ierre's coffin, with Elysee and
Guichard.

As Auguste walked, he brooded about Pere Isaac calling him the fruit of
sin. Why did the priest have to dishonor his mother and father so? In
the eyes of the Sauk people he was no "bastard," as he knew some pale
eyes called him. Still, he was glad that the priest said Pierre had done
the right thing in bringing him here. Perhaps people would remember
that, when Raoul tried to take the estate away from him.

As he surely would.

Auguste knew, with a sinking feeling in his stomach, that it was only a
matter of time before Raoul would strike at him.

He felt himself wishing for Black Hawk and Iron Knife and the other Sauk
warriors, even Wolf Paw, to be here to stand by him. And Owl Carver and
Sun Woman to advise him. Now he wished he had not agreed, at his
father's insistence, to have no contact with the band. While he was
being educated, being cut off from them had helped him become more
quickly a part of the white world. But now that Pierre was gone he felt
so terribly alone.

A chill fell over him like a cold downpour. Looking up, he saw men
standing just outside the fence that surrounded the chateau, strung out
in a line along the west side, where the gateway was. He had noticed
them as he was leaving the graveyard, but had thought they must be
hands, with field work of some sort important enough to keep them from
the funeral. Now he was close enough to see that they were carrying
rifles. Auguste recognized Raoul himself standing squarely in the
gateway. How had he gotten over there? Auguste had thought he was with
the funeral procession.

A cold hollow opened in his stomach as he grasped what was happening.

_The moment my father is buried. What a fool I was to think Raoul would
wait awhile._

He heard people murmuring behind him.

"Oh my God," Nicole said. "Not now."

"Auguste!" It was Nancy's voice, shrill with fear. He shook his head,
trying to tell her that he would not turn back, and kept on walking.

In a moment, thought Auguste, he might be joining his father on the
Trail of Souls. He heard footsteps behind him crunching on the dry
grass. It was a comfort to know that there were others near him,
although he knew no one could really help him.

He had no idea what he would do. He asked Earthmaker to show him how to
walk this path with courage and honor.

Keeping his stride firm and steady, Auguste went around the fence to
approach the gate, glancing up a