rather
early in the day.

As soon as the band had reached its destination, another summons was
delivered to Nabakelti to appear before the agent at the fort. This time
the old man sent back word that he would not come: he had gone once, and
if any had wished to see him, they had had their chance.

On receipt of this reply, sixty mounted soldiers, armed and provisioned,
were sent over to the Cibicu to put a stop to the dancing. Apache scouts
had been stationed to watch the manoeuvres of the Indians and to keep the
officials informed. They met the troopers, who made a night ride to the
stream, and informed them where the old medicine-man was encamped. Early
in the morning the soldiers reached the Cibicu at a point about two miles
above Nabakelti's camp, whence a detachment was despatched to arrest the
medicine-man and bring him to the place where headquarters were being
established. It was the intention merely to arrest and hold him while the
troops rested for the day, preparatory to taking him back to the fort; but
it was deemed necessary to send a force sufficiently large to cope with
the Indians should they attempt resistance.

[Illustration: Mescal Hills - Apache]

Mescal Hills - Apache

_From Copyright Photograph 1906 by E.S. Curtis_

Nabakelti yielded without hesitation to the demands of the soldiers, and
forthwith rode up to headquarters. Everything seemed very quiet. There was
no demonstration against the soldiers, who stacked their arms and unloaded
the pack-trains. The mules were hobbled and turned loose, and the cavalry
horses tethered and fed.

While this apparently peaceful condition prevailed, a brother of the
medicine-man, angered because of the arrest, dashed into camp on a pony
and shot and killed the captain in command. Instantly, hardly realizing
whence the shot had come, one of the troopers struck Nabakelti on the head
with a cudgel, killing him. Assured that a fight was imminent, the
soldiers receded to higher ground, a short distance back, where they
hurriedly made preparations for defence.

On learning that Nabakelti had been killed, and deeming the soldiers
wholly to blame, a small party of Apache attacked the troopers while
retreating to the higher ground. Six of the soldiers were killed, the
mules stampeded, and the provisions burned, all within a short space of
time. The hostiles made their escape, practically all of them leavin