the heritage of the sioux-第19部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



northwest　where　the　land　lay　parched　and　pitiless　under　the　hot　sun；　the　Happy

Family　hitched　their　gun…belts　into　place；　saw　to　it　that　their　canteens　were

brimming　with　the　water　that　was　so　precious；　and　turned　doggedly　that　way；

following　the　lead　of　Applehead；　who　knew　the　country　fairly　well；　and　of

Luck；　who　did　not　know　the　country；　but　who　knew　that　he　meant　to　overhaul

Ramon　Chavez　and　Bill　Holmes；　go　where　they　would；　and　take　them　back　to　jail。

If　they　could　ride　across　this　barren　stretch；　said　Luck　to　Applehead；　he　and

his　bunch　could　certainly　follow　them。



〃Well；　this　is　kinda　takin'　chances；〃　Applehead　observed　soberly；　〃unless

Ramon；　he　knows　　whar's　the　water…holes。　If　he　does　hit　water　regular；　I

calc'late　we　kin　purty　nigh　foller　his　lead。　They's　things　I　don't　like　about

the　way　this　here　trail　is　leading　out　this　way；　now　I'm　tellin'　yuh！　Way

we're　goin'；　we'll　be　in　the　Seven　Lakes　country　'fore　we　know　it。　Looks　to　me

like　them　greasers　must　stand　in　purty　well　with　the　Navvies'n'　if　they　do；

it'll　be　dang　hard　pullin'　to　git　'em　away　'n！　outa　here。　'N'　if　they　don't

stand　in；　they'd　oughta　bore　more　west　than　what　they're　doin'。　Looks　dang

queer　to　me；　now　I'm　tellin'　ye！〃



〃Well；　all　I　want　is　to　overtake　them。　We'll　do　it；　too。　The　little　grain

these　horses　get　is　showing　its　worth　right　now；〃　Luck　cheered　him。　〃They're

keeping　up　better　than　I　was　afraid　they　would。　We've　got　that　advantagea

Mexican　don't　as　a　rule　grain　his　horses；　and　the　chances　are　that　Ramon

thought　more　about　the　gold　than　he　did　about　carrying　horse…feed。　We　can　hold

on　longer　than　he　can；　Applehead。〃



〃We　can't　either；〃　Applehead　disputed；　〃because　if　Ramon　takes　a　notion　he'll

steal　fresh　horses　from　the　Injuns。〃



〃I　thought　you　said　he　stood　in　with　the　Injuns；〃　Weary　spoke　up　from　the

ambling　group；　behind。　〃You're　kinda　talkin'　in　circles；　ain't　you；

Applehead？〃



〃Well；　I　calc'late　yuh　jest　about　got　to　talk　in。　circles　to　git　anywheres

near　Ramon；〃　Applehead　retorted；　looking　back　at　the　others。　〃They's　so；　dang

many　things　he　MIGHT　be　aimin'　to　do；　that　I　ain't　been　right　easy　in　my　mind

the　last　day　or　two；　and　I'm　tellin'　ye　so。　'S　like　a　stormI　kin　smell

trouble　two　days　off；　that's　mebby　why　I'm　still　alive　an'　able　to　fork　a

boss。　An'　I'm　tellin'　you　right　now；　I　kin　smell　trouble　stronger'n　a　polecat

under　the　chicken…house！〃



〃Well；　by　cripes；　let　'er　come！〃　Big　Medicine　roared　cheerfully；　inspecting　a

battered　plug　of　〃chewin'〃　to　see　where　was　the　most　inviting　corner　in　which

to　set　his　teeth。　〃Me'n'　trouble　has　locked　horns　more'n　once；　'n'　I'd　feel

right　lonesome　if　I　thought　our　trails'd　never　cross　agin。　Why；　down　in

Coconino　County〃　He　went　off　into　a　long　recital　of　certain　extremely　bloody

chapters　in　the　history　of　that　famed　county　as　chronicled　by　one　Bud　Welch；

otherwise　known　as　Big　Medicineand　not　because　of　his　modesty；　you　may　be

sure。



Noon　of　that　day　found　them　plodding　across　a　high；　barren　mesa　under　a

burning　sun。　Since　red　dawn　they　had　been　riding；　and　the　horses　showed　their

need　of　water。　They　lagged　often　into　a　heavy…footed　walk　and　their　ears

drooped　dispiritedly。　Even　Big　Medicine　found　nothing　cheerful　to　say。　Luck

