the heritage of the sioux-第31部分

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at　the　end　of　both　false　trails　a　trap　had　been　laid；　that　Indians　had　fired

upon　white　men　and　for　no　just　cause。　Why　was　this　go？　Why　had　Indians

surrounded　them　back　there　in　the　grove　and　tried　to　kill　them？　Why　were

Indians　shooting　at　them　from　the　ledge　of　rocks　that　circled　this　little

basin？　They　had　no　quarrel　with　the　Navajos。　They　were　chasing　thieves；　to

take　them　to　jail。



Folded　swelteringly　in　his　red　blanket　the　old　Indian　sat　humped　forward　a

little；　smoking　slowly　his　cigarette　and　studying　the　sketch　Luck　had　drawn

for　him。　With　aching　head　and　parched　throat　and　hungry　stomach；　Luck　sat

cross…　legged　on　the　hot　sand　and　waited；　and　would　not　let　his　face　betray

any　emotion　at　all。　Up　on　the　Tim…rock　brown　faces　peered　down　steadfastly　at

the　pow…wow。　And　back　among　the　rocks　and　bushes　the　Happy　Family　waited

restively　with　eyes　turning　in　all　directions　guarding　against　treachery；　and

Lite；　whose　bullets　always　went　straight　to　the　spot　where　they　were　aimed；

stood　and　stared　fixedly　over　his　rifle　sights　at　the　red…blanketed　figure

squatted　in　the　sand　and　kept　his　finger　crooked　upon　the　trigger。　Beside　him

Applehead　fidgeted　and　grumbled　and　called　Luck　names　for　being　so　dang　slow；

and　wondered　if　those　two　out　there　meant　to　sit　and　chew　the　rag　all　day。



The　Indian　leaned　and　traced　Luck's　trail　slowly　with　his　finger。　Did　the　four

white　men　come　that　way？　he　asked　in　sign。　And　then；　had　Luck　seen　them？　Was

be　sure　that　he　was　following　the　four　who　had　stolen　money　in　Albuquerque？



Come　to　think　of　it；　Luck　was　not　sure　to　the　point　of　being　able　to　take　oath

that　it　was　so。　He　traced　again　where　the　hoofprints　had　been　discovered　near

the　stalled　automobile；　and　signed　that　the　six　horses　they　believed　to　have

belonged　to　the　four　who　had　taken　two　horses　packed　with　food　and　blankets

and　the　stolen　money。



Then　suddenly　Luck　remembered　that；　for　proof　of　his　story；　he　had　a　page　of

the　Evening　Herald　in　his　pocket；　torn　from　a　copy　he　had　bought　on　the

streets　the　evening　after　the　robbery。　He　pulled　the　folded　paper　out；　spread

it　before　the　other　and　pointed　to　the　article　that　told　of　the　robbery。　〃Call

some　young　man　of　your　tribe　who　can　read；〃　he　signed。　〃Let　him　read　and　tell

you　if　I　have　spoken　the　truth。〃



The　Indian　took　the　paper　and　looked　at　it　curiously。



Now；　unless　Applehead　or　some　other　hot…head　spoiled　things；　Luck　believed

that　things　would　smooth　down　beautifully。　There　had　been　some

misunderstanding；　evidentlyelse　the　Indiana　would　never　have　manifested　all

this　old…fashioned　hostility。



The　blanketed　one　showed　himself　a　true　diplomat。　〃Call　one　of　your　white　men；

that　there　may　be　two　and　two；〃　he　gestured。　And　he　added；　with　the　first

words　he　had　spoken　since　they　met；　〃Hablo　espanol？〃



Well；　if　he　spoke　Spanish；　thought　Luck；　why　the　deuce　hadn't　he　done　it　at

first？　But　there　is　no　fathoming　the　reticence　of　an　Indianand　Luck；　by　a

sudden　impulse；　hid　his　own　knowledge　of　the　language。　He　stood　up　and　turned

toward　the　rocks；　cupped　his　hands　around　his　lips　and　called　for　the　Native

Son。　〃And　leave　your　rifle　at　home；〃　he　added　as　an　afterthought　and　in　the

interests　of　peace。



