Page:Life among the Apaches.djvu/70

 man and a brave. I speak with reflection. I know what I say. I speak of the wrongs we have suffered and those you now do us." Then, placing his hand on my shoulder, he said in a very excited manner—"You must not speak any more. Let some one else speak."

As this was rather more than I had bargained for, I immediately placed both hands on his shoulders, and, crushing him down on the floor, I said:

"I want you to understand that I am the very one to speak—the only one who can speak to you. Now, stay there. Do you sit down. You are a squaw and no brave. I will select a man to speak for the Apaches. Delgadito (beckoning to that warrior) do you come here and speak for your nation."

It is impossible to describe the smothered rage of Ponce, but he saw there was no chance, and never again uttered a word during the session.

Delgadito then arose and said: "Let my brother declare the mind of his people."

Reply.—"We wish to explain to our Apache brethren why we have done this thing, and what we can do for the late owner of those captives. We know that you have not acted secretly or in the dark. You came in open day, and brought your captives among us. We took them in open day, in obedience to orders from our great chief at Washington. The great chief of our nation said: 'You must take all the Mexican captives you meet among the Apaches and set them at liberty.' We cannot disobey this order, and for this reason we have taken away your captives."

Delgadito.—"We cannot doubt the words of our brave white brethren. The Americans are braves. We know it, and we believe a brave scorns to lie. But the owner of these captives is poor. He cannot lose his prisoners,