a waif of the plains-第7部分

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ask　him。〃

Clarence　looked　wonderingly　at　the　door。　　It　opened　on　Mr。　Peyton；
dusty　and　dismounted；　with　a　strange；　abstracted　look　in　his　face。

〃How　many　wagons　are　in　your　train；　Clarence？〃

〃Three；　sir。〃

〃Any　marks　on　them？〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Clarence；　eagerly：　〃'Off　to　California'　and　'Root；
Hog；　or　Die。'〃

Mr。　Peyton's　eye　seemed　to　leap　up　and　hold　Clarence's　with　a
sudden；　strange　significance；　and　then　looked　down。

〃How　many　were　you　in　all？〃　he　continued。

〃Five；　and　there　was　Mrs。　Silsbee。〃

〃No　other　woman？〃

〃No。〃

〃Get　up　and　dress　yourself；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃and　wait　here　till　I
come　back。　　Keep　cool　and　have　your　wits　about　you。〃　　He　dropped
his　voice　slightly。　　〃Perhaps　something's　happened　that　you'll　have
to　show　yourself　a　little　man　again　for；　Clarence！〃

The　door　closed；　and　the　boy　heard　the　same　muffled　hoofs　and
voices　die　away　towards　the　front。　　He　began　to　dress　himself
mechanically；　almost　vacantly；　yet　conscious　always　of　a　vague
undercurrent　of　thrilling　excitement。　　When　he　had　finished　he
waited　almost　breathlessly；　feeling　the　same　beating　of　his　heart
that　he　had　felt　when　he　was　following　the　vanished　train　the　day
before。　　At　last　he　could　stand　the　suspense　no　longer；　and　opened
the　door。　　Everything　was　still　in　the　motionless　caravan；　except
it　struck　him　oddly　even　thenthe　unconcerned　prattling　voice　of
Susy　from　one　of　the　nearer　wagons。　　Perhaps　a　sudden　feeling　that
this　was　something　that　concerned　HER；　perhaps　an　irresistible
impulse　overcame　him；　but　the　next　moment　he　had　leaped　to　the
ground；　faced　about；　and　was　running　feverishly　to　the　front。

The　first　thing　that　met　his　eyes　was　the　helpless　and　desolate
bulk　of　one　of　the　Silsbee　wagons　a　hundred　rods　away；　bereft　of
oxen　and　pole；　standing　alone　and　motionless　against　the　dazzling
sky！　　Near　it　was　the　broken　frame　of　another　wagon；　its　fore
wheels　and　axles　gone；　pitched　forward　on　its　knees　like　an　ox
under　the　butcher's　sledge。　　Not　far　away　there　were　the　burnt　and
blackened　ruins　of　a　third；　around　which　the　whole　party　on　foot
and　horseback　seemed　to　be　gathered。　　As　the　boy　ran　violently　on；
the　group　opened　to　make　way　for　two　men　carrying　some　helpless　but
awful　object　between　them。　　A　terrible　instinct　made　Clarence
swerve　from　it　in　his　headlong　course；　but　he　was　at　the　same
moment　discovered　by　the　others；　and　a　cry　arose　of　〃Go　back！〃
〃Stop！〃　　〃Keep　him　back！〃　　Heeding　it　no　more　than　the　wind　that
whistled　by　him；　Clarence　made　directly　for　the　foremost　wagonthe
one　in　which　he　and　Susy　had　played。　　A　powerful　hand　caught　his
shoulder；　it　was　Mr。　Peyton's。

〃Mrs。　Silsbee's　wagon；〃　said　the　boy；　with　white　lips；　pointing　to
it。　　〃Where　is　she？〃

〃She's　missing；〃　said　Peyton；　〃and　one　otherthe　rest　are　dead。〃

〃She　must　be　there；〃　said　the　boy；　struggling；　and　pointing　to　the
wagon；　〃let　me　go。〃

〃Clarence；〃　said　Peyton　sternly；　accenting　his　grasp　upon　the　boy's
arm；　〃be　a　man！　　Look　around　you。　　Try　and　tell　us　who　these　are。〃

