part 1-第25部分
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thing about girls' wearing corsets。 But some of your In…
dians flattened their babies' heads； and that's worse than
wearing corsets。〃
〃Give me an Indian girl's figure for beauty；〃 Ray in…
sisted。 〃And a girl with a voice like yours ought to have
plenty of lung…action。 But you know my sentiments on
that subject。 I was going to tell you about the handsomest
thing we ever looted out of those burial mounds。 It was on
a woman； too； I regret to say。 She was preserved as perfect
as any mummy that ever came out of the pyramids。 She
had a big string of turquoises around her neck； and she was
wrapped in a fox…fur cloak； lined with little yellow feathers
that must have come off wild canaries。 Can you beat that；
now？ The fellow that claimed it sold it to a Boston man
for a hundred and fifty dollars。〃
Thea looked at him admiringly。 〃Oh； Ray； and didn't
you get anything off her； to remember her by； even？ She
must have been a princess。〃
Ray took a wallet from the pocket of the coat that was
hanging beside him； and drew from it a little lump wrapped
in worn tissue paper。 In a moment a stone； soft and blue
as a robin's egg； lay in the hard palm of his hand。 It was a
turquoise； rubbed smooth in the Indian finish； which is so
much more beautiful than the incongruous high polish the
white man gives that tender stone。 〃I got this from her
necklace。 See the hole where the string went through？
You know how the Indians drill them？ Work the drill with
their teeth。 You like it； don't you？ They're just right for
you。 Blue and yellow are the Swedish colors。〃 Ray looked
intently at her head； bent over his hand； and then gave his
whole attention to the track。
〃I'll tell you； Thee；〃 he began after a pause； 〃I'm going
to form a camping party one of these days and persuade
your PADRE to take you and your mother down to that coun…
try； and we'll live in the rock housesthey're as comfort…
able as can beand start the cook fires up in 'em once
again。 I'll go into the burial mounds and get you more
keepsakes than any girl ever had before。〃 Ray had planned
such an expedition for his wedding journey； and it made
his heart thump to see how Thea's eyes kindled when he
talked about it。 〃I've learned more down there about
what makes history；〃 he went on； 〃than in all the books
I've ever read。 When you sit in the sun and let your heels
hang out of a doorway that drops a thousand feet； ideas
come to you。 You begin to feel what the human race has
been up against from the beginning。 There's something
mighty elevating about those old habitations。 You feel like
it's up to you to do your best； on account of those fellows
having it so hard。 You feel like you owed them something。〃
At Wassiwappa； Ray got instructions to sidetrack until
Thirty…six went by。 After reading the message； he turned
to his guests。 〃I'm afraid this will hold us up about two
hours； Mrs。 Kronborg； and we won't get into Denver till
near midnight。〃
〃That won't trouble me；〃 said Mrs。 Kronborg content…
edly。 〃They know me at the Y。W。C。A。； and they'll let
me in any time of night。 I came to see the country； not to
make time。 I've always wanted to get out at this white
place and look around； and now I'll have a chance。 What
makes it so white？〃
〃Some kind of chalky rock。〃 Ray sprang to the ground
and gave Mrs。 Kronborg his hand。 〃You can get soil of
any color in Colorado； match most any ribbon。〃
While Ray was getting his train on to a side track； Mrs。
Kronborg strolled off to examine the post…office and sta…
tion house； these； with the water tank； made up the town。
The station agent 〃batched〃 and raised chickens。 He ran
out to meet Mrs。 Kronborg； clutched at her feverishly；
and began telling her at once how lonely he was and what
bad luck he was having with his poultry。 She went to his
chicken yard with him； and prescribed for gapes。
Wassiwappa seemed a dreary place enough to people who
looked for verdure； a brilliant place to people who liked
color。 Beside the station house there was a blue…grass plot；
protected by a red plank fence； and six fly…bitten box…elder
trees； not much larger than bushes； were kept alive by
frequent hosings from the water plug。 Over the windows
some dusty morning…glory vines were trained on strings。
All the country about was broken up into low chalky hills；
which were so intensely white； and spotted so evenly with
