Then, when he made known that the same Great Father had appointed him to see that justice was done them, they grinned with delight and gathering around, overwhelmed him with congratulations.
The Agent insisted that they should prove their sincerity by pledging to follow the line of conduct he had lain down, and they did so with such readiness that a superficial observer would have declared the mission a complete success.
But Kit Carson thought otherwise.

He knew the inherent treachery of the aboriginal nature, and his estimate of Apache loyalty was the true one.

The most that he was warranted in feeling was the hope that those furious warriors would be less aggressive than had been their custom.
Though they had expressed a willingness to make any agreement which he might propose, yet it was their very willingness to do so which caused his distrust.

Had they been more argumentative and more tenacious of their rights, their sincerity might have been credited.
The Agent could have secured their consent almost to any agreement, but the sagacious official asked as little as he could.
"And I don't believe they mean to keep even that agreement," he muttered, as he bade the effusive sachems and warriors goodbye and made his way back to Taos..