a waif of the plains-第6部分

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〃You　are　sure　of　this？〃　said　Peyton；　half…encouragingly。

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃As　sure　as　you　are　that　your　father　is　Colonel　Brant　and　is　dead？〃
said　Harry；　with　a　light　laugh。

Tears　sprang　into　the　boy's　lowering　eyes。　　〃I　don't　lie；〃　he　said
doggedly。

〃I　believe　you；　Clarence；〃　said　Peyton　quietly。　　〃But　why　didn't
you　say　it　before？〃

〃I　didn't　like　to　say　it　before　Susy　andher！〃　stammered　the　boy。

〃Her？〃

〃Yes；　sirMrs。　Peyton；〃　said　Clarence　blushingly。

〃Oh；〃　said　Harry　sarcastically；　〃how　blessed　polite　we　are！〃

〃That'll　do。　　Let　up　on　him；　will　you？〃　said　Peyton；　roughly；　to
his　subordinate。　　〃The　boy　knows　what　he's　about。　　But；〃　he
continued；　addressing　Clarence；　〃how　was　it　the　Injin　didn't　see
you？〃

〃I　was　very　still　on　account　of　not　waking　Susy；〃　said　Clarence；
〃and〃　　He　hesitated。

〃And　what？〃

〃He　seemed　more　keen　watching　what　YOU　were　doing；〃　said　the　boy
boldly。

〃That's　so；〃　broke　in　the　second　man；　who　happened　to　be
experienced；　〃and　as　he　was　to　wind'ard　o'　the　boy　he　was　off　HIS
scent　and　bearings。　　He　was　one　of　their　rear　scouts；　the　rest　o'
them's　ahead　crossing　our　track　to　cut　us　off。　　Ye　didn't　see
anything　else？〃

〃I　saw　a　coyote　first；〃　said　Clarence；　greatly　encouraged。

〃Hold　on！〃　said　the　expert；　as　Harry　turned　away　with　a　sneer。
〃That's　a　sign；　too。　　Wolf　don't　go　where　wolf　hez　been；　and　coyote
don't　foller　Injinsthere's　no　pickin's！　　How　long　afore　did　you
see　the　coyote？〃

〃Just　after　we　left　the　wagon；〃　said　Clarence。

〃That's　it；〃　said　the　man；　thoughtfully。　　〃He　was　driven　on　ahead；
or　hanging　on　their　flanks。　　These　Injins　are　betwixt　us　and　that
ar　train；　or　following　it。〃

Peyton　made　a　hurried　gesture　of　warning；　as　if　reminding　the
speaker　of　Clarence's　presencea　gesture　which　the　boy　noticed　and
wondered　at。　　Then　the　conversation　of　the　three　men　took　a　lower
tone；　although　Clarence　distinctly　heard　the　concluding　opinion　of
the　expert。

〃It　ain't　no　good　now；　Mr。　Peyton；　and　you'd　be　only　exposing
yourself　on　their　ground　by　breakin'　camp　agin　to…night。　　And　you
don't　know　that　it　ain't　US　they're　watchin'。　　You　see；　if　we
hadn't　turned　off　the　straight　road　when　we　got　that　first　scare
from　these　yer　lost　children；　we　might　hev　gone　on　and　walked　plump
into　some　cursed　trap　of　those　devils。　　To　my　mind；　we're　just　in
nigger　luck；　and　with　a　good　watch　and　my　patrol　we're　all　right　to
be　fixed　where　we　be　till　daylight。〃

