Perhaps there was a spark of genius under the red cap.

He knew from his reading that there was no rule about genius.

It passed kings by, and chose the child of a peasant in a hovel.
"You're what they call an Apache, are you not ?" he asked.
"Yes, Monsieur." "Well, for the present, that is until you win a greater name, I'm going to call you Geronimo." "And why Zhay-ro-nee-mo, Monsieur ?" "Because that was the name of a great Apache chief.

According to our white standards he was not all that a man should be.

He had perhaps a certain insensibility to the sufferings of others, but in the Apache view that was not a fault.