"Because of the white man," Ebbits concurred. "And other things
because of the white man. There was Bidarshik. One way did the
white man deal with him; and yet another way for the same thing did
the white man deal with Yamikan. And first must I tell you of
Yamikan, who was a young man of this village and who chanced to
kill a white man. It is not good to kill a man of another people.
Always is there great trouble. It was not the fault of Yamikan
that he killed the white man. Yamikan spoke always soft words and
ran away from wrath as a dog from a stick. But this white man
drank much whiskey, and in the night-time came to Yamikan's house
and made much fight. Yamikan cannot run away, and the white man
tries to kill him. Yamikan does not like to die, so he kills the
white man.

"Then is all the village in great trouble. We are much afraid that
we must make large payment to the white man's people, and we hide
our blankets, and our furs, and all our wealth, so that it will
seem that we are poor people and can make only small payment.
After long time white men come. They are soldier white men, and
they take Yamikan away with them. His mother make great noise and
throw ashes in her hair, for she knows Yamikan is dead. And all
the village knows that Yamikan is dead, and is glad that no payment
is asked.

"That is in the spring when the ice has gone out of the river. One
year go by, two years go by. It is spring-time again, and the ice
has gone out of the river. And then Yamikan, who is dead, comes
back to us, and he is not dead, but very fat, and we know that he
has slept warm and had plenty grub to eat. He has much fine
clothes and is all the same white man, and he has gathered large