There　seemed　to　be　one　or　two　heaps　of　old　clothes　lying　on　the
ground；　and　further　on；　where　the　men　at　a　command　from　Peyton　had
laid　down　their　burden；　another。　　In　those　ragged；　dusty　heaps　of
clothes；　from　which　all　the　majesty　of　life　seemed　to　have　been
ruthlessly　stamped　out；　only　what　was　ignoble　and　grotesque
appeared　to　be　left。　　There　was　nothing　terrible　in　this。　　The　boy
moved　slowly　towards　them；　and；　incredible　even　to　himself；　the
overpowering　fear　of　them　that　a　moment　before　had　overcome　him
left　him　as　suddenly。　　He　walked　from　the　one　to　the　other；
recognizing　them　by　certain　marks　and　signs；　and　mentioning　name
after　name。　　The　groups　gazed　at　him　curiously；　he　was　conscious
that　he　scarcely　understood　himself；　still　less　the　same　quiet
purpose　that　made　him　turn　towards　the　furthest　wagon。

〃There's　nothing　there；〃　said　Peyton；　〃we've　searched　it。〃　　But　the
boy；　without　replying；　continued　his　way；　and　the　crowd　followed
him。

The　deserted　wagon；　more　rude；　disorderly；　and　slovenly　than　it　had
ever　seemed　to　him　before；　was　now　heaped　and　tumbled　with　broken
bones；　cans；　scattered　provisions；　pots；　pans；　blankets；　and
clothing　in　the　foul　confusion　of　a　dust…heap。　　But　in　this
heterogeneous　mingling　the　boy's　quick　eye　caught　sight　of　a
draggled　edge　of　calico。

〃That's　Mrs。　Silsbee's　dress！〃　he　cried；　and　leapt　into　the　wagon。

At　first　the　men　stared　at　each　other；　but　an　instant　later　a　dozen
hands　were　helping　him；　nervously　digging　and　clearing　away　the
rubbish。　　Then　one　man　uttered　a　sudden　cry；　and　fell　back　with
frantic　but　furious　eyes　uplifted　against　the　pitiless；　smiling　sky
above　him。

〃Great　God！　look　here！〃

It　was　the　yellowish；　waxen　face　of　Mrs。　Silsbee　that　had　been
uncovered。　　But　to　the　fancy　of　the　boy　it　had　changed；　the　old
familiar　lines　of　worry；　care；　and　querulousness　had　given　way　to　a
look　of　remote　peace　and　statue…like　repose。　　He　had　often　vexed
her　in　her　aggressive　life；　he　was　touched　with　remorse　at　her
cold；　passionless　apathy　now；　and　pressed　timidly　forward。　　Even　as
he　did　so；　the　man；　with　a　quick　but　warning　gesture；　hurriedly
threw　his　handkerchief　over　the　matted　locks；　as　if　to　shut　out
something　awful　from　his　view。　　Clarence　felt　himself　drawn　back；
but　not　before　the　white　lips　of　a　bystander　had　whispered　a　single
word

〃Scalped；　too！　by　God！〃


CHAPTER　VI


Then　followed　days　and　weeks　that　seemed　to　Clarence　as　a　dream。
At　first；　an　interval　of　hushed　and　awed　restraint　when　he　and　Susy
were　kept　apart；　a　strange　and　artificial　interest　taken　little
note　of　by　him；　but　afterwards　remembered　when　others　had　forgotten
it；　the　burial　of　Mrs。　Silsbee　beneath　a　cairn　of　stones；　with　some
ceremonies　that；　simple　though　they　were；　seemed　to　usurp　the
sacred　rights　of　grief　from　him　and　Susy；　and　leave　them　cold　and
frightened；　days　of　frequent　and　incoherent　childish　outbursts　from
Susy；　growing　fainter　and　rarer　as　time　went　on；　until　they　ceased；
he　knew　not　when；　the　haunting　by　night　of　that　morning　vision　of
the　three　or　four　heaps　of　ragged　clothes　on　the　ground　and　a　half
regret　that　he　had　not　examined　them　more　closely；　a　recollection
of　the　awful　loneliness　and　desolation　of　the　broken　and　abandoned
wagon　left　behind　on　its　knees　as　if　praying　mutely　when　the　train
went　on　and　left　it；　the　trundling　behind　of　the　fateful　wagon　in
which　Mrs。　Silsbee's　body　had　been　found；　superstitiously　shunned
by　every　one；　and　when　at　last　turned　over　to　the　authorities　at　an
outpost　garrison；　seeming　to　drop　the　last　link　from　the　dragging
chain　of　the　past。　　The　revelation　to　the　children　of　a　new
experience　in　that　brief　glimpse　of　the　frontier　garrison；　the
handsome　officer　in　uniform　and　belted　sword；　an　heroic；　vengeful
figure　to　be　admired　and　imitated　hereafter；　the　sudden　importance
and　respect　given　to　Susy　and　himself　as　〃survivors〃；　the
sympathetic　questioning　and　kindly　exaggerations　of　their
experiences；　quickly　accepted　by　Susyall　these；　looking　back　upon
them　afterwards；　seemed　to　have　passed　in　a　dream。

