"It's a little the biggest romance I ever heard of," said the gallant Major. "I'll tell you what—you'd better have the final transfer made in my presence."
"Thank you heartily. That will be just the thing."
The Major told the story as a great secret to his wife, and she told it to the other ladies at the fort, and they all went wild together over a grand new wardrobe for Rita. Never had any daughter of the Apaches owned a tenth of the varied material the enthusiastic ladies prepared in less than twenty-four hours after their first glimpse of Rita.
"We must make quite an affair," said the Major to Murray, "of your making the payment. Then they will not think of trying to back out."
"There would be danger to Rita, I fear, if I were to make the truth known publicly too soon."
Major Norris was an experienced "Indian fighter," and just the man to be in command of such a post, for the reason that he had learned how much cheaper it was to have the red men as friends than as enemies. He sent word at once to Many Bears and a number of other "great chiefs" that Send Warning was also a "great chief," and that proper honor must be shown him by his pale-face friends on so great an occasion.
It was quite a procession that marched out of the fort barracks with Rita on the day appointed. The Apache warriors and squaws who were looking on felt that a high compliment was paid to their nation. There were the troops drawn up in splendid array, with flags and cannon and music, and the "white chiefs" in their bright uniforms.
There were the great warriors of several bands of the Apaches in their paint and feathers. There were the beautiful white squaws in their strange dresses. Many Bears had been looking very intently at a collection of things just in front of where Major Norris was standing with Murray and Steve Harrison. Ponies, blankets, guns—all, and more than all, that had been agreed upon. No chief who was looking on could say he had ever received more than that for one of his daughters, and the heart of Many Bears swelled proudly within him. There was a cloud upon his haughty face, however, and another on that of Red Wolf, who was standing at his side. The clouds did not go away when they searched the approaching party of ladies with their eyes for Rita.
Rita? Could that be the adopted daughter of Many Bears walking there behind Mrs. Norris and Mother Dolores—the beautiful young lady whose face was so very pale, and who was dressed so splendidly? They had never before seen her look anything like that.