the heritage of the sioux-第18部分

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It　was　here　that　Applehead　unwittingly　put　into　words　the　vague　suspicion

which　Luck　had　been　trying　to　stifle　and　had　not　yet　faced　as　a　definite　idea。



〃I　calc'late　we'll　likely　find　that　thar　squaw　putty　tol'ble　close　to　whar　we

find　Bill　Holmes；〃　Applehead　remarked　sourly。　〃Her　goin'　off　same；　day　they

stuck　up　that　bank　don't　look　to　me　like　no　happenstancenow　I'm　tellin'　yuh！

'N'　if　I　was　shurf；　and　was　ast　to　locate　that　squaw；　I'd　keep　right　on　the

trail　uh　Bill　Holmes；　jest　as　we're　doin'　now。〃



〃That　isn't　like　Annie；〃　Luck　said　sharply　to；　still　the　conviction　in　his　own

mind。　〃Whatever　faults　she　may　have；　she's　been　loyal　to　me；　and　honest。　Look

how　she　stuck　last　winter；　when　she　didn't　have　anything　at　stake；　wasn't

getting　any　salary；　and　yet　worked　like　a　dog　to　help　make　the　picture　a

success。　Look　how　she　got　up　in　the　night　when　the　blizzard　struck；　and　fed

our　horses　and　cooked　breakfast　of　her　own　accord；　just　so　I　could　get　out

early　and　get　my　scenes。　I've　known　her　since　she　was　a　dirty…faced　papoose；

and　I　never　knew　her　to　lie　or　steal。　She　wasn't　in　on　that　robberyI'll　bank

on　that；　and　she　wouldn't　go　off　with　a　thief。　It　isn't　like　Annie。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Big　Medicine；　thinking　of　his　own　past；　〃the　best　uh　women　goes

