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"Aye, there’s a chance They want the whisky, but they’re wary of it Soain, for fear of the daer men are all for it Some in the middle say aye, take it; they can use the liquor in trade if they’re fearful of using it"

"Wakatihsnore told you all that?" I was surprised The sachem, Acts Fast, seemed much too cool and wily a customer for such openness

"Not hireat promise as a spy, I will say He’s eaten at every hearth in the village, and he’s found a lassie who’s taken a great liking to hi"

I hunched ht around thee made us safe from interruption, but the price of visibility was exposure to the bitter wind

"And what does the Council of Mothers say?" A week spent in a longhouse had given me some idea of the is; though they didn’t eneral affairs, very little would be done without their approval

"They could wish I offered soiving up the man; more than one lady has a s hihed despitelad," I said

"I’ve seen hily, hairy bastard Of course, they think that of me, too" One side of his mouth lifted reluctantly, as he brushed a hand over his jaw; knowing the Indians’ dislike of facial hair, he was careful to shave every

"As it is, that er’s looks? Or yours?"

"The fact that er Ian says his lassie says her aunt thinks it will ive hist the women over hi to keep fro

"Has the men’s Council any idea that soer?"

"I dinna ken Why?"

"Because if they knew, they’d give hiave me a reluctant lift of one eyebrow

"Aye,men It canna hurt"

"You said the wo instead of whisky Did you ht at that, interested

"Aye, I did They couldna have been taken ot verra excited--angry and fearful both, and I think they ht well have done me harm, save I’d already mentioned the whisky"

He reached into the breast of his coat and drew out the opal, dropping it into my hand

"Best you take it, Sassenach But I think you’ll maybe not want to show it to anyone"

"How odd" I looked down at the stone, its spiral petroglyph shi to them"

"Oh, that it did," he assured me "I couldna say what, but whatever it was, they didna like it a bit The war chief deot it, and I told them ye’d found it That made them back off a bit, but they were like a kettle on the boil over it"

"Why are you wanting me to take it?" The stone arm from his body, and felt smooth and comfortable in my hand Instinctively,

"They were shocked when they saw it, as I said--and then angry One or two of theh to strike me, but they held back I watched for a bit, wi’ the stone in my hand, and I realized that they were afraid of it; they wouldna touch me while I held it"

He reached out and closed my fist around the stone

"Keep it by ye If there should be danger, bring it out"

"You’reto hand it back

He shook his head, though, the ends of his hair lifting in the wind

"No, not now they ken about the whisky They’d not harm me until they’ve heard where it is"