Mr。　Peyton　presently　turned　away；　taking　Clarence　with　him。　　〃As
we'll　be　up　early　and　on　the　track　of　your　train　to…morrow；　my　boy；
you　had　better　turn　in　now。　　I've　put　you　up　in　my　wagon；　and　as　I
expect　to　be　in　the　saddle　most　of　the　night；　I　reckon　I　won't
trouble　you　much。〃　　He　led　the　way　to　a　second　wagondrawn　up
beside　the　one　where　Susy　and　Mrs。　Peyton　had　retiredwhich
Clarence　was　surprised　to　find　fitted　with　a　writing　table　and
desk；　a　chair；　and　even　a　bookshelf　containing　some　volumes。　　A
long　locker；　fitted　like　a　lounge；　had　been　made　up　as　a　couch　for
him；　with　the　unwonted　luxury　of　clean　white　sheets　and　pillow…
cases。　　A　soft　matting　covered　the　floor　of　the　heavy　wagon　bed；
which；　Mr。　Peyton　explained；　was　hung　on　centre　springs　to　prevent
jarring。　　The　sides　and　roof　of　the　vehicle　were　of　lightly　paneled
wood；　instead　of　the　usual　hooked　canvas　frame　of　the　ordinary
emigrant　wagon；　and　fitted　with　a　glazed　door　and　movable　window
for　light　and　air。　　Clarence　wondered　why　the　big；　powerful　man；
who　seemed　at　home　on　horseback；　should　ever　care　to　sit　in　this
office　like　a　merchant　or　a　lawyer；　and　if　this　train　sold　things
to　the　other　trains；　or　took　goods；　like　the　peddlers；　to　towns　on
the　route；　but　there　seemed　to　be　nothing　to　sell；　and　the　other
wagons　were　filled　with　only　the　goods　required　by　the　party。　　He
would　have　liked　to　ask　Mr。　Peyton　who　HE　was；　and　have　questioned
HIM　as　freely　as　he　himself　had　been　questioned。　　But　as　the
average　adult　man　never　takes　into　consideration　the　injustice　of
denying　to　the　natural　and　even　necessary　curiosity　of　childhood
that　questioning　which　he　himself　is　so　apt　to　assume　without
right；　and　almost　always　without　delicacy；　Clarence　had　no
recourse。　　Yet　the　boy；　like　all　children；　was　conscious　that　if　he
had　been　afterwards　questioned　about　THIS　inexplicable　experience；
he　would　have　been　blamed　for　his　ignorance　concerning　it。　　Left　to
himself　presently；　and　ensconced　between　the　sheets；　he　lay　for
some　moments　staring　about　him。　　The　unwonted　comfort　of　his　couch；
so　different　from　the　stuffy　blanket　in　the　hard　wagon　bed　which　he
had　shared　with　one　of　the　teamsters；　and　the　novelty；　order；　and
cleanliness　of　his　surroundings；　while　they　were　grateful　to　his
instincts；　began　in　some　vague　way　to　depress　him。　　To　his　loyal
nature　it　seemed　a　tacit　infidelity　to　his　former　rough　companions
to　be　lying　here；　he　had　a　dim　idea　that　he　had　lost　that
independence　which　equal　discomfort　and　equal　pleasure　among　them
had　given　him。　　There　seemed　a　sense　of　servitude　in　accepting　this
luxury　which　was　not　his。　　This　set　him　endeavoring　to　remember
something　of　his　father's　house；　of　the　large　rooms；　drafty
staircases；　and　far…off　ceilings；　and　the　cold　formality　of　a　life
that　seemed　made　up　of　strange　faces；　some　strangerhis　parents；
some　kinderthe　servants；　particularly　the　black　nurse　who　had　him
in　charge。　　Why　did　Mr。　Peyton　ask　him　about　it？　　Why；　if　it　were
so　important　to　strangers；　had　not　his　mother　told　him　more　of　it？
And　why　was　she　not　like　this　good　woman　with　the　gentle　voice　who
was　so　kind　toto　Susy？　　And　what　did　they　mean　by　making　HIM　so
miserable？　　Something　rose　in　his　throat；　but　with　an　effort　he
choked　it　back；　and；　creeping　from　the　lounge；　went　softly　to　the
window；　opened　it　to　see　if　it　〃would　work；〃　and　looked　out。　　The
shrouded　camp　fires；　the　stars　that　glittered　but　gave　no　light；
the　dim　moving　bulk　of　a　patrol　beyond　the　circle；　all　seemed　to
intensify　the　darkness；　and　changed　the　current　of　his　thoughts。
He　remembered　what　Mr。　Peyton　had　said　of　him　when　they　first　met。
〃Suthin　of　a　pup；　ain't　he？〃　　Surely　that　meant　something　that　was
not　bad！　　He　crept　back　to　the　couch　again。

