"I see him."
"If he could understand me I would speak to him."
"Oh, Ni-ha-be! That would be a dreadful thing to do."
Ni-ha-be would not have done any such thing, and Rita knew it; but the chief's daughter saw no reason why she should not lead her sister pretty near the young pale-face brave as they passed him. They could see that he was smiling at them, and it was an act of politeness to smile back. Ni-ha-be laughed.
It was that, perhaps, which led Steve into a mistake. He wanted to say something, and in his haste he forgot to speak Mexican Spanish, as he ought to have done, if he expected to be understood by an Apache young lady.
"There has been a great fight. Your father has taken some prisoners."
"We know it," answered Rita, and she was almost as much startled as was Steve himself.
"What! Do you understand English?"
Ni-ha-be turned at the same moment, and looked at her in astonishment.
"Only some. A little. Not any more talk now. Come, Ni-ha-be."