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〃It's very dangerous。〃 He hesitated a moment。 〃There are stories among the Nankoweap about that valley； and that other valley 。 。 。 the valley beyond。 You might laugh at me； because most white people don't believe in such things。 But what happened to your horses is a kind of witchcraft。 It's a terrible evil。 What you're doing； digging in that city； is going to kill you if you don't get out； right now。 Especially now that 。 。 。 they've found you。〃
〃They？〃 Smithback asked。 〃Who's 'they'？〃
Beiyoodzin's voice dropped。 〃The spotted…clay witches。 The skinwalkers。 The wolfskin runners。〃
In the darkness； Nora's blood went cold。
Beside her； Smithback stirred。 〃I'm sorry；〃 he spoke up。 〃You said witches？〃
There was a faint tone in his voice that the Indian picked up。 He gazed at the writer； his face indistinct in the growing darkness。 〃Do you believe in evil？〃
〃Of course。〃
〃No normal Nankoweap person would kill a horse： to us； horses are sacred。 I don't know what you call your evil people； but we call ours skinwalkers； wolfskin runners。 They have many names； and many forms。 They are pletely outside our society； but they take what is good in our religion and turn it upside down。 Whatever you may think； Nankoweap wolfskin runners exist。 And they are drawn to Chilbah。 Because the city was a place of sorcery； cruelty； witchcraft； sickness； and death。〃
But Nora barely heard this。 Wolfskin runners。 Her mind fled back to the shadow…knitted ranch house： the dark matted form that had towered over her； the furred thing that had kept pace with her truck along the rutted dirt road。
〃I don't doubt what you say；〃 Smithback replied。 〃Over the last couple of years； I've seen some pretty strange things myself。 But where do these skinwalkers e from？〃
Beiyoodzin fell silent； arms propped on his knees； dark hands clasped。 He rolled another cigarette； then turned his gaze toward the ground and fell motionless。 The silence grew as the minutes passed。 Nora could hear the faint cropping sounds of the horse grazing in the draw。 Then； eyes still fixed on the ground； cigarette held loosely between two fingers； Beiyoodzin spoke again。
〃To bee a witch； you have to kill someone you love。 Someone close； brother or sister； mother or father。 You kill them； to get the power。 Then； when that person is buried； you secretly dig the body up。〃 He lit the cigarette。 〃Then you turn the life force of that person to evil。〃
〃How？〃 Smithback whispered。
〃When life is created； Wind； liehei； the life force； enters the body。 Where the Wind enters the body； it leaves a little eddy； like a ripple in water。 It leaves these marks on the tips of the fingers； toes； the back of the head。 The witch cuts these off the corpse。 They dry them； grind them up； make a kind of powder。 And they drill out the skull behind and make a disk； for throwing spells。 If it is a murdered sister； the witch has sex with the dead body。 He uses the fluids to make another powder。 It's called Alchi'bin lehh tsal。 Incest corpse powder。〃
〃Good God；〃 Smithback groaned。
〃You go to a remote spot at night。 You strip off your clothes。 You cover your body with spots of white clay； and wear the jewelry buried with the dead； the silver and turquoise。 You place wolfskins or coyoteskins on either side of you。 Then you say certain lines of the Night Wind Chant backwards。 One of those skins will leap off the ground and stick to you。 And then you have the power。〃
〃What is this power？〃 Nora asked。
Beiyoodzin lit the cigarette。 The repeated hoot of an owl echoed mournfully through the endless canyons。
〃Our people believe you get the power to move at night； like the wind； but without sound。 You can bee invisible。 You learn powerful spells； spells to witch people from a distance。 And with the corpse powder； you can kill。 Oh； can you kill。〃
〃Kill？〃 Smithback asked。 〃Witch people？ How； exactly？〃
〃If a skinwalker can get something from their victim's body…spit； hair； a sweaty piece of clothing…they place it in the mouth of a corpse。 With that； they can cast a spell on the person。 Or on his horse； his sheep； his house； his belongings。 They can break his tools； make his machines refuse to operate。 They can make his wife fall sick； kill his dogs or children。〃
