"I say no more," said Whoa.
Whoa caught his pony and rode away. Geronimo knew a great sorrow. Whoa
was frightened. Because he feared, he was willing to see through the
eyes of others rather than find out for himself how things truly were.
It was indeed a sad thing.
[Illustration]
Two days later the scout announced another friend. In twenty minutes,
Ana, Benito's wife, climbed the hill to Geronimo's camp.
"Why are you here?" Geronimo demanded.
"I bear a message from Chief Gray Wolf," said Ana.
Geronimo said, "It has come to my ears that Chief Gray Wolf killed all
the followers of Benito. Yet you, Benito's wife, are not dead."
"We did indeed fight some of Chief Gray Wolf's Apache scouts," said Ana.
"They were commanded by the white chiefs, Crawford and Gatewood. They
surprised us in our camp, and we thought they came for war. But they
came for peace, and though they killed a few of us because we fought
them, they took most of us prisoner and treated us very well.
"The men remain prisoners. But the children have freedom of Chief Gray
Wolf's camp and all women have been sent forth with the message Chief
Gray Wolf has for all Apaches. That is why I am here."
"And what is this message?" Geronimo asked.
"Return to Arizona and live in peace."
Geronimo asked, "Was Chato in Benito's camp when Gray Wolf's scouts
came?"
"Chato was there," Ana said.
"And what says Chato to the message?"
"Chato and Benito have agreed to return," said Ana. "So have Zele and
Naiche. I know not of the others."
"She lies," Francisco warned.
Geronimo said, "Women do not lie about their husbands. Would Chief Gray
Wolf speak with me?"
"He would," said Ana.
"Where?"
Ana used a stick to trace a map on the ground. Geronimo studied it,
rubbed it out with his moccasin, and nodded.
"Eat and rest," he told Ana. "Then go to Chief Gray Wolf and say
Geronimo will come in four days."
In four days, carrying his Winchester repeating rifle and wearing a belt
full of bullets, Geronimo approached the meeting place an hour after
sunrise. He looked straight ahead only, for anything else might betray
him. His warriors, who had left camp while night still held, were hidden
all about. But they were to attack only if there was treachery.
[Illustration]
Geronimo saw Captain Crawford and Lieutenant Gatewood, army officers
whose deeds had earned them the respect of all Apaches. There was Al
Sieber, famed chief of scouts and one of the very few white men who
could think like an Apache. Mickey Free, whom Cochise had been accused
of kidnapping years before, stood ready to tell Geronimo and General
Crook what each said to the other. Geronimo spoke Apache, Spanish, and
some English. General Crook spoke and understood English only.
Proud and haughty as the Apache himself, every inch the warrior, General
Crook's eyes met Geronimo's. They did not look away.