went　out　of　his　way　to　gain　the　top　of　every　little　rise；　and　to　scan　the

surrounding　country　through　his　field　glasses。　The　last　time　he　came　sliding

down　to　the　others　his　face　was　not　so　heavy　with　anxiety　and　his　voice　when

he　spoke　had　a　new　briskness。



〃There's　a　ranch　of　some　kind　straight　ahead　about　two　miles；〃　he　announced。

〃I　could　see　a　green　patch；　so　there　must　be　water　around　there　somewhere。

We'll　make　noon　camp　there；　and　maybe　we　can　dig　up　a　little　information。

Ramon　must　have　stopped　there　for　water；　and　we'll　find　out　just　how　far　we

are　behind。〃



The　ranch；　when　they　finally　neared　it；　proved　to　be　a　huddle　of　low；

octagon…shaped　huts　（called　hogans）　made　of　short　cedar　logs　and　plastered　

over　with　adobe；　with　a　hole　in　the　center　of　the　lid…like　roof　to　let　the

smoke　out　and　a　little　light　in；　and　dogs；　that　ran　out　and　barked　and　yelped

and　trailed　into　mourning　rumbles　and　then　barked　again；　and　half…naked

papooses　that　scurried　like　rabbits　for　shelter　when　they　rode　up；　and　two

dingy；　shapeless　squaws　that　disappeared　within　a　hogan　and　peered　out　at　one

side　of　the　blanket　door。



Luck　started　to　dismount　and　make　some　attempt　at　a　polite　request　for　water；

and　for　information　as　well；　but　Applehead　objected　and　finally　had　his　way。



If　the　squaws　could　speak　English；　he　argued；　they　would　lie　unless　they

refused　to　talk　at　all。　As　to　the　water；　if　there　was　any　around　the　place　the

bunch　could　find　it　and　help　themselves。　〃These　yer　Navvies　ain't　yore

Buffalo…　Bill　Sioux）〃　he　pointed　out　to　Luck。　〃Yuh　can't　treat　'em　the　same。

The　best　we　kin　look　fer　is　to　be　left　alonean'　I'm　tellin'　ye　straight。〃



Luck　gave　the　squalid　huts　a　long　stare　and　turned　away　toward　the　corral　and

a　low　shed　that　served　as　a　stable。　A　rusty　old　mower　and　a　toothless　rake　and

a　rickety　buckboard　stood　baking　in　the　sun；　and　a　few　stunted　hens　fluttered

away　from　their　approach。　In　the　corral　a　mangy　pony　blinked　in　dejected

slumber；　and　all　the　while；　the　three　dogs　followed　them　and　barked　and　yapped

and　growled；　until　Pink　turned　in　the　saddle　with　the　plain　intention　of

stopping　the　clamor　with　a　bullet　or　two。



〃Ye　better　let　'em　alone！〃　Applehead　warned　sharply；　and　Pink　put　up　his　gun

unfired　and　took　down　his　rope。



〃The　darned　things　are　getting　on　my　nerves！〃　he　complained；　and　wheeled

suddenly　in　pursuit　of　the　meanest…looking　dog　of　the　three。　〃I　can　stand　a

decent　dog　barking　at　me；　but　so　help　me　Josephine；　I　draw　the　line　at　Injun

curs！〃　



The　dog　ran　yelping　toward　the　hogans　with　Pink　hard　at　its　heels　swinging　his

loop　menacingly。　When　the　dog；　with　a　last　hysterical　yelp；　suddenly　flattened

its　body　and　wriggled　under　a　corner　of　the　shed；　Pink　turned　and　rode　after

the　others；　who　had　passed　the　corral　and　were　heading　for　the　upper　and　of　a

small　patch　　of　green　stuff　that　looked　like　a　half…hearted　attempt　at　a

vegetable　garden。　As　he　passed　the　shed　an　Indian　in　dirty　overalls　and

gingham　shirt　craned　his　neck　around　the　doorway　and　watched　him　malevolently；

but　Pink；　sighting　the　green　patch　and　remembering　their　dire　need　of　water；

was　kicking　his　horse　into　a　trot　and　never　once　thought　to　cast　an　eye　over

his　shoulder。



In　that　arid　land；　where　was　green　vegetation　you　may　be　sure　there　was　water

