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at。 Tomorrow was Wednesday。 McKee decided he would accept Leaphorn's invitation to spend another day with him。 And then he would take his own pickup and try to find the summer hogan of Old Lady Gray Rocks。 He would start with her； since she was supposed to be the source of one of the better rumors。 And by Thursday when Canfield arrived they would move into Many Ruins Canyon； set up camp； and work out of the canyon。
The Big Navajo had found a hat that fitted him； another black one with a broad brim and a high crown…the high fashion of old…generation Navajos。 He looked like a Tuba City Navajo； McKee decided； long…faced and raw…boned with heavy eyebrows and a wide mouth。
〃O。K。；〃 the man said。 〃How much do I owe you now？〃
The Big Navajo had taken a silver concho band from his hip pocket。 He let it hang over his wrist while he handed Shoemaker the bills and waited for his change。 The metal glowed softly…hammered discs bigger than silver dollars。 McKee guessed the conchos would bring 200 in pawn。 He looked at the big man with new interest。 The Navajo was slipping the silver band down over the crown of his hat。
〃This Horseman；〃 Leaphorn was saying； 〃cut up a Mexican over in Gallup。 Got drunk and did it； but the Nakai didn't die。 He's getting better now。 They want to talk to Horseman about it over at Window Rock。〃
〃I don't know anything about him；〃 the big man said。
〃He's the son of Annie Horseman；〃 Leaphorn said。 〃Used to live back over there across the Kam Bimghi； over on the west slope of the Lukachukais。〃 He indicated the direction； Navajo fashion； with a twitch of his lips。
The Big Navajo had been picking up his box of groceries。 He put it down and looked at Leaphorn a moment and then ran his tongue over his teeth； thoughtfully。
〃Whereabouts on the west slope？〃 he asked。 〃Law and Order know where he is？〃
〃General idea；〃 Leaphorn said。 〃But it would be better if he came on in himself。 You know。 Otherwise we'll go in there and get him。 Make it worse for everybody。〃
〃Horseman；〃 the Big Navajo said。 〃Is he。。。〃
Leaphorn was waiting for the rest of the question。
〃What'd you say this kid looks like？〃
〃Slender fellow。 Had on denims and a red shirt。 Wears his hair the old way and ties it back in a red sweatband。〃
〃I don't know him；〃 the big man said。 〃But it would be good if he came in。〃 He hoisted the box under his arm and walked toward the door。
〃This man's a college professor；〃 Leaphorn said； pointing to McKee。 〃He's looking for some information out here about witches。〃
The Navajo shook hands。 He looked amused。
〃They say there's a Wolf over toward the Lukachukais；〃 McKee said。 〃Maybe it's just gossip。〃
〃I heard some of that talk。〃 He looked at McKee and smiled。 〃It's old…woman talk。 A man out there's supposed to had a dream about the Gum…Tooth Woman and about a three…legged dog ing into his hogan and he woke up and he saw this dog in his brush arbor； and when he yelled at it； it turned into a man and threw corpse powder on him。〃
The Navajo laughed and slapped McKee on the shoulder。
〃Horse manure；〃 he said。 〃Maybe the Wolf is this boy the policeman is hunting for。〃 He looked at Leaphorn。 〃I guess you'll be after that boy if he don't e in。 Are you hunting for him now？〃
〃I don't think we're looking very hard yet；〃 Leaphorn said。 〃I think he'll e in to see us。〃
The Big Navajo went through the door。
〃Be better if he came in；〃 he said。
It was almost sundown when Leaphorn pulled the Law and Order carryall onto the pavement of Navajo Route 8 at Round Rock。 Two hours' drive back to Window Rock。
〃Pretty fair day's work for me；〃 McKee said。 〃But I think you wasted your time。〃
〃No。 I got done about what I wanted。〃
McKee was surprised。
〃You still think Horseman's back in there？ Nobody had seen him。〃
Leaphorn smiled。 〃Nobody admitted they'd seen him。 There wasn't any reason for them to admit it。 They know how the system works。 But that old man who came in the wagon。。。〃 Leaphorn picked his clipboard of notes off the dashboard and inspected it。 〃Nagani Lum； it was。 He damned sure knew something about it。 Did you notice how interested he was？〃
〃Lum was one who was telling me about a witching case；〃 McKee recalled。 〃Pretty standard stuff。〃 A two…headed colt had been born。 Lum hadn't seen it but a relative had。 The brother…in…law of an uncle； as McKee remembered it。 And then the boy who herded sheep for his uncle's brother…in…law had actually seen the Navajo Wolf。 Thought it was a dog bothering the sheep； but when he shot at it with his 。22； he saw it had turned into a man。 But it was getting dark and he didn't think he'd hit it。 As usual； McKee thought； it was a little too dark to really see and； as usual； the source was a boy。
〃I think that joker who was buying himself the new hat knew something about Horseman； too；〃 Leaphorn was saying。 〃The one who was kidding you about your witch stories。〃
〃He said he didn't。〃
〃He also said somebody stole his hat。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 McKee asked。
〃Did you see that concho hatband？ Why would anybody steal an old felt hat and leave behind all that fancy silver？〃
They had passed Chinle now； Leaphorn driving the white carryall at a steady seventy。 The highway skirted the immense； lifeless depression which falls away into the Biz…E…Ahi and Nazlini washes。 It was lit now by the sunset； a fantastic jumble of eroded geological formations。 The white man sees the desolation and calls it a desert； McKee thought； but the Navajo name for it means 〃Beautiful Valley。〃
〃Can you tell me why that man would lie about somebody stealing his hat？〃 Leaphorn asked。 His face was intent with the puzzle。 〃Or； if he wasn't lying； who would steal an old felt hat and leave that silver band behind？〃
Chapter 5
Joseph Begay awakened earlier than usual。 He lay still a moment； allowing consciousness to seep through him； noticing first the pre…dawn chill and that his wife had captured most of the blankets they shared。 Then he registered the rain smells； dampened dust； wet sage； pi？on resin and buffalo grass。 Now fully awake； he remembered the sudden midnight shower which had awakened them in the brush arbor and driven the family to shelter in the hogan。 Through the open hogan door； he saw the eastern horizon was not yet brightening behind the familiar upthrusting shape of Mount Taylor； seventy miles away in New Mexico。 Reaches for the Sky was one of the four sacred mountains which marked the four corners of the Land of the People； and Joseph Begay thought； as he had thought many mornings； that he had chosen this site well。 The old hogan which he and his brothers…in…law had built near his mother…in…law's place had been located on low ground； near water but closed in with the hills。 He had never liked the site。 When the son they had called Long Fingers had died of the choking sickness in the night…died so suddenly that they had not had time to move him out of the hogan so that the ghost could go free…he had not been sorry that they had to leave the site。 He had boarded up the door himself and covered the smoke hole so the ghost of Long Fingers would not bother his in…law people and had decided right away that this place on the mesa w