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white nation fanned against negotiations with the Nemenuh .
    Despite that, the peace council was arranged. So too were plans for wrecking it. With the help of her white allies. Fire Dancer sent men out to kill a number of influential friends of the Comanche. From what Salmon just told her, the plan only partially succeeded and the one person she hoped to be dead more than any of the others still remained alive.
    ‘What other word do you bring from the Fort?’ she asked after what had been a disturbingly long silence for Salmon.
    ‘The white soldier lance-carriers have been sent to bring in the Waw’ai to Fort Sorrel,’ he answered.
    ‘These I have seen,’ Fire Dancer commented in a flat voice. ‘How many of them come?’
    ‘Almost a hundred.’
    ‘And what are they to do?’
    ‘Make your people come in. Use force if they have to.’
    Which meant, as Salmon and Fire Dancer well knew, a fight. Any Comanche still away from the council meeting did not intend to attend and would only be taken there by force. A frown creased Fire Dancer’s brow and Salmon’s uneasiness leapt even higher as he wondered how she took his last piece of news.
    ‘Sit down,’ she ordered. ‘I will have food for you. Then I must make medicine. Have no fear, friend, you only brought the news.’
    Salmon gulped at something which seemed to be blocking his throats Knowing better than argue, he sat on his heels and watched Fire Dancer leave the tipi. Sidewinder did not follow his mother, but hunkered down facing the scout and watched Salmon with cold, unwinking eyes. That did nothing to improve Salmon’s appetite, already made jumpy by the knowledge that Fire Dancer used poison as a means of disposing of people who crossed her. However the scout managed to force a meal of the inevitable stew down and felt no ill-effects from it. With the meal over, he sat faced by the silent chief and waited for Fire Dancer’s returns At last the door-flap lifted and Fire Dancer entered.
    ‘You can find the lance-carriers?’ she asked without preamble.
    ‘I reckon I can,’ agreed Salmon. ‘They’re coming down Elk Creek towards Lovatt City. You’ll want me to find them and lead them away from your camp?’
    ‘No. I want you to find them and bring them here.’
    ‘Here?’ yelped Salmon and Sidewinder let out a low hiss of breath.
    ‘Towards this camp,’ confirmed the woman. ‘But bring them through Wide Valley when you come.’
    ‘I can do that,’ Salmon said, ‘But how about me?’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘It figures that you’re going to fight them soldiers, so where do I come off? I’ll be with the soldiers and your braves don’t look too careful at who they’re counting coup on when they’re in a fight.’
    ‘A wise man would make sure that his horse became lame at the right moment,’ purred Fire Dancer. ‘All I ask is that you bring the lance-carriers into Wide Valley for me.’
    ‘That’ll be easy. I know their leader and he’ll listen to me. By noon in two days’ time, I’ll have them coming into Wide Valley.’
    Not until after the scout’s departure did Sidewinder raise the points which troubled him. Sitting in the tipi, he looked at his mother.
    ‘Aiee! These Waw’ai will not have stomach when they see they face lance-carriers,’
    ‘White-eye lance-carriers,’ corrected Fire Dancers ‘When I was a child in Mexico, I saw lance-carriers and know how they fight. Go and have the camp cried that there will be a War Dance this night and when you return I will tell you how you will defeat the lance-carriers and what you must do after they are beaten.’
    No Comanche would think of going upon a war path without celebrating the occasion with a dance and this itself called for a special ceremony, After receiving his instructions from Fire Dancer, Sidewinder made a start.
    Normally the organizer of a war party called in his friends, or other name-warriors, to discuss the proposed raid; but Sidewinder had such a reputation