the heritage of the sioux-第15部分

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middle　distance。　They'll　register　in　the　scene；　if　you　can't　turn　'em。〃



〃Applehead！〃　Luck　called　through　the　megaphone　to　his　irritated　prospector。

〃Get　those　riders　outa　the　canonthey're　in　the　scene！〃



Applehead　promptly　appeared；　glaring　up　at　luck。　〃Well；　now；　if　I've　got　to

haul　this　here　dang　jackass　up　this　dang　gulch；　I　cal'clate　that'll　be　about

job　enough　for　one　man；〃　he　yelled。　〃How　yuh　expect　me　t'　go　two　ways　't　once？

Hey？　Yuh　figured　that　out　yit？〃　He　turned　then　for　a　look　at　the　interrupting

strangers；　and　immediately　they　saw　his　manner　change。　He　straightened　up；　and

his　right　hand　crept　back　significantly　toward　his　hip。　Applehead；　I　may　here

explain；　was　an　ex…sheriff；　and　what　range　men　call　a　〃go…getter。〃　He　had

notches　on　the　ivory　handle　of　his　gunthree　of　them。　In　fair　fights　and　in

upholding　the　law　he　had　killed；　and　he　would　kill　again　if　the　need　ever

arose；　as　those　who　knew　him　never　doubted。



Luck；　seeing　that　backward　movement　of　the　hand；　unconsciously　hitched　his　own

gun　into　position　on　his　hip　and　came　down　off　his　rock　ledge　with　one　leap。

Just　as　instinctively　the　Happy　Family　scrambled　out　of　the　shade　and　followed

luck　down　the　gulch　to　where　Applehead　stood　facing　down　the　canon；

watchfulness　in　every　tense　line　of　his　lank　figure。　Tommy　Johnson；　who　never

seemed　to　be　greatly　interested　in　anything　save　his　work；　got　up　from　where

he　lay　close　beside　the　camera　tripod　and　went　over　to　the　other　side　of　the

gulch　where　he　could　see　plainer。



Like　a　hunter　poising　his　shotgun　and　making　ready　when　his　trained　bird…dog

points；　Luck　walked　guardedly　down　the　gulch　to　where　Applehead　stood　watching

the　horsemen　who　had　for　the　moment　passed　out　of　sight　of　those　above。



〃Now；　what's　that　danged　shurf　want；　prowlin'　up　HERE　with　a　couple　uh

depittys？〃　Applehead　grumbled　when　he　heard　Luck's　footsteps　crunching　behind

him。　〃Uh　course；〃　he　added　grimly；　〃he　MIGHT　be　viewin'　the　scenerybut　it's

dang　pore　weather　fur　pleasure…ridin'；　now　I'm　tellin'　ye！　Them　a　comin'　up

here　don't　look　good　to　ME；　Luck'n'　if　they　ain't〃



〃How　do　you　know　it's　the　sheriff？〃　Luck　for　no　reason　whatever　felt　a　sudden

heaviness　of　spirit。



〃Hey？　Think　my　eyes　is　failin'　me？〃　Applehead　gave　him　a　sidelong　glance　of

hasty　indignation。　〃I'd　know　ole　Hank　Miller　a　mile　off　with　m'　eyes　shet。〃



By　then　the　three　riders　rode　out　into　plain　view。　Perhaps　the　sight　of　Luck

and　Applehead　standing　there　awaiting　their　arrival；　with　the　whole　Happy

Family　and　Big　Aleck　Douglas　and　Lite　Avery　moving　down　in　a　close…bunched；

expectant　group　behind　the　two；　was　construed　as　hostility　rather　than

curiosity。　At　any　rate　the　sheriff　and　his　deputies　shifted　meaningly　in　their

saddles　and　came　up　sour…faced　and　grim；　and　with　their　guns　out　and　pointing

at　the　group。



〃Don't　go　making　any　foolish　play；　boys；〃　the　sheriff　warned。　〃We　don't　want

troublewe　aren't　looking　for　any。　But　we　ain't　taking　any　chances。〃



〃Well　now；　you're　takin'　a　dang　long　chance；　Hank　Miller；　when　yuh　come　ridin'

