t?"

"I will in a minute. It's as good as a tie of deer-skin jest now.
Watch 'em, Steve!"

He walked forward a few steps as he spoke, and looked long and hard
into the face of Rita.

"Too bad! too bad! They'd better have killed her, like they did mine.
It's awful to think of a white girl growing up to be a squaw. Ride for
your camp, young man. I'll take care of these three."

"I will send out warriors to help you. You shall see them all burnt
and cut to pieces."

"Oh, Rita!" whispered Ni-ha-be; "they ought to be burnt."

Rita was gazing at the face of old Murray, and did not say a word in
reply.

"Come," said Red Wolf; "the great chief is waiting for us."

And then he added to Murray and Steve,

"The lodges of the Apaches are open to their friends. You will come?"

"Steve, you had better say yes. It may be a lift for you."

"I will come some day," said Steve, quickly. "I don't know when."

"The white head must come too. He has the heart of an Apache, and his
hand is strong for his friends. We must go now."

He looked at the three miners for a moment, as if he disliked leaving
them behind, and then he bounded upon his pony, and the two girls
followed him swiftly down the pass.

"Was he not handsome, Rita?"

Ni-ha-be was thinking of Steve Harrison, but Rita replied,

"Oh, very handsome! His hair is white, and his face is wrinkled, but
he is so good. He is a great warrior, too. The bad pale-face went
down before him like a small boy."

"His hair is not white, it is brown as the hair of a young buffalo.
His face is not wrinkled. He is a young brave. He will be a chief."

"Oh, that other one! I hardly looked at him. I hope they will come.
I want to see them again."

Red Wolf rode too fast for them to say much, and he did not pause until
he reached the very presence of Many Bears and his counsellors.

There were already signs, in all directions, that the camp was
beginning to break up, as well as tokens of impatience on the face of
the chief.

"Where go?" he said, angrily. "Why do young squaws ride away when they
are wanted?"

Ni-ha-be was about to answer, but Red Wolf had his own story to tell
first, and he sternly bade her to hold her tongue till he had made his
report. It was eagerly listened to.

Pale-face enemies so near! Who could they be? White friends, too,
ready to fight for them against other white men, and send them warning
of danger! That was more remarkable yet.