wrong　when　some　knot…headed　man　gits　to　lovemakin'。　They'll　do　things　fer　the

wrong　kinda　man；　by　cripes；　that　they　wouldn't　do　fer　no　other　human　on　earth。

I've　knowed　a　good　woman　to　lie　and　stealfer　a　man　that　wasn't　fit；　by

cripes；　to　tip　his　hat　to　'er　in　the　street！　Women；〃　he　added　pessimistically；

〃is　something　yuh　can't　bank　on；　as　safe　as　yuh　can　on　a　locoed　horse！〃　He

kicked　his　mount　unnecessarily　by　way　of　easing　the　resentment　which　one　woman

had　managed　to　instil　against　the　sex　in　general。



〃That's　where　you're　darned　right；　Bud；〃　Pink　attested　with　a　sudden

bitterness　which　memory　brought。　〃I　wouldn't　trust　the　best　woman　that　ever

lived　outa　my　sight；　when　you　come　right　down　to　cases。〃



〃Aw；　here！〃　Andy　Green；　thinking　loyally　of　his　Rosemary；　swung　his　horse

indignantly　toward　the　two。　〃Cut　that　out；　both　of　you！　Just　because　you　two

got　stung；　is　no　reason　why　you've　got　to　run　down　all　the　rest　of　the　women。

I　happen　to　know　one〃



〃Aw；　nobody　was　talking　about　Rosemary；〃　Big　Medicine　apologized　gruffly。

〃She's　different；　any　fool　knows　that。〃



〃Well；　I've　got　a　six…gun　here　that'll　talk　for　another　one；〃　silent　Lite

Avery　spoke　up　suddenly。　〃One　that　would　tip　the　scales　on　the　woman's　side

for　goodness　if　the　rest　of　the　whole　sex　was　bad。〃



〃Oh；　thunder！〃　Pink　cried；　somewhat　redder　than　the　climbing　sun　alone　would

warrant。　〃I'll　take　it　back。　I　didn't　mean　THEMyou　know　darned　well　I　didn't

mean　themnor　lots　of　other　women　I　know。　What　I　meant　was〃



〃What　you　meant　was　Annie；〃　Luck　broke　in　uncompromisingly。　〃And　I'm　not

condemning　her　just　because　things　look　black。　You　don't　know　Indians　the　way

I　know　them。　There's　some　things　an　Indian　will　do；　and　then　again　there's

some　things　they　won't　do。　You　boys　don't　know　itbut　yesterday　morning　when

we　left　the　ranch；　Annie…Many…Ponies　made　me　the　peace…sign。　And　after　that

she　went　into　her　tent　and　began　to　sing　the　Omaha。　It　didn't　mean　anything　to

youOld　Dave　is　the　only　one　that　would　have　sabed；　and　he　wasn't　there。　But

it　meant　enough　to　me　that　I　came　pretty　near　riding　back　to　have　a　pow…wow

with　Annie；　even　if　we　were　late。　I　wish　I　had。　I'd　have　less　on　my　conscience

right　now。〃



〃Fur's　I　kin　see；〃　Applehead　dissented　impatiently；　〃you　ain't　got　no　call　to

have　nothin'　on　your　conscience　where　that　thar　squaw　is　concerned。　You

treated　her　a　hull　lot　whiter'n　what　she　deservednow　I'm　tellin'　ye！　'N'　her

traipsin'　around　at　nights　'n'〃



〃I　tell　you；　you　don't　know　Indians！〃　Luck　swung　round　in　the　saddle　so　that

he　could　face　Applehead。　〃You　don't　know　the　Sioux；　anyway。　She　wouldn't　have

made　me　that　peace…sign　if　she'd　been　double…crossing　me；　I　tell　you。　And　she

wouldn't　have　sung　the　Omaha　if　she　was　going　to　throw　in　with　a　thief　that

was　trying　to　lay　me　wide　open　to　suspicion。　I've　been　studying　things　over　in

my　mind；　and　there's　something　in　this　affair　I　can't　sabe。　And　until　you've

got　some　proof；　the　less　you　say　about　Annie…Many…Ponies　the　better　I'll　be

pleased。〃



That；　coming　from　Luck　in　just　that　tone　and　with　just　that　look　in　his　eyes；

was　tantamount　to　an　ultimatum；　and　it　was　received　as　one。　Old　Applehead

grunted　and　chewed　upon　a　wisp　of　his　sunburned　mustache　that　looked　like

dried　cornsilk　after　a　frost。　The　Happy　Family　exchanged　careful　glances　and

rode　meekly　along　in　silence。　There　was　not　a　man　of　them　but　believed　that

Applehead　was　nearer　right　than　Luck；　but　they　were　not　so　foolish　as　to

express　that　belief。



After　a　while　Big　Medicine　began　bellowing　tunelessly　that　old　ditty；　once

popular　but　now　half　forgotten：




　　　〃Nava；　Nava；　My　Navaho…o　　　　　　　　I　have　a　love　for　you　that　will　grow…ow！〃



Which　stirred　old　Applehead　to　an　irritated　monologue　upon　the　theme　of

certain　persons　whose　ignorance　is　not　blissful；　but　trouble…inviting。

Applehead；　it　would　seem　from　his　speech　upon　the　subject；　would　be　a　much

surprised　ex…sheriffnow　a　deputyif　they　were　not　all　captured　and　scalped；

if　not　worse；　the　minute　their　feet　touched　the　forbidden　soil　of　these　demons

in　human　form；　the　Navajo　Indians。



〃If　they　were　not　too　busy　weaving　blankets　for　Fred　Harvey；〃　Luck　qualified

with　his　soft　Texan　drawl　and　the　smile　that　went　with　it。　〃You　talk　as　if

these　boys　were　tourists。〃



