154 IN THE OLD WEST 



he lopes like a wolf round the fires of the white 

 hunters?" 



" Is my brother's skin not red ? " returned the 

 Apache, " and yet he asks question that needs no 

 answer. Why does the medicine-wolf follow the 

 buffalo and deer ? For blood and for blood 

 the Indian follows the treacherous white from 

 camp to camp, to strike blow for blow, until the 

 deaths of those so basely killed are fully avenged." 



" My brother speaks with a big heart, and his 

 words are true; and though the Taos and Pimo 

 (Apache) black their faces towards each other 

 (are at war), here, on the graves of their com- 

 mon fathers, there is peace between them. Let 

 my brother go." 



The Apache moved quickly away, and the Taos 

 once more sought the camp-fires of his white com- 

 panions. 



Following the course of the Gila to the east- 

 ward, they crossed a range of the Sierra Madre, 

 which is a continuation of the Rocky Mountains, 

 and struck the waters of the Rio del Norte below 

 the settlements of New Mexico. On this stream 

 they fared well ; besides trapping a great quantity 

 of beaver, game of all kinds abounded, and the 

 bluffs near the well-timbered banks of the river 

 were covered with rich gramma grass, on which 

 their half-starved animals speedily improved in 

 condition. 



They remained for some weeks encamped on the 



