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 Trith 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 

 on-ce 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 

 bluff^s 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 



