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might or might not be true. The master of mysteries was akin to a high priest, but something more, also.
    Ni'kwana then asked, "You, it is said, are a medicine man?"
    This was believed of me by the Cherokee, for twice they had come to me when illnesses among them did not yield to their own practice. My father's friend Sakim had taught me much, and I had learned much from medicine men of the tribes who were friendly to me, yet Sakim had taught me much else besides, and some word had gotten about of my Gift.
    "So it is said."
    "It is also said that you, among your people, are also a master of mysteries."
    "I am no master, Ni'kwana. I am one who lives to learn. I go west because there are lands there I do not know, and perhaps to find a home for myself."
    "Perhaps your home will be ours, also."
    "If the Ni'kwana is there, then I could learn from him?"
    "Ah ... The way is long, and my muscles tire. I do not know, Ju-bal, I do not know. But," he added, "you could be one of us. I think your ways are like our ways." He smiled wryly. "At least, the ways of some of us.
    "It is wise," he spoke suddenly, sharply, "not to trust too much. We Natchee do not all believe alike. There are factions."
    "Kapata? You said he was not of your blood?"
    "His mother was a Karankawa, from the coast far to the south. Kapata has much of her ways and her beliefs, and they were a wild, fierce people. His mother, it is said, was a fierce woman, and the Karankawa were eaters of men."
    "This I have heard."
    Rising from beside the fire I said, "Tomorrow I must go. And you, Ni'kwana? Do you return to your village now?"
    "I have been too long away, and the Great Sun will need me. He grows old, and he is not well. You will find Itchakomi?"
    "I will try."
    With my blanket I went alone to a place beside a rock, and there I slept. When dawn came Ni'kwana still sat beside the fire as he had when I left him. Whether he had moved or slept I did not know, but Keokotah was ready and waiting, impatient to be away from these people he neither knew nor trusted.
    We ate lightly, but as we moved to go, Kapata was waiting. "She is my woman," he said, glaring.
    "Convince her, not me," I said, and moved to pass him.
    He reached for my shoulder but my knife was drawn. "Touch me," I said, "and they will be calling you Kapata the One Handed."
    For a moment I believed he would attack, but my knife was inches from his belly, so he held his hand. It was well he did so, for I am a man of peace and would not have liked to send him crippled into the time after this.
    We walked away then and left them staring, some with hope, some with hatred. For myself, although I liked Ni'kwana, I was pleased to be on my way. Keokotah, even more eager to be away, took the lead and soon broke into a trot. I followed, running easily and liking the path as it wound through the greenwood.
    When we came to where the path divided, I took the easternmost. Keokotah hesitated. "The other is closer to the Great River," he said.
    "I have reason. We will take the right-hand path."
    He shrugged and motioned to indicate I should lead, which I did. We were nearing a river now and also the place where my canoe was hidden. The river we would follow also led toward Hiwasee, where there were Cherokees. It had been the home of other Indians before them and was a well-known place. So far as I knew none of these Cherokees had known us, but as I was beginning to learn, my father was known to them, and I myself, in a lesser way.
    My canoe remained where it had been hidden, and Keokotah was much pleased. Birchbark canoes were not common. The Iroquois, for example, used only clumsy dugout canoes and were not skilled in working with birchbark. Mine was light and graceful, an easy canoe to be carried across portages by one man, but preferably two.
    Beautiful was the morning when we went out upon the river, with the sunlight gathering diamonds from the ripples, and overhead a few idle clouds loitering over the blue meadows of the