rprise to them. Although they greatly outnumbered us,
the country was too open for their system of warfare, and they were
poorly armed. They stood sullenly aloof, and allowed us to canter past
unmolested.

Just as our rear was passing them we noticed a solitary warrior
advance and show a white cloth.

"That is Elarnagan," said Manuel. "He wants to speak with you."

Accompanied by the Mexican boy to act as interpreter, I advanced to
the chief. He took my hand with dignity, and said he accepted the loss
of his pale-faced captives as the fortune of war, but he demanded the
return of Sapoya. He said that in a fight with the Utes, ten years
before, his people had captured a Cherokee chief, who was visiting
that tribe with his wife and child. The chief and his wife had died,
and he, Elarnagan, had brought up the child as his own. He asked that
Sapoya be restored to him.

I called the Indian lad to me and, repeating the words of the chief,
said, "You may answer for yourself."

"Sapoya says to the bravest warrior of the Navajos, that he is
grateful for all the favors that he has received, and that he thinks
he has returned by hard service ample payment for all. He brought
parents, three horses, and ample clothing to the Navajos; he takes
nothing away but the pony he rode. He has shared his blanket and food
with his brother, Manuel, for these many moons, undergoing fatigue and
exposure with him, until his heart beats as one with his comrade's,
and he desires to go with him to his home and become one of his
people."

The chief said nothing in reply, but advancing gave his hand in amity
to both boys, and rode back to his people.

"He is a good chief and a brave one," said Manuel, as we rejoined the
command, "but I should cherish kindlier memories of him if he had
given us some clothing and an extra blanket."

Later, as we were riding slowly out of the bed of Lithodendron, Frank
said, "I do not see how the Indians came to spare Vic."

"One of them did attempt to kill her, but I threw my arms about her
and the chief patted her head and gave orders that she should not be
hurt. I think if her collar had not been taken off at Laguna she would
have been killed in a scramble to possess it. Even Elarnagan would
have considered her life worthless compared with the possession of
such a beautiful trinket."

"The chief seems to have taken quite a liking to Corporal Henry," I
remarked.

"Not enough to allow him to retain his clo