The　Indian　turned　to　the　rim…rock；　held　up　the　fragment　of　newspaper　and

called　for　one　whom　he　called　Juan。　Presently　Juan's　Stetson　appeared　above

the　ledge；　and　Juan　himself　scrambled　hastily　down　the　rift　and　came　to　them；

grinning　with　his　lips　and　showing　a　row　of　beautifully　even　teeth；　and　asking

suspicious　questions　with　his　black　eyes　that　shone　through　narrowed　lids。



Miguel；　arriving　just　then　from　the　opposite　direction；　sized　him　up　with　one

heavy…lashed　glance　and　nodded　negligently。　He　had　left　his　rifle　behind　him

as　he　had　been　told；　but　his　six…shooter　hung　inside　the　waistband　of　his

trousers　where　he　could　grip　it　with　a　single　drop　of　his　hand。　The　Native

Son；　lazy　as　he　looked；　was　not　taking　any　chances。



The　old　Indian　explained　in　Navajo　to　the　young　man　who　eyed　the　two　white　men

while；he　listened。　Of　the　blanket…vending；　depot…haunting　type　was　this　young

man；　with　a　ready　smile　and　a　quick　eye　for　a　bargain　and　a　smattering　of

English　learned　in　his　youth　at　a　mission；　and　a　larger　vocabulary　of　Mexican

that　lent　him　fluency　of　speech　when　the　mood　to　talk　was　on　him。　Half　of　his

hair　was　cut　so　that　it　hung　even　with　his　ear…lobes。　At　the　back　it　was　long

and　looped　up　in　the　way　a　horse's　tail　is　looped　in　muddy　weather；　and　tied

with　a　grimy　red　ribbon　wound　round　and　round　it。　He　wore　a　green…and…white

roughneck　sweater　broadly　striped；　and　the　blue　overalls　that　inevitably

follow　American　civilization　into　the　wild　places。



〃'S　hot　day；〃　he　announced　unemotionally；　and　took　the　paper　which　the

red…blanketed　one　held　out　to　him。　His　air　of　condescension　could　not　hide　the

fact　that　behind　his　pride　at　being　able　to　read　print　he　was　unhappily　aware

also　of　his　limitations　in　the　accomplishment。　Along　the　scare…head　Luck　had

indicated；　his　dirty　forefinger　moved　slowly　while　he　spelled　out　the　words。

〃A…a…bank　rob！〃　he　read　triumphantly；　and　repeated　the　statement　in　Spanish。

After　that　he　mumbled。　a　good　deal　of　it；　the　longer　words　arresting　his

finger　while　he　struggled　with　the　syllables。　But　he　got　the　sense　of　it

nevertheless；　as　Luck　and　Miguel　knew　by　the　version　he　gave　in　Spanish　to　the

old　Indian；　with　now　and　then　a　Navajo　word　to　help　out。



When　he　came　to　the　place　where　Ramon　Chavez　and　Luis　Rojas　were　named　as　the

thieves；　he　gavea　grunt　and　looked　up　at　Luck　and　Miguel；　read　in；　their　faces

that　these　were　the　men　they　sought；　and　grinned。



〃Me；　I　know　them　feller；〃　he　declared　unexpectedly。　〃Dat　day　I　seen　them

feller。　They　go〃



The　old　Indian　touched　him　on　the　shoulder；　and　Juan　turned　and　repeated　the

statement　in　Spanish。　The　old　man's　eyes　went　to　luck　understandingly；　while

he　asked　Juan　a　question　in　the　Navajo　tongue；　and　afterwards　gave　a　command。

He　turned　his　eyes　upon　the　Native　Son　and　spoke　in　Spanish。　〃The　men　you　want

did　not　come　this　way；〃　he　said　gravely。　〃Juan　will　tell。〃



〃Yes；　I　know　dat　Ramon　Chavez。　I　seen　him　；dat　day。　I'm　start　for　home；　an'　I

seen　Ramon　Chavez　an'　dat　Luis　Rojas　an'　one　white　feller　I'm　don't　know　dat

feller。　They　don't　got　red　car。　They　got　big；　black　car。　They　come　outa

corralscare　my　horse。　They　go　'cross　railroad。　I　go　'cross　rio。　One　red　car

pass　me。　I　go　along；　bimeby　I　pass　red　car　in　sand。　Ramon　Chavez；　he　don't　go

in　dat　car。　I　don't　know　them　feller。　Ramon　Chavez　he　go　'cross　railroad　in