No　less　strange　and　visionary　to　them　seemed　the　real　transitions
they　noted　from　the　moving　train。　　How　one　morning　they　missed　the
changeless；　motionless；　low；　dark　line　along　the　horizon；　and
before　noon　found　themselves　among　the　rocks　and　trees　and　a
swiftly　rushing　river。　　How　there　suddenly　appeared　beside　them　a
few　days　later　a　great　gray　cloud…covered　ridge　of　mountains　that
they　were　convinced　was　that　same　dark　line　that　they　had　seen　so
often。　　How　the　men　laughed　at　them；　and　said　that　for　the　last
three　days　they　had　been　CROSSING　that　dark　line；　and　that　it　was
HIGHER　than　the　great　gray…clouded　range　before　them；　which　it　had
always　hidden　from　their　view！　　How　Susy　firmly　believed　that　these
changes　took　place　in　her　sleep；　when　she　always　〃kinder　felt　they
were　crawlin'　up；〃　and　how　Clarence；　in　the　happy　depreciation　of
extreme　youth；　expressed　his　conviction　that　they　〃weren't　a　bit
high；　after　all。〃　　How　the　weather　became　cold；　though　it　was
already　summer；　and　at　night　the　camp　fire　was　a　necessity；　and
there　was　a　stove　in　the　tent　with　Susy；　and　yet　how　all　this　faded
away；　and　they　were　again　upon　a　dazzling；　burnt；　and　sun…dried
plain！　　But　always　as　in　a　dream！

More　real　were　the　persons　who　composed　the　partywhom　they　seemed
to　have　always　knownand　who；　in　the　innocent　caprice　of　children；
had　become　to　them　more　actual　than　the　dead　had　even　been。　　There
was　Mr。　Peyton；　who　they　now　knew　owned　the　train；　and　who　was　so
rich　that　he　〃needn't　go　to　California　if　he　didn't　want　to；　and
was　going　to　buy　a　great　deal　of　it　if　he　liked　it；〃　and　who　was
also　a　lawyer　and　〃policeman〃which　was　Susy's　rendering　of
〃politician〃and　was　called　〃Squire〃　and　〃Judge〃　at　the　frontier
outpost；　and　could　order　anybody　to　be　〃took　up　if　he　wanted　to；〃
and　who　knew　everybody　by　their　Christian　names；　and　Mrs。　Peyton；
who　had　been　delicate　and　was　ordered　by　the　doctor　to　live　in　the
open　air　for　six　months；　and　〃never　go　into　a　house　or　a　town
agin；〃　and　who　was　going　to　adopt　Susy　as　soon　as　her　husband　could
arrange　with　Susy's　relatives；　and　draw　up　the　papers！　　How　〃Harry〃
was　Henry　Benham；　Mrs。　Peyton's　brother；　and　a　kind　of　partner　of
Mr。　Peyton。　　And　how　the　scout's　name　was　Gus　Gildersleeve；　or　the
〃White　Crow；〃　and　how；　through　his　recognized　intrepidity；　an
attack　upon　their　train　was　no　doubt　averted。　　Then　there　was
〃Bill；〃　the　stock　herder；　and　〃Texas　Jim；〃　the　vaquerothe　latter
marvelous　and　unprecedented　in　horsemanship。　　Such　were　their
companions；　as　appeared　through　the　gossip　of　the　train　and　their
own　inexperienced　consciousness。　　To　them；　they　were　all　astounding
and　important　personages。　　But；　either　from　boyish　curiosity　or
some　sense　of　being　misunderstood；　Clarence　was　more　attracted　by
the　two　individuals　of　the　party　who　were　least　kind　to　him
namely；　Mrs。　Peyton　and　her　brother　Harry。　　I　fear　that；　after　the
fashion　of　most　children；　and　some　grown…up　people；　he　thought　less
of　the　steady　kindness　of　Mr。　Peyton　and　the　others　than　of　the
rare　tolerance　of　Harry　or　the　polite　conces