also。　And　presently　the　nine　were　distributed　along　a　rod　or　two　of　irrigating

ditch；　thankfully　watching　the　swallows　of　water　go　sliding　hurriedly　down　the

outstretched　gullets　of　their　horses　that　leaned　forward　with　half…bent；

trembling　knees；　fetlock　deep　in　the　wet　sand　of　the　ditch…banks。



〃Drink；　you　sons…uh…guns；　drink！〃　Weary　exclaimed　jubilantly。　〃you've　sure　got

it　comingand　mama；　how　I　do　hate　to　see　a　good　horse　suffering　for　a　feed　or

water；　or　shelter　from　a　storm！〃



They　pulled　them　away　before　they　were　satisfied；　and　led　them　back　to　where

green　grass　was　growing。　There　they　pulled　the　saddles　off　and　let　the　poor

brutes　feed　while　they　unpacked　food　for　themselves。



〃It'll　pay　in　the　long　run；〃　said　Luck；　〃to　give　them　an　hour　here。　I'll　pay

the　Injuns　for　what　grass　they　eat。　Ramon　must　have　stopped　here　yesterday。

I'm　going　up　and　see　if　I　can't　pry　a　little　information　loose　from　those

squaws　and　papooses。　Come　on；　Appleheadyou　can　talk　a　little　Navvy；　you　come

and　tell　'em　what　I　want。〃



Applehead　hesitated；　and　with　a　very　good　reason。　He　might；　for　all　he　knew；

be　trespassing　upon　the　allotment　of　a　friend　or　relative　of　some　of　the

Indians　he　had　been　compelled　to　〃get〃　in　the　course　of　his　duties　as　sheriff。

And　at　any　rate　they　all　knew　himor　at　least　knew　of　him。



〃Aw；　gwan；　Applehead；〃　Happy　Jack　urged　facetiously；　sure　that　Applehead　had

tried　to　scare　him　with　tales　of　Indians　whose　pastoral　pursuits　proclaimed

aloud　their　purity　of　souls。　〃Gwan！　You　ain't　afraid　of　a　couple　of　squaws；

are　yuh？　Go　on　and　talk　to　the　ladies。　Mebby　yuh　might　win　a　wife　if　yuh　just

had　a　little　nerve！〃



Applehead　turned　and　glowered。　But　Luck　was　already　walking　slowly　toward　the

hogans　and　looking　back　frequently；　so　Applehead　contented　himself　by　saying；

〃You　wait　till　this　yere　trip's　over；　'fore　ye　git　so　dang　funny　in　yore

remarks；　young　man！〃　and　stalked　after　Luck；　hitching　his　six…shooter　forward

as　he　went。



At　the　shed；　the　Indian　who　had　peered　after　Pink　stood　in　the　doorway　and

stared　unwinkingly　as　they　came　up。　Applehead　glanced　at　him　sharply　from

under　his　sorrel　eyebrows　and　grunted。　He　knew　him　by　sight　well　enough；　and

he　took　it　for　granted　that　the　recognition　was　mutual。　But　he　gave　no　sign　of

remembrance。　Instead；　he　asked　how　much　the　Indian　wanted　for　the　grass　the

horses　would　eat　in　an　hour。



The　Indian　looked　at　the　two　impassively　and　did　not　say　anything　at　all；　so

Applehead　flipped　him　a　dollar。



〃Now；　what　time　did　them　fellows　pass　here　yesterday？〃　Applehead　asked；　in　the

half　Indian；　half　Mexican　jargon　which　nearly　all　New　Mexico　Indians　speak。



The　Indian　looked　at　the　dollar　and　moved　his　head　of　bobbed　hair　vaguely　from

left　to　right。



〃All　right；　dang　ye；　don't　talk　if　ye　don't　feel　like　it；〃　Applehead　commented

in　wasted　sarcasm；　and　looked　at　Luck　for　some　hint　of　what　was　wanted　next。

Luck　seemed　uncertain；　so　Applehead　turned　toward　the　ditch；　and　the　food　his

empty　stomach　craved。



〃No　use　tryin'　to　make　'em　talk　if　they　ain't　in　the　notion；〃　he　told　Luck

impatiently。　〃He's　got　his　dollar；　and　we'll　take　what　grass　our　hosses　kin

pack　away　in　their　bellies。　That　kinda　winds　up　the　transaction；　fur's　I　kin

see。〃



〃I　wonder　if　another　dollar〃



But　Applehead　interrupted　him。　〃Another　doll