sage； that they looked like white leopards crouching。 White
dust powdered everything； and the light was so intense
that the station agent usually wore blue glasses。 Behind
the station there was a water course； which roared in flood
time； and a basin in the soft white rock where a pool of
alkali water flashed in the sun like a mirror。 The agent
looked almost as sick as his chickens； and Mrs。 Kronborg
at once invited him to lunch with her party。 He had； he
confessed； a distaste for his own cooking； and lived mainly
on soda crackers and canned beef。 He laughed apologetic…
ally when Mrs。 Kronborg said she guessed she'd look about
for a shady place to eat lunch。
She walked up the track to the water tank； and there； in
the narrow shadows cast by the uprights on which the
tank stood； she found two tramps。 They sat up and
stared at her； heavy with sleep。 When she asked them
where they were going； they told her 〃to the coast。〃 They
rested by day and traveled by night； walked the ties unless
they could steal a ride； they said； adding that 〃these
Western roads were getting strict。〃 Their faces were
blistered； their eyes blood…shot； and their shoes looked fit
only for the trash pile。
〃I suppose you're hungry？〃 Mrs。 Kronborg asked。 〃I
suppose you both drink？〃 she went on thoughtfully； not
censoriously。
The huskier of the two hoboes； a bushy； bearded fellow；
rolled his eyes and said； 〃I wonder？〃 But the other； who
was old and spare； with a sharp nose and watery eyes；
sighed。 〃Some has one affliction； some another；〃 he said。
Mrs。 Kronborg reflected。 〃Well；〃 she said at last； 〃you
can't get liquor here； anyway。 I am going to ask you to
vacate； because I want to have a little picnic under this
tank for the freight crew that brought me along。 I wish I
had lunch enough to provide you； but I ain't。 The station
agent says he gets his provisions over there at the post…
office store； and if you are hungry you can get some canned
stuff there。〃 She opened her handbag and gave each of
the tramps a half…dollar。
The old man wiped his eyes with his forefinger。 〃Thank
'ee； ma'am。 A can of tomatters will taste pretty good to me。
I wasn't always walkin' ties； I had a good job in Cleve…
land before〃
The hairy tramp turned on him fiercely。 〃Aw； shut up
on that； grandpaw！ Ain't you got no gratitude？ What do
you want to hand the lady that fur？〃
The old man hung his head and turned away。 As he
went off； his comrade looked after him and said to Mrs。
Kronborg： 〃It's true； what he says。 He had a job in the
car shops； but he had bad luck。〃 They both limped away
toward the store； and Mrs。 Kronborg sighed。 She was not
afraid of tramps。 She always talked to them； and never
turned one away。 She hated to think how many of them
there were； crawling along the tracks over that vast coun…
try。
Her reflections were cut short by Ray and Giddy and
Thea； who came bringing the lunch box and water bottles。
Although there was not shadow enough to accommodate
all the party at once； the air under the tank was distinctly
cooler than the surrounding air； and the drip made a pleas…
ant sound in that breathless noon。 The station agent ate
as if he had never been fed before； apologizing every time
he took another piece of fried chicken。 Giddy was una…
bashed before the devilled eggs of which he had spoken so
scornfully last night。 After lunch the men lit their pipes
and lay back against the uprights that supported the tank。
〃This is the sunny side of railroading； all right；〃 Giddy
drawled luxuriously。
〃You fellows grumble too much；〃 said Mrs。 Kronborg
as she corked the pickle jar。 〃Your job has its drawbacks；
but it don't tie you down。 Of course there's the risk； but
I believe a man's watched over； and he can't be hurt on
the railroad or anywhere else if it's intended he shouldn't
be。〃
Giddy laughed。 〃Then the trains must be operated by
fellows the Lord has it in for； Mrs。 Kronborg。 They figure
it out that a railroad man's only due to last eleven years；
then it's his turn to be smashed。〃
〃That's a dark Providence； I don't deny；〃 Mrs。 Kron…
borg admitted。 〃But there's lots of things in life that's
hard to understand。〃
〃I guess！〃 murmured Giddy； looking off at the spotted
white hills。
Ray smoked in silence； watching Thea and her mother
clear away the lunch。 He was thinking that Mrs。 Kron…
borg had in her face the same serious look that T
