The Bounty Hunters

Fly

He said now, in Spanish, "Do you speak English?"

The Apache shook his head.

"Lieutenant, you can take that for what it's worth. He might speak it better than we do." Then to Soldado he said, "We did not come here to fight your men. The fight could not be avoided."

"But one of them is dead," Soldado said.

"I did not wish him to die the way he did, but it could not be helped. It is not the way a Mimbreno should die."

The old chief looked at him intently. "Who of us have you known?"

"I have known Victorio and Chee and Old Nana."

"What are you called?"

"David Flin." He pronounced the name slowly.

"I have not heard of you."

"This country is wide."

The Apache said quietly, "Yet you would force us to live in one small corner of it."

"What I do," Fly

"Then perhaps you are a fool."

"It is only foolish when you fight against what is bound to happen," Fly

"And who is this that gives land which he does not own?" the Apache asked.

Damn him, Fly

Soldado said seriously, "And if I were to find my woman lying with someone else and I cut off her nose, what would happen to me?"

"You would be taken before the agent," Fly

"For what reason?"

"For your offense."

"And when our women see that they can lie with any man they wish and only the husband is punished if he objects, what will your government do then?"

"Your women are your own problem," Fly

"Man, we have many problems which we would keep our own."

Fly

He said now to Soldado, "I tell you this as a friend: If you fight, you will be defeated, and being remembered with distaste you will be treated ill and perhaps be put into prison."

Soldado said, "What is the difference in meaning between these words prison and reservation?"

"You ask many questions."

"I only wish to borrow from the wisdom of the American," Soldado said.

"You may scoff at these words," Fly

"Are you wise enough to see your own fate, American?"

"I speak to you as a people."

"And I speak to you as a man. What does this spirit of yours say will happen to you?"

"I could die at this moment," Fly

"But who would you say this is more likely to happen to?"

You're not doing this very good, Fly

"What?"

"You've told him nothing. We could be scalp hunters for all he knows, yet he talks about the reservation. How does he know we came to see him?"

Soldado said, "The silent one wonders how I know of your mission."

In English, Fly

Soldado shook his head. "No comprendo."

Fly

"Then you have known of us for some time," Bowers said.

"Since the day you gathered the bodies of the Nakai-yes and returned them to their village. This was not an act of the killers of Indians."

Fly

Soldado studied him silently before saying, "Do you believe these words you use?" and when Fly

But it was the past Fly

Soldado smiled faintly. "Once, at night, I sat before my jacale and in front of me there was a mound of stones. There were red stones and white stones, which I could see by the light of the fire. And I played this game with myself, taking all of the red stones and placing them here," he said, gesturing with his hands, "and soon, all of the stones remaining before me were white." His smile broadened. "That is how I look into the past, American."

"These men will be punished for their deeds," Fly

"By your government?"

"Yes, by my government. By men who act in its behalf."

"And who are these men?"

"I speak of this one whom I serve," Fly

Soldado said, "Yet the one who serves is the spokesman."

"I speak when the ones before us are not worthy of his voice."

"But only worthy of his wonder," the Apache said confidently.

"You will be the one to wonder, soon, when you are a witness to his power."

"And what if you are already dead?"

"Your threat is nothing against the power of this man who is silent. And remember these words well, old man. As the hunters of Indians are destroyed, so will you be. They have already aroused his vengeance, which is what you are doing now. For I swear by the sacred pollen which you carry to ward off evil, that if you do not follow us in peace, you will be dragged to San Carlos behind our horses."

The Apache's face was expressionless. The eyes half closed, sleepily. He stared at Fly

Fly

The Apache lowered the gun, looking toward Fly

Fly

"Good. Then you will come to the rancheria." To Matagente, he said, "You will conduct them with three men. The rest of us will come at night tomorrow when this raid is terminated." He said to Fly