But the home-going in the early moonlight evening was less joyous thanhad been the journey to the store. To the youthful Sioux girl thesleigh-bells seemed to jingle harshly, and the gumbo hills, whose topswere bare of snow, seemed frowning blackly from across the river.

Cordelia Running Bird passed some peppermints to the children, whichawoke a burst of gratitude.