the heritage of the sioux-第32部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

the　Injun　pueblosthey's　a　thousand　eyes　down；　that　way　b'fore　he'd　git　t'

wild　country。　He'd　keep　away　from　the　valley　countryer　I　would；　if　I　was

him。　I　know　dang　well　whar　I'D　hit　fer　if　I　was　makin'　a　gitaway　'n'　didn't

come　off　over　here'n'　I　shore　would　keep　outa　Navvy　country；　now　I'm　tellin'

yuh！　No；　sir；　I'd　take　out　t'other　way；　through　Hell　Canon　er　Tijeras；　'n'　I'd

make　fer　the　Jemes　country。　That　thar's　plenty　wild　'n'　rough'n'　come　t'

think　of　it；　the　Chavez　boys　owns　quite　a　big　grant；　up　in　there　som'ers；　'n'

have　got　men　in　their　pay　up　thar；　runnin'　their　cattle。　Ramon　could　lay　low

fer　a　dang　long　while　up　thar　'n'　be　safer'n　what　he　would　be　out　amongst

strangers。



〃'N'　another　thing；　I'd　plan　t'　have　some　hosses　stached　out　in　one　uh　them

canons；　'n'　I'd　mebby　use　a　autymobile　t'　git　to　'em；　'n'　send　the　car　back　t'

town　if　I　could　trust　the　feller　that　drove　itouta　my　sight。　'N'；　Luck；　if

you'll　take　my　advice；　you'll　hit　out　t'wards　the　Jemes　country。　I　know　every

foot　uh　the　way；　'n'　we　kin　make　it　in　a　coupla　days　by　pushin'　the　hosses。

'N'　I'll　bet　every　dang　hoof　I　own　't　we　round　up　that　bunch　over　thar

som'ers。〃



〃You　lead　out；　then；〃　Luck　told　him　promptly。　〃I'm　willing　to　admit　you're

better　qualified　to　take　charge　of　the　outfit　than　I　am。　You　know　the

countryand　you've　fit　Indians。〃



〃We…ell；　now；　you're　dang　right　I　have！　'N'　if　some　them　bucks　don't　go　off

'n'　mind　their　own　business；　I'll　likely　fight　a　few　morel　You　shoo　'em　outa

camp；　Luck；　'n'　start　'em　about　their　own　dang　business。　'N'　we'll　eat　a　bite

'n'　git　on　about　our　own。　If　we　show　up　any　grub　whilst　this　bunch　is　hangin'

around　we'll　have　t'　feed　'em'n'　you　know　dang　well　we　ain't　got　enough

skurcely　fer　the　Jemes　trip　as　it　is。〃



〃I've　been　handing　out　money　as　it　is　till　I'm　about　broke；〃　Luck　confessed；

〃making　presents　to　those　fellows　that　came　in　with　bullets　in　their　legs　and

arms。　Funny　nobody　got　hit　in　the　bodyexcept　one　poor　devil　that　got　shot　in

the　shoulder。〃



〃We…ell；　now；　you　kin　blame　Lite's　dang　tender　heart　fer　that　there；〃

Applehead　accused；　pulling　at　his　sunbrowned　mustache。　〃We　was　all　comin'　on

the　jump；　'n'　so　was　the　Injuns；　'n'　it　was　purty　long　range　'n'　nobody　but

lite　could　hit　'n　Injun　t'　save　his　soul。　'N'　Lite；　he　wouldn't　shoot　t'

