niffing the night air, the parents sat silent and
ill at ease. After a long time Stasu spoke her mind.

"My husband, you ask me why I am sad. It is because I think that the
Great Mystery will be displeased if we keep this little boy forever in
the wilderness. It is wrong to allow him to grow up among wild animals;
and if sickness or accident should deprive him of his father and mother,
our spirits would never rest, because we had left him alone! I have
decided to ask you to take us back, either to your people or to my
people. We must sacrifice our pride, or, if needs be, our lives, for his
life and happiness!"

This speech of Stasu's was a surprise to her husband. His eyes rested
upon the ground as he listened, and his face assumed the proverbial
stoical aspect, yet in it there was not lacking a certain nobleness. At
last he lifted his eyes to hers, and said:

"You have spoken wise words, and it shall be as you have said. We shall
return to your people. If I am to die at the hands of the ancient enemy
of the Sioux, I shall die because of my love for you, and for our child.
But I cannot go back to my own people to be ridiculed by unworthy young
men for yielding to love of a Ree maiden!"

There was much feeling behind these words of Antelope. The rigid customs
of his people are almost a religion, and there is one thing above
all else which a Sioux cannot bear--that is the ridicule of his
fellow-warriors. Yes, he can endure severe punishment or even death at
the hands of the enemy rather than a single laugh of derision from a
Sioux!

In a few days the household articles were packed, and the three sadly
turned their backs upon their home. Stasu and her husband were very
silent as they traveled slowly along. When they reached the hill called
"Born-of-Day," and she saw from its summit the country of her people
lying below her, she cried aloud, weeping happy tears. Antelope sat near
by with bowed head, silently smoking.

Finally on the fifth day they arrived within sight of the great
permanent village of the three tribes. They saw the earth lodges as
of old, thickly clustered along the flats of the Missouri, among their
rustling maize-fields. Antelope stopped. "I think you had better give
me something to eat, woman," he said, smiling. It was the Sioux way of
saying, "Let me have my last meal!"

After they had eaten, Stasu opened her buckskin bags and gave her
husband his finest suit. He dressed himself carefully in the