“First the lightning flashes in the north, then the thunder rumbles, then the rain falls, because flowers are blooming,” the singers sang.

Though there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the dancers bounced happily, hop, turn, a cob in one hand, a lightning wand in the other. Their worn, clean coveralls and crisp dresses made them look like dolls of sober industry. The women and girls didn’t raise their knees as high as the men or stamp their heels as hard. But they recognized Joe; he saw their glances stealing toward him and caught their whispers when he so much as turned.

“In the fields you can see melon flowers,” the singers sang, “In the fields you can see corn flowers. In the fields the water bird sings and overhead the black clouds grow.” A hundred dancers softly made the ground tremble.

One more revolution of the circle and he’d quit, Joe told himself. The circle moved so slowly, though. The entire population of Santiago seemed to be present, dancing or on the roofs, surrounding him and waiting for him to do something. So many of the women looked like Dolores. Not just Dolores the famous potter, but Dolores as a young woman, Dolores as a girl. Half-toe, turn.

Two of the clowns took folding chairs away from the ladies from Santa Fe and sat, pretending to gossip, put on lipstick, adjust girdles. A third patrolled the edges of the plaza, keeping back the spreading line of tourists. He threatened a spectator who had come halfway to the circle from the east end. It was Billy trying to get a better look at Joe, and he ignored the tubby, old clown waving him back. When the clown uncoiled a whip and cracked it at Billy’s feet, he knocked the clown down.

The entire circle slowed, watching the confrontation. Joe saw the tribal policemen hanging back; they didn’t want a hassle with the Indian Service. Without being aware of it, Joe was through the dancers; he seemed to cover the distance to Ben in a few steps.

Billy pointed a warning finger as Joe stepped over Ben, took him by the front of his shirt, and with one hand lifted him high off the ground. The cowboy kicked and swung his fists while Joe carried him to where most of the crowd watched under the cottonwood. He had intended to set him down gently, but, released, Billy somehow flew over the first two rows of spectators to the base of the tree.