Lying　there；　still　awake；　he　reflected　that　he　wouldn't　be　a　scout
when　he　grew　up；　but　would　be　something　like　Mr。　Peyton；　and　have　a
train　like　this；　and　invite　the　Silsbees　and　Susy　to　accompany　him。
For　this　purpose；　he　and　Susy；　early　to…morrow　morning；　would　get
permission　to　come　in　here　and　play　at　that　game。　　This　would
familiarize　him　with　the　details；　so　that　he　would　be　able　at　any
time　to　take　charge　of　it。　　He　was　already　an　authority　on　the
subject　of　Indians！　　He　had　once　been　fired　atas　an　Indian。　　He
would　always　carry　a　rifle　like　that　hanging　from　the　hooks　at　the
end　of　the　wagon　before　him；　and　would　eventually　slay　many　Indians
and　keep　an　account　of　them　in　a　big　book　like　that　on　the　desk。
Susy　would　help　him；　having　grown　up　a　lady；　and　they　would　both
together　issue　provisions　and　rations　from　the　door　of　the　wagon　to
the　gathered　crowds。　　He　would　be　known　as　the　〃White　Chief；〃　his
Indian　name　being　〃Suthin　of　a　Pup。〃　　He　would　have　a　circus　van
attached　to　the　train；　in　which　he　would　occasionally　perform。　　He
would　also　have　artillery　for　protection。　　There　would　be　a
terrific　engagement；　and　he　would　rush　into　the　wagon；　heated　and
blackened　with　gunpowder；　and　Susy　would　put　down　an　account　of　it
in　a　book；　and　Mrs。　Peytonfor　she　would　be　there　in　some　vague
capacitywould　say；　〃Really；　now；　I　don't　see　but　what　we　were
very　lucky　in　having　such　a　boy　as　Clarence　with　us。　　I　begin　to
understand　him　better。〃　　And　Harry；　who；　for　purposes　of　vague
poetical　retaliation；　would　also　drop　in　at　that　moment；　would
mutter　and　say；　〃He　is　certainly　the　son　of　Colonel　Brant；　dear
me！〃　and　apologize。　　And　his　mother　would　come　in　also；　in　her
coldest　and　most　indifferent　manner；　in　a　white　ball　dress；　and
start　and　say；　〃Good　gracious；　how　that　boy　has　grown！　　I　am　sorry
I　did　not　see　more　of　him　when　he　was　young。〃　　Yet　even　in　the
midst　of　this　came　a　confusing　numbness；　and　then　the　side　of　the
wagon　seemed　to　melt　away；　and　he　drifted　out　again　alone　into　the
empty　desolate　plain　from　which　even　the　sleeping　Susy　had
vanished；　and　he　was　left　deserted　and　forgotten。　　Then　all　was
quiet　in　the　wagon；　and　only　the　night　wind　moving　round　it。　　But
lo！　the　lashes　of　the　sleeping　White　Chiefthe　dauntless　leader；
the　ruthless　destroyer　of　Indianswere　wet　with　glittering　tears！

Yet　it　seemed　only　a　moment　afterwards　that　he　awoke　with　a　faint
consciousness　of　some　arrested　motion。　　To　his　utter　consternation；
the　sun；　three　hours　high；　was　shining　in　the　wagon；　already　hot
and　stifling　in　its　beams。　　There　was　the　familiar　smell　and　taste
of　the　dirty　road　in　the　air　about　him。　　There　was　a　faint　creaking
of　boards　and　springs；　a　slight　oscillation；　and　beyond　the　audible
rattle　of　harness；　as　if　the　train　had　been　under　way；　the　wagon
moving；　and　then　there　had　been　a　sudden　halt。　　They　had　probably
come　up　with　the　Silsbee　train；　in　a　few　moments　the　change　would
be　effected　and　all　of　his　strange　experience　would　be　over。　　He
must　get　up　now。　　Yet；　with　the　morning　laziness　of　the　healthy
young　animal；　he　curled　up　a　moment　longer　in　his　luxurious　couch。

How　quiet　it　was！　　There　were　far…off　voices；　but　they　seemed
suppressed　and　hurried。　　Through　the　window　he　saw　one　of　the
teamsters　run　rapidly　past　him　with　a　strange；　breathless；
preoccupied　face；　halt　a　moment　at　one　of　the　following　wagons；　and
then　run　back　again　to　the　front。

Then　two　of　the　voices　came　nearer；　with　the　dull　beating　of　hoofs
in　the　dust。

〃Rout　out　the　boy　and　ask　him；〃　said　a　half…suppressed；　impatient
voice；　which　Clarence　at　once　recognized　as　the　man　Harry's。

〃Hold　on　till　Peyton　comes　up；〃　said　the　second　voice；　in　a　low
tone；　〃leave　it　to　him。〃

〃Better　find　out　what　they　were　like；　at　once；〃　grumbled　Harry。

〃Wait；　stand　back；〃　said　Peyton's　voice；　joining　the　others；　〃I'LL
ask　him。〃

Clarence　looked　wonderingly　at　the　door。　　It　opened　on　Mr。　Peyton；
dusty　and　dismounted；　with　a　strange；　abstr