Part 1, Chapter 1 Summary

The story opens with George Black Bull sneaking home after a fight, covered in blood. George tells his wife, Bessie, they will come to get him and to get the water for wash. George changes his bloody shirt and washes, tells Bessie where to meet him and then leaves. Bessie buries the blood stained shirt and cleans up any sign George was at the house. Bessie then tells her five year old son to say "nobody came" if he is questioned. Bessie sends him off to play and waits for the men to come.

Within a half hour, men from the town and Blue Elk, another Ute Indian question where George is when they arrive at her house. The men tell her George killed Frank No Deer, a well-known thief. Bessie tells them he is not home; she has not seen...