She made the introductions. “This is Mangas, our shaman and chief. He wants to bless the town, to dispel the evil spirits you have released here today. This is very important to them, Captain. Major Stiles and his men have defiled Apache land. A cleansing ritual must be conducted, which will ward off any other evil spirits that may try to inhabit their lands in the future. The ceremony will not take long, but you may want to have the people of the town go inside their homes. It may not be something they wish to witness.”

“What, exactly, are the Apache going to do?” Franchard asked.

“As part of the ceremony they must scalp all of the outlaws, even those who are still alive. The bodies must then be burned while the religious ritual, which includes a sacred dance, is performed.”

“Not exactly a Sunday church meetin’,” Franchard said.

“What Stiles’s men did here wasn’t exactly Christian,” Maggie said.

Franchard turned to her. “I’ve got no objections,” he said. “It’s up to you and your people, Maggie, how they want the prisoners to die, but die they will. One way is as good as the next, to me.”

She turned and addressed the other women of Magdalena. “Anyone object if the men who invaded our home, murdered our menfolk, and raped us are scalped and burned?”

No one spoke up.

“There’s your answer, Tom,” Maggie said.

“Sounds like we just saved ourselves a burial detail,” Sergeant Finley said.

“There’s one more thing Chief Mangas asks of you,” Bina said.

“What’s that?” Franchard said.

“They want to know if they can have the dead horses. The Apache waste nothing, Captain. They have use for the meat, skin, organs, and bones. Even the teeth.”

“Tell ’em to help themselves, with our thanks,” Franchard said. “My men will assist them in butchering the animals, and his braves are welcome to borrow our wagons, if they agree to return ’em, to haul the meat back to their people.”

Bina translated Franchard’s words. The chief nodded.

“If the chief doesn’t mind, I have a favor to ask of him,” Franchard said.

“What is it?”

“What do they do with the scalps?”

“Since they did not make the kills,” Bina said, “they cannot keep the scalps. They only take them during the cleansing ritual. Typically, the scalps are burned in a separate fire, but only to dispose of them. Once removed, they are no longer a part of the ceremony. Why do you ask?”

“I have use for ’em,” Franchard said.

Bina spoke in Apache to Mangas. He nodded again.

“The scalps are yours,” she said.

The Apache warriors began collecting wood from the stockpiles at each building and assembling a large pyre in the middle of the town square. Franchard signaled to Sergeant Finley, and the Rangers began to help.