them when he has not.”
“We will make him prove that he has killed them,” Lapari said. “We will ask him to bring their scalps so that we might see them.”
“A white man will not scalp another white man,” Chetopa said.
“I will ask if he will do this,” Keytano said. “I believe if I ask this of him, he will do it.”
“What makes you believe he will do it? Remember, he is an enemy of the Apache.”
“Yes, he is an enemy of the Apache, but he is an enemy of much honor. If he says he will kill these evil men and bring their scalps to us, I believe he will do it.”
“Call him from the wickiup and ask him,” Chetopa challenged. “He will say no.”
Keytano shook his head. “I will not ask him before others. I will ask him alone.”
Chetopa shook his head. “No, that is not good. If he says he will not do so, I think you will not tell us.”
Keytano glared at Chetopa. Chetopa was younger and stronger, but he had just questioned the veracity of his chief, and in doing so, was stepping into very dangerous ground, for Keytano had many who would fight for him.
“Do you say that I lie?” Keytano asked challengingly.
“No,” Chetopa replied, dissembling. “I call back the words I spoke. I do not believe the great chief Keytano would lie.”
Keytano glared at him for a moment longer. Then he looked at Lapari, the medicine man.
“Lapari, you may come with me and watch and listen as I question Dlo Binanta. Then, you can bear witness that what I will tell the council is true.”
“You do not need Lapari,” Chetopa said quickly. “I will believe the word of Keytano.”
“I will take him so that all may believe,” Keytano said resolutely.
The conversation outside the wickiup had grown quiet, and Falcon was beginning to wonder if he should be concerned about his fate. They had not taken his guns from him when he arrived and that was a good sign. He didn’t believe they would let him keep his guns unless they planned to release him.
Still, the argument in the council had grown very heated, and he knew, instinctively, that he was not only the subject of the conversation, but the cause of the heat.
He loosened his guns. Whatever happened, he was not going to go down peacefully.
The flap opened and Keytano and an even older Indian came in. Falcon stood, not only to show the Indians respect, but also to be ready for any contingency.
“We have talked much about you in our council,” Keytano said.
“Yes, I have heard the talk,” Falcon replied. “I know there is much anger.”
Keytano looked surprised. “You speak our language?”
“No,” Falcon said. “One does not always need to understand the words to know what is being said. I can tell by the sound that there is anger.”
“This is true.”
“And the anger is with me,” Falcon said. It wasn’t a question, it was a declaration.
“Yes.”
“Keytano, do the people believe that I killed Yaakos Gan?”
“No,” Keytano answered. “Chetopa has said this, but I do not think that even he believes you killed my daughter.”
“That is good.”
“But Chetopa and many want to kill you anyway,” Keytano said in a matter-of-fact tone. “And they want to take up the path of war against the whites.”
“This would be wrong,” Falcon said. “I will not let anyone kill me easily. And if they try, I will kill many before I die.”
“Yes,” Keytano said. “I know this is true, because I know you are a brave warrior.”
“Why do you wish to take up the path of war?”
Keytano pointed in the direction of the stream. “You have seen our water,” he said. “Once, the water was wide, and so deep, that one had to find places to cross. Then, the white men build a ...” He made a motion with his hands.
“Dam,” Falcon said, supplying the word.
“Yes, a dam. The white men build the dam to steal the water, and now we have but a small amount. Our horses and our cattle die of thirst. And sometimes, if we go long without rain, there is no water in the stream at all, and even our people die of thirst.”
“Keytano, I must tell you that if you take up the path of war, this time the white man will not stop. His soldiers will kill all of you, not just the warriors, but the women and children as well. Your numbers are small now. When the war is finished, there will be no Apache left.”
“Yes,” Keytano said again. “I know that this is also true.”
“So, what is going to happen?” Falcon asked. “Are you going on the path of war?”
