"The Lord's work awaits us in Victor," said the Reverend Hale loudly. "You really must excuse us." And without waiting for a reply he snapped the reins of his buggy, and the old horse ambled off. Auguste stood in the road waiting to see if Nancy would glance back at him. She did. Even at a distance and through dust he could see the blue of her eyes. Elysee said, "Well, Auguste, close your mouth, put your hat back on and get back up here." _I'm going to meet her again_, Auguste thought. He still wanted just as much to go back to his people. He had not forgotten Redbird. By now, though, she had probably forgotten him. And so, what harm could there be in getting to know this white young lady a little better? Then their carriage was passing the log wall around the trading post. A shadow fell over his enjoyment at meeting Nancy Hale. He ran his finger down the scar on his cheek. "Is _he_ in there?" he said abruptly to Nicole. Her face paled. "He's down-- You know about what's going on in the Rock River country, don't you?" Auguste stiffened. "Has something happened to my people?" He saw Nicole close her eyes and sigh when he said "my people." "There has been trouble," said Elysee. "Did no news reach you in New York?" _O Earthmaker, let them come to no harm._ Twisting his hands in his lap, Auguste said, "The New York papers only report what happens on the eastern seaboard." He remembered now overhearing remarks by some of his fellow passengers on the _Virginia_ about "Injun trouble." But he'd kept to himself on the trip up from St. Louis. _We steamed right past the mouth of the Rock River, and I never guessed!_ Elysee nodded. "Well, your father insisted that no one write you about it. He feared it would distract you from your studies." Auguste felt a sudden flash of anger at Pierre de Marion. _He does want me to forget that I am a Sauk. Not even telling me when my people are in danger._ He gripped Elysee's arm. "What happened?" Nicole said, "Frank has a correspondent who writes him regularly from Fort Armstrong." The American fort, Auguste remembered, was at the mouth of the Rock River, six miles downriver from Saukenuk. Nicole went on, "Black Hawk's band once again crossed the Mississippi to Saukenuk in the spring, even though the Army has told them over and over that the land now belongs to the Federal government and they must not return to it. This time they found settlers actually living in some of their houses and farming their fields. Black Hawk drove them out. Black Hawk's warriors destroyed settlers' cabins nearby, shot their horses and cows, told them to move away or be killed. Now Governor Reynolds has called up the militia to drive Black Hawk and his people out of Illinois. His proclamation says, 'Dead or alive.'" Auguste's heart suddenly felt as if ice had formed around it. Elysee said, "And Raoul and most of his cronies have gone to join the militia."