" thought Timid Hare. "How
noble he is! How much he must know! It may be that he is telling of
the secrets he reads in the fire."

Turning her eyes towards the listeners, she saw they were thinking
deeply of his words. They looked with wonder at the medicine man.
"Yes, he must be speaking of the secrets no one but he can discover."

[Illustration: They looked with wonder at the medicine man.]

When Timid Hare reached home she spoke of this medicine man to her
mistress. "If only he could go to Black Bull, the sickness would leave
the poor fellow," she said.

Soon afterwards Sweet Grass herself sought the medicine man. She
brought him presents of buffalo marrow, deer meat, and a juicy,
well-cooked land turtle. Then she asked his help for the deformed
youth, and he promised to go to him.

The next day word came to the chief's lodge that Black Bull had gone to
join the people of the grave. Though the medicine man had gone to him
and worked his mysteries with songs and drum beating, the Great Spirit
had not willed that he should live.

"Better so," declared Bent Horn, when the news was brought to the
lodge. "Black Bull was of no help to his people. He suffered, and was
not happy. Better so!"

"I will take his dog," Sweet Grass promised her sad little maid.
"Smoke shall be cared for, though his master has left him."

THE WINTER HUNT

The new home proved to be a good one. Each time the hunters went forth
they returned with a load of game. The squaws were kept busy drying
buffalo and bear meat, packing away the marrow and cleaning the bones
and skins. Every part of the animals was put to some use.

The days of the long, cold winter were at hand, and all must work
busily. Timid Hare had much to do, but sometimes she was allowed to
play outside of the tepee with other children; they were kinder to her
now that she lived in the chief's home. She had plenty to eat, and
Sweet Grass and her mother treated her well, but she longed for
something that was lacking here but was freely given in the old home:
it was love.

The snow fell thick and fast. It covered the prairie for miles in
every direction. In some places it was deeper than Timid Hare was
tall. A thick crust formed over the top.

Young Antelope set to work to make himself new snowshoes. As he bent
the hoops for the frames and crossed them with networks of leather
strings. Timid Hare looked on with longing. She had had snowshoes of
he