“You will be sent away, like Ka-e-ten-na was. That cured Ka-e-ten-na and made him good. It will make you good, because it will change your hearts. You say that lies are told about you on the reservation. If you are sent away, there will be no lies.”
“How long will we be sent away?”
“Maybe one year, maybe two years. You may take your families with you. Only Nana shall stay; he is too old to make trouble.”
Geronimo shifted uneasily, and gazed appealingly around.
“I will talk no more,” stated the general. “To-morrow morning I shall go back to Fort Bowie. If you decide to stay away, you will not be safe anywhere in Mexico. You cannot hide from me. This you already know.”
“We will march to Fort Bowie, and there you may send us away, as you say,” spoke Geronimo desperately. “But we must march freely, by ourselves. I cannot make my men give up their guns, until they are in the fort where you will protect them. There are bad people along the way who would kill us. Your young soldier-captains might not be able to control their scouts, and the scouts would kill us. I want you to promise that we shall not be made prisoners until we arrive at Fort Bowie. Otherwise, I cannot persuade my men, and there will be war.”
The general eyed him fixedly.
“It is agreed,” he said.
Geronimo was much relieved, and shook hands with him.