss's teepee circle sped free as 

 a bird toward the distant hills and 

 the sunset. 



With her went the charm of this 

 primitive scene, and we too turned 

 our faces toward our birthright 

 the rising sun, and civilisation. 



