ray-blue color. From such eyes, White Bear knew, the Sauk
took their name for this man's people.

As the man looked at White Bear and then over at Sun Woman, it seemed
that his heart was glowing with happiness. But it was a happiness tinged
by regret, the glow of a setting sun.

White Bear's inner sense told him that something was hurting more than
the pale eye's spirit, was draining his life away. White Bear wished at
once that he could work a healing of this good man's body.

But why was Sun Woman so unhappy? And why was Redbird frightened?

Owl Carver whispered to a small boy who stood beside him. The boy ran
off.

Now the shaman sat nodding his head slowly. White Bear could see that
Owl Carver stood at the branching of several paths and was trying to
decide which one to take. White Bear's fear grew.

Owl Carver turned to White Bear. "This man is your father."

_Yes!_

Taught by Owl Carver that rather than puzzle over a vision it is best
to let it reveal its meaning in its own time, White Bear had chosen
months ago not to ponder who the pale eyes in the Turtle's lodge might
be. Owl Carver must have known when White Bear described the vision to
him, but thought it better not to tell him.

White Bear turned and looked again at the man seated beside him, who
raised his arms tentatively, as if he wanted to reach out to him. White
Bear kept his hands in his lap, and the man lowered his arms again.

White Bear felt a strangeness, such as he had never known before. This
man looked at him with love. He was certain, now, that because this man
had come today, everything was going to be changed.

"Your father is called Star Arrow," said Owl Carver. He turned to Star
Arrow and said, "Your son is called White Bear."

"I greet you, White Bear," Star Arrow said. White Bear was glad to hear
this man speaking the Sauk language.

"I greet you, Star Arrow, my father," White Bear said. The word _father_
felt strange on his tongue.

_Star Arrow._ He liked that name and wondered what it meant. _Father._ A
shiver of joy went through him.

He spoke in the English Pere Isaac had taught him. "Good day to you,
Father."

"My son," said Star Arrow in the same tongue. White Bear saw now that
tears were running down his father's face, just as they had in the
vision.

He heard a commotion at the back of the crowd. People were stepping
aside.

A thrill went through White Bear as he saw that Black Hawk was coming
toward them.