〃Yes；〃　added　Andy　Green　maliciously；　〃here　comes　a　war…party　now；　boys。　Duck

behind　a　rock；　Applehead；　they're　liable　to　charge　yuh　fer　them　blankets！〃



The　Happy　Family　laughed　uproariously；　to　the　evident　bewilderment　of　the　two

Indians　who；　swathed　in　blankets　and　with　their　hair　knotted　and　tied　with　a

green　ribbon　and　a　yellow；　drove　leisurely　toward　the　group　in　an　old　wagon

that　had　a　bright　new　seat　and　was　drawn　by　a　weazened　span　of　mangy…looking

bay　ponies。　In　the　back　of　the　wagon　sat　a　young　squaw　and　two　papooses；　and

beside　them　were　stacked　three　or　four　of　the　gay；　handwoven　rugs　for　which

the　white　people　will　pay　many　dollars。



〃Buenas　dias；〃　said　the　driver　of　the　wagon；　who　was　an　oldish　Indian　with　a

true　picturepostal　face。　And：　〃Hello；〃　said　the　other；　who　was　young　and　wore

a　bright　blue　coat；　such　as　young　Mexicans　affect。



〃Hello；　folks；〃　cried　the　Happy　Family　genially；　and　lifted　their　hats　to　the

good…looking　young　squaw　in　the　wagon…bed；　who　tittered　in　bashful

appreciation　of　the　attention。



〃Mama！　They　sure　are　wild　and　warlike；〃　Weary　commented　drily　as　he　turned　to

stare　after　the　wagon。



〃Us　little　deputies　had　better　run　home；〃　Pink　added　with　mock　alarm。



〃By　cripes；　I　know　now　what　went　with　Applehead's　hair！〃　bawled　Big　Medicine。

〃Chances　is；　it's　weaved　into　that　red　blanket　the　old　buck　is　wearin'

Haw…haw…haw！〃



〃Laff；　dang　ye；　laff！〃　Applehead　cried　furiously。　〃But　do　your　laffing　where　I

can't　hear　ye；　fer　I'm　tellin'　ye　right　now　I've　had　enough　of　yore　dang

foolishness。　And　the　next　feller　that　makes　a　crack　is　goin'　to　wisht　he

hadn't　now　I'm　tellin'　ye！〃



This　was　not　so　much　an　ultimatum　as　a　declaration　of　warand　the　Happy

Family　suddenly　found　themselves　all　out　of　the　notion　of　laughing　at　anything

at　all。







CHAPTER　XII。　THE　WILD…GOOSE　CHASE　



Because　they　had　no　human　means　of　　knowing　anything　about　the　black

automobile　that　bad　whirled　across　the　mesa　to　the　southeast　and　left　its

mysterious　passengers　in　one　of　the　arroyos　that　leads　into　the　Sandias

Mountains　near　Coyote　Springs；　nine　cowpuncher　deputy…sheriffs　bored　their　way

steadily　through　sun　and　wind　and　thirst；　traveling　due　northwest；　keeping

always　on　the　trail　of　the　six　horses　that　traveled　steadily　before　them

Always　a　day's　march　behind；　always　watching　hopefully　for　some　sign　of　delay…

…for　an　encouraging　freshness　in　the　tracks　that　would　show　a　lessening

distance　between　the　two　parties；　Luck　and　his　Happy　Family　rode　…from　dawn

till　dusk；　from　another　dawn　to　another　dusk。　Their　horses；　full　of　little

exuberant　outbursts　of　horse…foolishness　when　they　had　left　town；　settled

clown　to　a　dogged；　plodding　half　walk；　half　trot　which　is　variously　described

upon　the　range；　Luck；　for　instance；　calling　it　poco…poco；　while　the　Happy

Family　termed　it　running…walk；　trail…trot；　fox…trotwhatever　came　easiest　to

their　tongues　at　the　time。　Call　it　what　they　pleased；　the　horses　came　to　a

point　where　they　took　the　gait　mechanically　whenever　the　country　was　decently

level。　They　forgot　to　shy　at　strange　objects；　and　they　never　danced　away　from

a　foot　lifted　to　the　stirrup　when　the　sky　was　flaunting　gorgeous　bantiers　to

herald　the　coming　of　the　sun。　More　than　once　they　were　thankful　to　have　the

dust　washed　from　their　nostrils　and　to　let　that　pass　for　a　drink。　For　water

holes　were　few　and　far　between　when　they　struck　that　wide；　barren　land　ridged

here　and　there　with　hills　of　rock。



Twice　the　trail　of　the　six　horses　was　lost；　because　herds　of　cattle　had　passed

between　those　who　rode　in　baste　before；　and　those　who　followed　in　haste　a

day's　ride　behind。　They　saw　riders　in　the　distance　nearly　every　day；　but　only

occasionally　did　any　Indians　come　within　speaking　distance。　These　were　mostly

headed　townward　in　wagons　and　rickety　old　buggies；　with　the　men　riding

dignifiedly　on　the　spring　seat　and　the　squaws　and　papooses　sitting　flat　in　the

bottom　behind。　These　family　parties　became　more　and　more　inclined　to　turn　and

stare　after　the　Happy　Family；　as　if　they　were　puzzling　over　the　errand　that

would　take　nine　men　riding　close…grouped　across　the　desert；　with　four

pack…horses　to　proclaim　the　journey　a　long　one。



When　the　trail　swung　sharply　away　from　the　dim　wagon　road　and　into　the

northwest　where　the　land　lay　parched　an