possession of the Rock River country, to the great
terror of the frontier inhabitants. I consider the settlers on the
frontiers to be in imminent danger ...

Raoul said, "He doesn't say stay home and defend your town. He says
rendezvous at Beardstown. That is a lot closer to Black Hawk than it is
to Victor."

Frank said, "That proclamation is for towns that are in safe territory.
We're the settlers _on_ the frontier, the ones Reynolds says are in
danger. I was talking yesterday to a man from Galena, Raoul. Up there,
the volunteers have formed a militia company, but they're going to stay
right where they are, in case of Indian attack. We aren't _expected_ to
supply troops to chase Black Hawk."

Raoul shook his head. "We've got to hit Black Hawk hard and fast with
all the men we can muster. Once we do, there'll be no danger to Victor."

Frank said, "If something like what happened at Fort Dearborn happens
here at Victor, innocent people will pay for your decision. You want
that on your conscience?"

At the mention of Fort Dearborn, Raoul's face had gone expressionless.
He sat there and stared at Frank for a moment, then stood up abruptly.

"My conscience is clear," he said.

_You have no conscience_, Nicole thought. She stared sadly into the
bright blue eyes that looked so blankly at her now, and wondered where
her smiling little brother had gone, so many years ago. The smile still
came readily to his face; but now it only mocked and taunted. Did those
years of captivity with the Indians fully explain Raoul, or was he a
throwback to some robber-baron ancestor whose only law was the sword?

* * * * *

"When a man goes off to war, Miss Nancy, it means the world to him to
know he has someone to come home to."

Raoul smiled down from his chestnut stallion, Banner, at Nancy Hale in
the driver's seat of her black buggy. At nineteen, she was a woman in
full bloom. She'd probably have married a long time ago if she'd stayed
back East. There were a lot of men out here on the frontier, but few
good enough to court a woman like her.

_She'd be a fool not to take my offer seriously. It's the best one
she'll ever get._

Nancy looked first at the dusty road over the grass-covered hills
between Victoire and Victor, the morning sun beating down on it, then up
at him. The deep blue of her eyes was a marvel.

"You already have someone to come home to, Mr. de Marion. And children."

Ch