big　black　car。〃



〃Then　who　was　it　we've　been　trailing　out　this　way？〃　Luck　asked　the　question　in

Spanish　and　glanced　from　one　brown　face　to　the　other。



The　older　Indian　shifted　his　moccasined　feet　in　the　sand　and　looked　away。

〃Indians；〃　he　said　in　Mexican。　〃You　follow；　Indians　think　you　maybe　take　them

awayput　'm　in　jail。　All　friends　of　them　Indians　pretty　mad。　They　come　fight

you。　I　hear；　I　come　to　find　out　what's　fighting　about。〃



Luck　gazed　at　him　stupidly　for　a　moment　until。　the　full　meaning　of　the

statement　seeped　through。　the　ache　into　his　brain。　He　heaved　a　great　sigh　of

relief；　looked　at　the　Native　Son　and　laughed。



〃The　joke's　on　us；　I　guess；〃　he　said。　〃Go；　back　and　tell　that　to　the　boys。

I'll　be　along　in　a　minute。〃



Juan；　grinning　broadly　at　what　he　considered　a　very　good　joke　on　the　nine

white　men　who　had　traveled　all　this　way　for　nothing；　went　back　to　explain　the

mistake　to　his　fellows　on　the　ledge。　The　old　Indian　took　it　upon　himself　to

disperse　the　Navajos　in　the　grove；　and　just　as　suddenly　as　the　trouble　started

it　was　stoppedand　the　Happy　Family；　if　they　had　been　at　all　inclined　to

belittle　the　danger　of　their　position；　were　made　to　realize　it　when　thirty　or

more　Navajos　came　flocking　in　from　all　quarters。　Many　of　them　couldand

didtalk　English　understandably；　and　most　of　them　seemed　inclined　to

appreciate　the　joke。　All　save　those　whom　Lite　had　〃nipped　and　nicked〃　in　the

course　of　their　flight　from　the　rock　ridge　to　the　Frying…Pan。　These　were

inclined　to　be　peevish　over　their　hurts　and　to　nurse　them　in　sullen　silence

while　Luck；　having　a　rudimentary　knowledge　of　medicine　and　surgery；　gave　them

what　firstaid　treatment　was　possible。



Applehead；　having　plenty　of　reasons　for　avoiding　publicity；　had　gone　into

retirement　in　the　shade　of　a　clump　of　brush；　with　Lite　to　keep　him　company

while　he　smoked　a　meditative　pipe　or　two　and　studied　the　puzzle　of　Ramon's

probable　whereabouts。



〃Can't　trust　a　Navvy；〃　he　muttered　in　a　discreet　undertone　to　Lite。　〃I've　fit

'em　b'fore　now；　'n'　I　KNOW。　'N'　you　kin　be　dang　sure　they　ain't　fergot　the

times　I've　fit　'em；　neither！　There's　bucks　millin'　around　here　that's　jes'

achin'　fer　a　chanst　at　me；　t'　pay　up　fer　some　I've　killed　off　when　I　was　shurf

'n'　b'fore。　So　you　keep　'n　；eye　peeled；　Lite；　whilst　I　think　out　this　yere

dang　move　uh　Ramon's。　'N'　if　you　see　anybody　sneakin'　up　on　me；　you　GIT　him。　I

cain't　watch　Navvyies　'n'　mill　things　over　in　m'　haid　at　the　same　time。〃



Lite　grinned　and　wriggled　over　so　that　his　back　was　against　a　rock。　He　laid

his　six…shooter　Ostentatiously　across　his　lap　and　got　out　his　tobacco　and

papers。　〃Go　ahead　and　think；　Applehead；〃　he　consented　placidly。　〃I'll　guard

your　scalp…lock。〃



Speaking　literally；　Applehead　had　no　scalplock　to　guard。　But　he　did　have　a

shrewd　understanding　of　the　mole…like　workings　of　the　criminal　mind；　and　with

his　own　mind　free　to　work　on　the　problem；　he　presently　declared　that　he　would

bet　he　could　land　Ramon　Chavez　in　jail　within　a　week；　and　sent　Lite　after

Luck。



〃I've　got　it　figgered　out；〃　he　announced　when　Luck　came　over　to　his　retreat。

〃If　Ramon　crossed　the　railroad　he　was　aimin'　t'　hit　out　across　the　mesa　to　the

mountains　'n'　beyond。　He　wouldn't　go　south；　'cause　he　could　be　traced　among

the　Injun　pueblosthey's　a　thousand　eyes　down；　th