The breed Indian on the ship did and said nothing when he’d realized they were going to throw the Indian babies into the icy lake. He pretended he did not understand, turned his back to the captain and first mate, and went on deck to smoke with the other breeds on board. Later, when he told other Indians, no one asked what he did. Everyone knew what would have happened—he would have joined the infants in their frothy death-bed, perhaps dragged to the bottom by the lake monster. A terrible way to die, because of the spirits in the great lake.
Em was young when she first heard that story, visiting relatives out in the bush. Her nieces, Sher and Kristin, just babies, lay sleeping next to her, their hot bodies tangled together, their breaths making soft, white clouds in the chilled room. Em’s
