The general smiled. He treated Cairness as nearly like an equal as possible always, and got his advice and comment whenever he could.
"Then they all have 'medicine' on," Cairness continued, "redbird and woodpecker feathers, in buckskin bags, or quail heads, or prairie-dog claws. One fellow was making an ornament out of an adobe dollar. Every buck and boy in the band has a couple of cartridge belts and any quantity of ammunition, likewise new shirts and zarapes. They have fitted themselves out one way or another since Crawford got at them in January. I don't think there are any of them particularly anxious to come in."
Another officer came up, and Cairness dropped from the twisted bow and walked away.
"That fellow Cairness may be a good scout and all that, but he must be an unmitigated blackguard too," said the officer, stretching himself on the ground beside Crook.
The general turned his head sharply, and his eyes flashed, but he only asked dryly, "Why?"
"You know he's the man Landor lost his life saving upon the malpais in New Mexico?"
"Yes," said Crook.
"And inside of a fortnight he and Mrs. Landor went to some Roman Catholic priest in Tombstone and were married. I call that indecent haste."
"What!" ejaculated the general. He was moved altogether from his imperturbable calm.