weary like an old man and moved not away from the fire. No longer
did he go forth to kill meat - "

"And no longer did he eat the meat placed before him," Zilla broke
in. "He would shake his head and say, 'Only do I care to eat the
grub of the white man and grow fat after the manner of Yamikan.'"

"And he did not eat the meat," Ebbits went on. "And the sickness
of Bidarshik grew into a great sickness until I thought he would
die. It was not a sickness of the body, but of the head. It was a
sickness of desire. I, Ebbits, who am his father, make a great
think. I have no more sons and I do not want Bidarshik to die. It
is a head-sickness, and there is but one way to make it well.
Bidarshik must journey across the lake as large as the sky to the
land where there is no snow, else will he die. I make a very great
think, and then I see the way for Bidarshik to go.

"So, one night when he sits by the fire, very sick, his head
hanging down, I say, 'My son, I have learned the way for you to go
to the white man's land.' He looks at me, and his face is glad.
'Go,' I say, 'even as Yamikan went.' But Bidarshik is sick and
does not understand. 'Go forth,' I say, 'and find a white man,
and, even as Yamikan, do you kill that white man. Then will the
soldier white men come and get you, and even as they took Yamikan
will they take you across the salt lake to the white man's land.
And then, even as Yamikan, will you return very fat, your eyes full
of the things you have seen, your head filled with wisdom.'

"And Bidarshik stands up very quick, and his hand is reaching out
for his gun. 'Where do you go?' I ask. 'To kill the white man,'