h. But he, too, was half Apache and
had squirmed through without mishap. For two hours after reading Archer
kept the contents to himself. The adjutant-general wished to consult
him at Prescott. Ninety miles north-west by buckboard, through a
country infested by hostile Indians! It was a trip he little cared to
take and leave his wife and daughter here! At noon he had had to tell
them, and tell Willett, who was teaching Lilian a fandango he had heard
on the Colorado. Mother and daughter looked anxiously at each other and
said nothing. It was decided he should wait until night before
arranging when to start. Surely this night should bring news of some
kind.

And surely enough, at ten came the summons that took him, field-glass
in hand, to the northward edge of the little mesa again. Somewhere in
the direction of Diamond Butte, almost due east, one fire was brightly
blazing. Over in the Mazatzal to the westward there were two, and even
as they stood and studied them, Archer dropped his glasses at an
exclamation of surprise from one of his officers, and there, gaunt and
weary, yet erect and fearless, stood 'Tonio. Like a wraith he seemed to
have blown in among them, and now patiently awaited the attention of
the commander; yet, when accosted, all he would say in answer to
question, for they knew not his native tongue, was "_Capitan Chiquito_!"

So they led him to the doctor's quarters, and Bentley tiptoed in to see
what Harris was doing. He was awake, in pain and fever, but clear-headed.
"Of course I'm able to see 'Tonio," said he. "I _need_ to see him."
Whereupon shufflings were heard in the hallway without, and presently
in the dim lamplight 'Tonio knelt by the young chief's side, took the
clutching white hand and laid it one instant on his head. To no other
of their number had 'Tonio ever tendered such homage. Rising to his
feet, he looked about him, his glittering eyes fixed one moment in mute
appeal; another moment, and gloomily, they studied Willett's handsome
face. Then he spoke, Harris half haltingly explaining. It began
languidly on the latter's part. It quickly changed to excitement, then
to vehement life. 'Tonio was telling of some sharp encounter wherein
women and children had been slain, whereby the mountain tribes were all
aroused, and then he had gone on to declare what Indian vengeance would
demand. Impassioned, 'Tonio threw himself at the first pause on his
knees by the side of the cot whereon lay his belo