killhe　jes'　kep'　on　nippin'　an'　nickin'；　'n'　shootin'　a　boss　now　an'　then。　I

wisht　I　was　the　expert　shot　Lite　isI'd　shore　a　got　me　a　few　Navvies　back

there；　now　I'm　tellin'　yuh！〃



〃Bud's　got　a　bullet　in　his　arm；〃　Luck　said；　〃but　the　bone　wasn't　hit；　so　he'll

make　out；　and　one　of　the　pack…horses　was　shot　in　the　ear。　We　got　off　mighty

lucky；　and　I'm　certainly　glad　Lite　didn't　get　careless。　Cost　me　about　fifty

dollars　to　square　us　as　it　is。　You　stay　where　you　are；　Applehead；　till　I　get

rid　of　the　Indians。　The　old　fellow　acts　like　he　feels　he　ought　to　stick　along

till　we're　outa　here。　He's　kind　of　taken　a　notion　to　me　because　I　can　talk

sign；　and　he　seems　to　want　to　make　sure　we　don't　mix　it　again　with　the　tribe。

Some　of　them　are　kinda　peeved；　all　right。　You've　got　no　quarrel　with　this　old

fellow；　have　you？　He's　a　big…league　medicine　man　in　the　tribe；　and　his　Spanish

name　is　Mariano　Pablo　Montoya。　Know　him？〃



〃No　I　don't；　'n'　I　don't　keer　to　neither；〃　Applehead　retorted　crossly。　〃Shoo

'em　off；　Luck；　so's　we　kin　eat。　My　belly's　shore　a　floppin'　agin　m'　backbone；

'n'　I'm　tellin'　yuh　right！〃







CHAPTER　XX。　LUIS　ROJAS　TALKS



Three　days　of　hiding　by　day　in　sequestered　little　groves　or　deep；　hidden

canons；　with　only　Luis　Rojas　to　bear　her　companyLuis　Rojas　whom　she　did　not

trust　and　therefore　watched　always　from　under　her　long　straight　lashes；　with

oblique　glances　when　she　seemed　to　be　gazing　straight　before　her；　three　nights

of　tramping　through　rough　places　where　often　the　horses　must　pause　and　feel

carefully　for　space　to　set　their　feet。　Roads　there　were；　but　Luis　avoided

roads　as　though　they　carried　the　plague。　When　he　must　cross　one　he　invariably

turned　back　and　brushed　out　their　footprintsuntil　he　discovered　that

Annie…Many…Ponies　was　much　cleverer　at　this　than　he　was；　often　he　smoked　a

cigarette　while　Annie　covered　their　trail。　Three　days　and　three　nights；　and

Ramon　was　not　there　where　they　stopped　for　the　third　day。



〃We　go　slow；〃　Luis　explained　nervously　because　of　the　look　in　the　black；

unreadable　eyes　of　this　straight；　slim　Indian　girl　who　was　so　beautifuland

so　silent。　〃They　go　muy　fas'；　Ramon　an'　Beel。　Poco　tiemposure；　we　fin'　dem

little　soon。〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　did　not　betray　by　so　much　as　a　quiver　of　an　eyelash　that

