One evening when one of the cowboys, William Berne, had been allowed to
pass out of the camp, he noticed an Indian dismounted and, as he
approached, discovered that the Indian had him under range of his rifle.
He immediately dismounted, and standing on the opposite side from the
redskin, threw his own Winchester across his horse's neck, when the
Indian sprang on his horse and galloped toward him at full speed,
making signs to him not to shoot, and when he approached him, dismounted
and pointing to the ground, showed Berne many fresh deer tracks. Then,
as an understanding had been established, the cowboy remounted and went
on his way, leaving the Apache to hunt the deer.

One day when this cowboy was about ten miles from camp, he found two
splendid horses of the Indians. These horses had strayed from the herd.
Thinking that they would in a way compensate for the cattle the Apaches
were eating, he drove them on for about five miles into a canon where
there was plenty of grass and water and left them there, intending to
come back after the departure of the Indians and take possession of
them.

On the tenth day after the arrival of this band of Indians, United
States troops, accompanied by two Indians who had been sent to make the
arrangements, arrived in camp, paid for the cattle the Apaches had
eaten, took the Indians and their stock, and moved on toward Fort Bowie.
The cowboys immediately started for the canon where the two horses had
been left, but had not gone far when they met two Indians driving these
horses in front of them as they pushed on to overtake the tribe.

[Illustration: APACHE MISSION

Valley of Medicine Creek, Fort Sill Military Reservation]

Evidently the shrewdness of the paleface had not outwitted the red man
that time.

Geronimo says he was in no wise connected with the events herein
mentioned, but refuses to state whether he knows anything about them. He
holds it unmanly to tell of any depredations of red men except those for
which he was responsible.

Such were the events transpiring in "Apache land" during the days when
Geronimo was leading his warriors to avenge the "wrongs" of his people.
This chapter will serve to show that the Apache had plenty of examples
of lawlessness furnished him, and also that he was a very apt scholar in
this school of savage lawlessness.

CHAPTER XI

HEAVY FIGHTING

About 1873 we were again attacked by Mexican troops in our settlement,
but we def