He lapsed into silence。 The owl hooted again； closer now。
〃Witch people from a distance；〃 Smithback repeated。 〃Move at night； without sound。〃 He grunted； shook his head。
Beiyoodzin glanced at the writer briefly； his eyes luminous in the gathering darkness； then looked away again。
〃Let me tell you a story；〃 Beiyoodzin said； after a moment's hesitation。 〃Something that happened to me many years ago； when I was a boy。 It's a story I haven't told for a long； long time。〃
A hot red ember flashed out of the dark； and Beiyoodzin's face was briefly lit crimson as he drew on the cigarette。
〃It was summer；〃 he went on。 〃I was helping my grandfather bring some sheep up to Escalante。 It was a two…day trip； so we brought the horse and wagon。 We stopped for the night at a place called Shadow Rock。 Built a brush corral for the sheep； turned the horse out to graze； went to sleep。 Around midnight； I woke up suddenly。 It was pitch black： no moon； no stars。 There was no noise。 Something was wrong。 I called out to my grandfather。 Nothing。 So I sat up； tossed twigs into the coals。 As they flared up I caught a glimpse of him。〃
Beiyoodzin took a long； careful drag on the cigarette。 〃He was lying on his back； eyes gone。 His fingertips were missing。 His mouth had been sewed shut。 Something had been done to the back of his head。〃 The red firebrand of the cigarette tip wavered in the dark。 〃I stood up and threw the rest of the brush onto the fire。 In the light I could see our horse maybe twenty feet away。 He was lying on the ground； guts mounded beside him。 The sheep in the pen were all dead。 All this…all this…without even the sound of a mouse。〃
The pinpoint of red vanished as Beiyoodzin ground out the cigarette。 〃As the fire died back； I saw something else；〃 he continued。 〃A pair of eyes； red in the flames。 Eyes in the darkness； but nothing else。 They never blinked； they never moved。 But somehow； I felt them ing closer。 Then I heard a low； puffing sound。 Dust hit my face； and my eyes stung。 I fell back； too scared even to cry out。
〃I don't remember how I made my way home。 They put me to bed with a high fever。 At last； they put me in a wagon and took me to the hospital in Cedar City。 The doctors there said it was typhoid； but my family knew better。 One by one； they left my bedside。 Except for my grandmother； I didn't see any of my relatives for a couple of days。 But by the time they returned to the hospital； the worst of the sickness had passed。 To the surprise of the doctors。〃
There was a brief silence。 〃I later learned where my relatives had been。 They'd returned to Shadow Rock； where we'd camped。 They took the village's best tracker with them。 A set of huge wolfprints led away from the site。 They followed the tracks to a remote camp east of Nankoweap。 Inside was 。 。 。 well； I guess you would have to call him a man。 It was noon； and he was sleeping。 My relatives took no chances。 They shot him while he slept。〃 He paused。 〃It took a great many bullets。〃
〃How did they know？〃 Smithback asked。
〃Beside the man was a witchcraft medicine kit。 There were certain roots； plants； and insects： taboo items； forbidden items； used only by skinwalkers。 They found corpse powder。 And up in the chimney； they found certain 。 。 。 pieces of meat； drying。〃
〃But I don't understand how 。 。 。 ？〃 Smithback's question trailed off into the darkness。
〃Who was it？〃 Nora asked。
Beiyoodzin did not answer directly。 But after a moment； he turned。 Even in the dark； Nora could feel the intensity of his gaze。
〃You said your horses were cut in five places； on the forehead and two places on each side of breast and belly；〃 he said。 〃Do you know what those five places have in mon？〃
〃No；〃 Smithback said。
〃Yes；〃 Nora whispered； her mouth dry with sudden fear。 〃Those are the five places where the fur of a horse forms a whorl。〃
The light had pletely vanished from the sky； and a huge dome of stars was cast over