"Greetings, Horse That Is Crazy!"  The Ancient One called.
   "Crippled Bear!"  the warrior answered.  "My eyes did not deceive me!  It is indeed you!  But how can this be?  We have heard tales from the white agents that you are dead, killed by some of those you brought to the white man's justice."
   "And what you have heard is true," The Ancient One answered. "For many years I have slept with my Fathers, then lived again in a far and distant place, where the memory of the Great Warrior Of The People is well remembered and cherished.  The Sacred Father of the white man has brought me here because a great evil threatens your people and all who have ever lived, and he wishes me to deal with it.  These men in the wagon we spoke to are not of this place. They are from very far away. They intend not only to harm The People, but to make it so all tribes, everywhere, will be destroyed.  You must let my friends and I deal with them. We know how to do this.  We are skilled in these matters.  Go and fight those who are invading your land and let me deal with this danger."
   The great warrior looked at The Ancient One with no surprise or bewilderment because of the words that he had spoken, whatsoever!  "I see!"  he muttered.  "Bull That Is Sitting said that this day things were amiss, that they were not as they should be.  Your words tell me his wisdom is great, as it always is.  I will send riders to my people telling them to stay away from those in the wagon.  Why does The Great Father of the white man take an interest in today's affairs when it is His people that have murdered so many of ours and taken so much that is ours?"
   The Ancient One shook his head.  "The Great Father of the white man does not sanction what has been done to your people.  He punishes those who have done these things.  They do not enter in to the special place he has prepared for His people, because they have transgressed His laws and done evil to the innocent.  Do not think The Great Father does not punish those who do evil, they are not His children, only things of wickedness and evil, that have no place anywhere."
   "Your wisdom is great, Crippled Bear!"  the great warrior answered.  "I know if you speak thusly, it is so, and my people are avenged.  Though I know we will eventually be defeated, the white man's numbers are too great, the things that he can make are too plentiful.  We cannot stand forever, against them.  But the people will die as they live, facing their enemies, not fleeing from them.  If we die, we die as one!"
   "And the honor you shall win," The Ancient One answered, "shall be great among men.  And some day all that you have lost will be regained.  The names of those who abused you will be taken from history, while you shall be remembered for all time.  For the honor of The People shall not be forgotten!"
   The great warrior rose. "Peace be with you, old friend!"  he cried.  "Let no enemy stand against you.  Let all who oppose you become dust on the wind!"
   Without another word he went back to his steed, mounted, and rode back to the other warriors.  He spoke to some of them and they quickly rode off in all directions. The Ancient One returned to his companions.
   "Sometimes," he muttered, "the temptation to change history is very great!  If The People had retained control of this land much of what was done to it would not have happened.  Come on!  Let's circle back and get behind our adversaries.  I'm getting anxious to know what they're up to!"
   "I thought you were called Walks With Thunder by the Indians," The Ax Man asked.
   "That was The Apaches," The Ancient One answered.  "The Dakota called me The Crippled Bear."
   "Oh!' The Ax Man sighed. "Just like in our day, everybody called you something different."
   "You've got the idea!"  The Ancient One answered. "Let's go!"
   They quickly rode off. In a short time they found the men in the wagon.  Three of them were sitting up tubes with large metal bases and laying rocket like projectiles out on the ground by them.
   "Mortars!"  The Ancient One spat, "Mortars!  They'll play havoc on the Indians with those. From here they can hit all The Apaches on Last Stand Hill!  They'll kill hundreds of them before they can even get close to Custer and his men."
   "And they're getting pretty close!"  The Ax Man warned.
   "Right!"  The Ancient One agreed.  "We don't have time to be subtle.  Down that ravine.  Split up. come up on three sides of them.  Take them out before they can use those mortars!."
   "Those don't look like rifles they've got!"  Durga warned.
   "They're not!"  The Ancient One agreed.  "I don't know what they are!  Be careful!"
   His friends nodded and they quickly rode out.