Luis　had　mentioned　Bill　unwittingly。　But　she　hid　the　name　away　in　her　memory；

and　all　that　day　she　sat　and　pondered　over　the　meager　facts　that　had　come　her

way；　and　with　the　needle　of　her　suspicion　she　wove　them　together　patiently

until　the　pattern　was　almost　complete。



Ramon　and　Billwhat　Bill；　save　Bill　Holmes；　would　be　with　Ramon？　Ramon　and

Bill　Holmesmemory　pictured　them　again　by　the　rock　in　the　moonlight；

muttering　in　Spanish　mostly；　muttering　mystery　always。　Ramon　and　Bill　Holmes

she　remembered　the　sly；　knowing　glances　between　these　two　at　〃location〃　though

they　scarcely　seemed　on　speaking　terms。　Ramon　and　Bill　and　this　mysterious

night…travelling；　when　there　should　be　no　trouble　and　no　mystery　at　all　beyond

the　house　of　the　priest！　So　much　trouble　over　the　marriage　of　an　Indian　girl

and　a　young　Mexican　cattle　king？　Annie…Many…Ponies　was　not　so　stupid　as　to

believe　that；　she　had　seen　too　much　of　civilization　in　her　wanderings　with　the

show；　and　her　work　in　pictures。　She　had　seen　man　and　maid　〃make　marriage；〃　in

pictures　and　in　reality。　There　should　be　no　trouble；　no　mysterious　following

of　Ramon　by　night。



Something　evil　there　was；　since　Bill　Holmes　was　with　Ramon。　Annie…Many…Ponies

knew　that　it　was　so。　Perhapsperhaps　the　evil　was　against　Wagalexa　Conka！

Perhapsher　heart　forgot　to　beat　when　the　thought　stabbed　her　brainperhaps

they　had　killed　Wagalexa　Conka！　It　might　be　so；　if　he　had　suspected　her　flight

and　had　followed　Ramon；　and　they　had　fought。



In　the　thick　shade　of　a　pinon　Luis　slept　with　his　face　to　the　ground；　his

forehead　pressed　upon　his　folded　arms。　Annie…Many…Ponies　got　up　silently　and

went　and　stood　beside　him；　looking　down　at　him　as　though　she　meant　to　wrest

the　truth　from　his　brain。　And　Luis；　feeling　in　his　sleep　the　intensity　of　her

gaze；　stirred　uneasily；　yawned　and　sat　up；　looking　about　him　bewilderedly。　His

glance　rested　on　the　girl；　and　he　sprang　to　his　feet　and　faced　her。



Annie…Many…Ponies　smiled　her　little；　tantalizing；　wistfully　inviting

smilethe　smile　which　luck　bad　whimsically　called　heart…twisting。　〃I　awful

lonesome；〃　she　murmured；　and　sat　down　with　her　back　nestling　comfortably

against　a　grassy　bank。　〃You　talk。　I　not　lets　you　sleep　all　time。　You　think　I

not　good　for　talk　to？〃



〃Me；　I　not　tell　w'at　I'm　theenk；〃　Luis　retorted　with　a　crooning　note；　and　sat

down　facing　her。　〃Ramon　be　mad　me。〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　looked　at　him；　her　eyes　soft　and　heavy　with　that　languorous

look　which　will　quickest　befuddle　the　sense　of　a　man。　〃You　tell；　Ramon　not

hear；〃　she　hinted。　〃Ramon；　he　got　plenty　trobles　for　thinking　about。〃　She

smiled　again。　〃Ramon　plenty　long　ways　off。　He　got　Bill　Holmes　for　talking　to。

You　talk　to　me。〃



How　he　did　it；　why　he　did　it；　Luis　Rojas　could　never　explain　afterwards。

Something　there　was　in　her　smile；　in　her　voice；　that　bewitched　him。　Something

there　was　that　made　him　think　she　knew　and　approved　of　the　thing　Ramon　had

planned。　He　made　swift；　Spanish　love　to　Annie…Many…Ponies；　who　smiled　upon　him

but　would　not　let　him　touch　her　handand　so　bewitched　him　the　more。　He　made

lovebut　also　he　talked。　He　told　Annie…Many…Ponies　all　that　she　wished　him　to

tell；　and　some　things　that　she　had　never　dreamed　and　that　she　shrank　from

hearing。



For　he　told　her　of　the　gold　they　had　stolen；　and　how　they　had　made　it　look　as

though　Luck　Lindsay　had　planned　the　theft。　He　told　her　that　he　loved

herwhich　did　not　interest　her　greatlyand　he　told　her　that　Ramon　would

never　marry　herwhich　was　like　a　knife　thrust　to　her　soul。　Ramon　had　many

loves；　said　Luis；　and　he　was　true　to　none；　never　would　he　marry　a　woman　to

rule　his　life　and　make　him　troubleit　were　easier　to　make　love　and　then　laugh

and　ride　away。　Luis　was　〃muy　s'prised〃　that　Annie…Many…Ponies　had　ever

believed　that　Ramon　would　marry　her；　beautiful　though　she　was；　charming　though

she　was；　altogether　irresistible　though　she　wasLuis　became　slightly

incoherent　here　and　lasped　into　swift　rolling　Spanish　words　which　she　did　not

understand。



Luis；　before　the　sun　went　down　and　it　was　time　to　eat　supper　and　go　on；　became

so　thoroughly　bewitched　that　he　professed　himself　eager　to　let　his　share　of

the　gold　go；　and　to　take　Annie…Many…Ponies　to　a　priest　and　marry　herif　she

wished　very　much　to　be　married　by　a　priest。　In　the　middle　of　his　exaltation；

Annie…Many…Ponies　chilled　him　with　the　look　she　gave　him。



〃You　big　fool；〃　she　told　him　bluntly。　〃I　not　so　fool　like　that。　I　go　to

Ramonand　plenty　gold！　I　think　you　awful　fool。　You　make　me　tired！〃



Luis　was　furious　enough　for　a　minute　to　do　her　violencebut　Annie…Many…Ponies

killed　that　impulse　also　with　the　cold　contempt　in　her　eyes。　She　was　not

afraid　of　him；　and　like　an　animal　he　dared　not　strike　where　he　could　not

inspire　fear。　He　muttered　a　Mexican　oath　or　two　and　went　mortifiedly　away　to

lead　the　horses　down　to　the　little　stream　where　they　might　drink。　The　girl　was

righthe　was　a　fool；　he　told　himself　angrily；　and　sulked　for　hours。



Fool　or　not；　he　had　told　Annie…Many…Ponies　what　she　wanted　to　know。　He　had

given　food　to　her　brooding　thoughtsfood　that　revived　swiftly　and　nourished

certain　traits　lying　dormant　in　her　nature；　buried　alive　under　the　veneer　of

white　man's　civilizationas　we　are　proud　t