up　on　us　fellers　like　yuh　was　cornerin'　a　bunch　uh　outlaws；〃　Applehead

exploded。　But　Luck　pushed　him　aside　and　stepped　to　the　front。



〃Nobody's　making　any　foolish　play　but　you；〃　he　answered　the　sheriff　calmly。

〃You　may　not　know　it；　but　you're　blocking　my　scene　and　the　light's　going。　If

you've　got　any　business　with　me　or　my　company；　get　it　over　and　then　get　out　so

we　aim　make　this　scene。　What　d'yuh　want？〃



〃You；〃　snapped　the　sheriff。　〃You　and　your　bunch。〃



〃Me？〃　Luck　took　a　step　forward。　〃What　for？〃



〃For　pulling　off　that　robbery　at　the　bank　today。〃　The　sheriff　could　be　pretty

blunt；　and　he　shot　the　charge　straight；　without　any　quibbling。



Luck　looked　a　little　blank；　and　old　Applehead；　shaking　with　a　very　real　anger

now；　shoved　Luck　away　and　stepped　up　where　he　could　shake　his　fist　under　the

sheriff's　nose。



〃We　don't　know；　and　we　don't　give　a　cuss；　what　you're　aimin'　at；〃　he

thundered。　〃We　been　out　here　workin'　in　this　brilin'　sun　sense　nine　o'clock

this　mornin'。　Luck　ain't　robbed　no　bank；　ner　he　ain't　the　kind　that　DOES　rob

banks；　and　I'm　here　to　see　you　swaller　them　words　'fore　I　haul　ye　off'n　that

horse　and　plumb　wear　ye　out！　Yuh　wanta　think　twicet　'fore　ye　come　ridin'　up

where　I　kin　hear　yuh　call　Luck　Lindsay　a　thief；　now　I'm　tellin'　ye！　If　a　bank

was　robbed；　ye　better　be　gittin'　out　after　them　that　done　it；　and　git　outa　the

way　uh　that　camery　sos't　we　can　git　t'　work！　Git！〃



The　sheriff　did　not　〃git〃　exactly；　but　he　did　look　considerably　embarrassed。

His　eyes　went　to　Luck　apologetically。



〃Cashier　come　to　and　said　you'd　called　him　up　on　the　phone　about　eleven；

claimin'　you　wanted　to　make　a　movin'　pitcher　of　the　bank　being　robbed；〃　he

explainedthough　he　was　careful　not　to　lower　his　gun。　〃He　swore　it　was　your

men　that　done　the　work　and　took　the　gold　you　told　him　to　pile　out　on　the〃



〃_I_　told　him？〃　Luck's　voice　had　the　sharpened　quality　that　caused　laggard

actors　to　jump。　〃Be　a　little　more　exact　in　the　words　you　use。〃



〃Well…lsomebody　on　the　phone　't　he　THOUGHT　was　you；〃　the　sheriff　amended

obediently。　〃Your　menand　they　sure　WAS　your　men；　because　three　or　four

fellers　besides　the　cashier　seen　'em　goin'　in　and　comin'　outthey　gagged　the

cashier　and　took　his　keys　away　from　him　and　cleaned　the　safe；　besides　taking

what　gold　he'd　piled　on　the　counter　for　yfor　'em。



〃So；〃　he　finished　vigorously；　〃I　an'　my　men　hit　the　trail　fer　the　ranch　and

was　told　by　the　women　that　you　was　out　here。　And　here　we　are；　and　you　might

just　as　well　come　along　peaceable　as　to　make　a　fuss〃



〃That　thar　is　shore　enough　outa　YOU；　Hank　Miller！〃　Applehead　exploded　again。

〃I　calc'late　you　kin　count　ME　in；　when　you　go　mixin'　up　with　Luck；　here。　I'm

one　of　his　menand　if　he　was　to　pull　off　a　bank　robbery　I　calc'late　I'd　be　in

on　that　there　performance　too；　I'm　tellin'　you！　Luck　don't　go　no　whars　ner　do

nothin'　that　I　AIN'T　in　on。



〃I've　had　some　considerable　experience　as　shurf　myself；　if　you'll　take　the

trouble　to　recolleck；　and　I　calc'late　my　word'Il　go　about　as　fur　as　the　next。

When　I　tell　ye　thar　ain't　goin'　to　be　no　arrest　made　in　Bear　Canon；　and　that

you　ain't　goin'　to　take　luck　in　fer　no　bank　robbery；　you　kin　be　dang　shore　I

mean　every　word　uh　that　thar！〃　He　moved　a　step　or　two　nearer　the　sheriff；　and

the　sheriff　backed　his　horse　away　from　him。



〃Ef　you　kin　cut　out　this　here　accusin'　Luck；　and　talk　like　a　white　man；〃

