Summarizing information "Dance Hall of the Dead" In chapters 19-20.

In Chapter 19, Leaphorn's decision to tell Pasquaanti who the killer is leads directly to the Zuni taking revenge on the killer, as Leaphorn knew it would. However, the poignancy of this chapter comes from the fact that each law enforcement agency is only concerned with its own agenda. Neither Pasquaanti nor Agent Baker will commit any resources to protecting George Bowlegs. Just as Leaphorn once told Isaacs that Susanne was not Leaphorn's responsibility, by converse, George Bowlegs is exclusively Leaphorn's responsibility. None of the non-Navajo policemen will come to George's aid. Leaphorn is all he's got, and Leaphorn arrives five seconds too late to save the boy. To further underscore the tragedy, the author reveals that George learned of his father's death while on the run. The lonely boy in the alley dies knowing that he is completely alone in the world. George never even has a chance to meet his would-be protector, Leaphorn.

In Chapter 20, Leaphorn takes his anger out on Isaacs over the awful tragedy which takes the lives of two young boys because Isaacs let Susanne down. Isaacs chose a homicidal employer over the young woman he loves because of his greedy desire for fame and fortune. Having seen two young lives already wasted, Leaphorn is furious with Isaacs for wasting yet a third life, Susanne's. Leaphorn has judged Isaacs and found him wanting. However, Leaphorn leaves him with a choice to make. Isaacs can publish the falsified evidence and have his fame and fortune, or Isaacs can go to the police station, find Susanne and turn in the fake evidence for the murder case. Leaphorn has no faith that Isaacs will make the right decision. In fact, Leaphorn has no faith that the authorities even care who killed Ernesto, George and Shorty. Leaphorn's moral disgust is his excuse for leaving the crime unsolved.

Leaphorn's moral choice is perhaps little better than Isaacs. By telling Pasquaanti that Reynolds was the mask-wearing murderer, Leaphorn has knowingly assured Reynolds' death. By not telling Agent Baker or Agent O'Malley who the true murderer is, Leaphorn reveals his judgmental soul. Perhaps the agents would not have been interested in the truth, preferring to prosecute the hippie commune for the drug and murder charges. However, by withholding information, Leaphorn does not even give them the opportunity to do the right thing. Leaphorn, despite his good character, is subject to the same prejudices as the white men. Rather than attempt to educate the white policemen about his skills as a tracker or about local customs, Leaphorn prefers to leave them in ignorance while he maintains his feeling of righteousness. If Leaphorn were to communicate the new evidence to the authorities, they would have the opportunity to follow up on it and put the murder rightfully to bed. Leaphorn tells himself that he's withholding evidence because the authorities would not care, and certainly there is validity to that belief. However, by denying the authorities the chance to do the right thing, Leaphorn is also guaranteeing himself a feeling of moral superiority. In the end, Leaphorn's greed to be right rivals Isaacs' greed for money.