General Howard and party climbed out of the ambulance; the other officers left their mounts with the orderlies; and all crossed to the stools and benches reserved for the “chiefs,” on the sod in the center of the waiting circle.
“No Es-kim-en-zin yet,” whispered little Francisco. “They stay away. I am afraid, Jeem.”
That was true. Only old short-legged Santos and a handful of decrepid men and squaws were here; Chief Es-kim-en-zin and his warriors had not appeared. General Howard and General Crook and Colonel Crittenden sat, waiting. So did the governor and the district attorney. So did the Pima and Papago and Apache-Mohave chiefs. Everybody waited. Agent Jacobs plainly was worried, but it would not do to show any sign of impatience.
“Dismal Jeems,” the ambulance driver from Fort Yuma, circulated about, wagging his head and prophesying that nobody would leave the spot alive! Yes, a cheerful man was “Dismal Jeems.”
In about an hour, there was a sudden murmur of interest. From the mouth of the Arivaipa Canyon emerged Chief Es-kim-en-zin, leading his band of Arivaipas and Pinals. They were in their best paint, and advanced with much dignity to the place assigned to them. Now the circle was complete.
For fifteen minutes no one spoke. General Howard evidently understood that it was not proper to hurry a council. Presently he arose, and through Concepcion Equierre the interpreter, who spoke English as well as he did Spanish and Apache, invited the Arivaipa-Pinals to make a talk.
Es-kim-en-zin was first. He made a very poor talk, because he stammered, but he spoke thoroughly in earnest, and so did others of his band. They wanted their children back again.
The Mexicans who now had the children were invited to reply. They said that the children were being well brought up, as Christians; they loved them and did not wish to return them to Indian life.
The governor and the district attorney spoke. They said that it was better for Arizona and for the children to have the children brought up in civilization. The district attorney added that most of the children were orphans, and that therefore the Territory of Arizona was their guardian. Their own people were unable to bring them up properly.
Es-kim-en-zin and his old men answered that it was true that many mothers and fathers had been killed; but the Arivaipa people wept for the little boys and girls who had been stolen from them, and would work hard to take good care of the children of their race.