Applehead　continued　heatedly；　〃we'd　like　to　hear　the　straight　uh　this　here

robbery。　I　would；　'n'　I　know　Luck　would；　seein'　they've　gone　t'　work　and　mixed

him　into　it。　His　bunch　is　all　here；　as　you　kin　see　fer　yourself。　Now　we're

listenin'　's　long's　you　talk　polite'n'　you　kin　tell　us　what　men　them　was

that　was　seen　goin'　in　and　comin'　outand　all　about　the　hul＇　dang　business。〃



The　sheriff　had　not　ridden　to　Bear　Canon　expecting　to　be　bullied　into　civil

speech　and　lengthy　explanations；　but　he　knew　Applehead　Furrman；　and　he　had

sufficient　intelligence　to　read　correctly　the　character　of　the　group　of　men

that　stood　behind　Applehead。　Honest　men　or　thieves；　they　were　to；　be　reckoned

with　if　any　attempt　were　made　to　place　Luck　under　arrest；　any　fool　could　see

thatand　Hank　Miller　was　not　a　fool。



He　proceeded　therefore　to　explain　his　errand　and　the　robbery　as　the　cashier

had　described　it　to　the　clerks　who　returned　after　lunch　to　finish　their

Saturday's　work　at　the　bank。



〃Fifteen　thousand　they　claim　is　what　the　fellers　got。　And　one　of　your　men　that

runs　the　camera　was　keeping　up　a　bluff　of　taking　a　pitcher　of　it　all　the　time…

…that's　why　they　got　away　with　it。　Nobody　suspicioned　it　was　anything　more'n

moving…pitcher　acting　till　they　found　the　cashier　and　brought　him　toy　along

about　one　o'clock。　It　was　that　Chavez　feller　that　you　had　working　for　yuh；　and

Luis　Rojas　that　done　itthem　and　a　couple　fellers　stalling　outside　with　the

camera。〃



〃I　wonder；〃　hazarded　Pete　Lowry；　who　had　come　down　and　joined　the　group；　〃if

that　wasn't　Bill　Holmes　with　the　camera？　He　was　a　lot　more　friendly　with　Ramon

than　he　tried　to　let　on。〃



〃The　point　is；〃　Luck　broke　in；　〃that　they　took　advantage　of　my　holdup　scene　to

pull　off　the　robbery。　I　can　see　how　the　cashier　would　fall　for　a　retake　like

that；　especially　since　he　don't　know　much　about　picture…making。　Gather　up　the

props；　boys；　and　let's　go　home。　I'm　going　to　get　the　rights　of　this　thing。〃



〃You've　got　it　now；〃　the　sheriff　informed　him　huffily。　〃Think　I　been　loading

you　up　with　hot　air？　I　was　sent　out　to　round　you　up〃



〃Forget　all　that！〃　snapped　luck。　〃I　don't　know　as　I　enjoy　having　you　fellows

jump　at　the　notion　I'm　a　bank…robberor　that　if　I　had　robbed　a　bank　I　would

have　come　right　back　here　and　gone　to　work。　What　kind　of　a　simp　do　you　think　I

am；　for　gosh　sake？　Can　you　see　where　anyone　but　a　lunatic　would　go　like　that

in　broad　daylight　and　pull　off　a　robbery　as　raw　as　that　one　must　have　been；

and　not　even　make　an　attempt　at　a　gateway？　I'll　gamble　Applehead；　here；

wouldn't　have　fallen　for　a　play　as　coarse　as　that　was　if　he　was　sheriff　yet。

He'd　have　seen　right　away　that　the　camera　part　was　just　the　coarsest　kind　of　a

blind。



〃My　Lord！　Think　of　grown　menofficers　of　the　law　at　thatbeing　simple…minded

enough　to　come　fogging　out　here　to　me；　instead　of　getting　on　the　trail　of　the

men　that　were　seen　on　the　spot！　You　say　they　came　in　a　machine　to　the　bank　and

you　never　so　much　as　tried　to　trace　it；　or　to　get　the　license　number　even；

I'll　bet　a　month's　salary　you　didn't！　It　was　a　moving…picture　stall；　and　so

you　come　blundering　out　here　to　the　only　picture　company　in　the　country；

thinking；　by　gravy；　that　it　was　all　straight　goodsoh；　can　you　beat　that　for

a　boob？〃　He　shook　back　his　heavy　mane　of　gray　hair　and　turned　to　his　boys

disgustedly。



〃Pete　and　Tommy；　you　can　drive　the　wagon　back　all　right；　can't　you？　We'll　go

on　ahead　and　see　what　there　is　a