[“WHY DON’T YOU SPEAK TO ME AND LOOK WITH A PLEASANT FACE?”]
General Crook made no bones about answering.
“I gave no orders to have you arrested. If you left the reservation because you were afraid, why did you sneak all over the country killing innocent people and stealing horses? Your story is all bosh. You sent up your people to kill Chato and Lieutenant Davis. Everything that you did on the reservation is known. There is no use in your trying to talk nonsense. I am no child. You promised me in the Sierra Madre that the peace should last, and you have lied. How do I know but that you are lying now, when you say you want peace? Have I ever lied to you? You must make up your mind either to surrender or to stay out on the warpath. If you stay out, I will keep after you and kill every one of you if it takes fifty years. I have said all I have to say. You had better think, to-night, and let me know in the morning.”
The perspiration had burst out upon Geronimo’s face and hands. He would have said more, but the general arose, as signal that the talk was at an end. Only the two photographers were happy; they had taken a number of excellent pictures.
This evening and night the two camps remained apart. In the Maus camp there was a great deal of discussion. Nobody might yet foresee what the Chiricahuas under Geronimo would do.
“A thousand troops couldn’t get those bronc’s, where they’re located,” asserted Tom Moore. “They’d scatter like quail and be off into Mexico, at first sign of trouble. Anyhow, Maus agreed not to attack ’em, and while the general mightn’t have made any such agreement himself, he’s bound to stick by it.”
“You and I will go over in the morning, Cheemie,” said Micky. “We will see for ourselves.”
So they did. Major Bourke, Mayor Strauss, of Tucson, Pack-master Carlisle and others likewise went. It was indeed a strong position, well up among broken lava, with every jacal or hut defended by a cactus fence. A number of jagged rifts had to be crossed, and there were ravines leading away.
No army officer, Major Bourke alleged, could have chosen a better situation or made more of it.