the heritage of the sioux-第22部分

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horse…nature　that　they　should　wander　far　away　at　night　unless　they　were

thirsty　and　on　the　scent　of　water。　These　horses　had　drunk　their　fill　at　the

little　pool　below　the　spring。　They　should　be　feeding　now；　or　they　should　lie

down　and　sleep；　or　stand　up　and　sleepanything　but　travel　like　this；

deliberately　away　from　camp。



Pink　tried　loping；　but　the　ground　was　too　treacherous　and　his　horse　too

leg…weary　to　handle　its　feet　properly　in　the　dark。　It　stumbled　several　times；

so　he　pulled　down　again　to　a　fast　walk。　For　a　few　minutes　he　did　not　hear　the

bell　at　all；　and　when　be　did　it　was　not　where　he　had　expected　to　hear　it；　but

away　off　to　one　side。　So　he　had　gained　nothing　save　in　anger　and　uneasiness。



There　was　no　use　going　back　to　camp　and　rousing　the　boys；　for　he　was　now　a

mile　or　so　away；　and　they　would　be　afoot；　since　their　custom　was　to　keep　but

one　horse　saddled。　When　he　went　in　to　call　the　next　guard　he　would　be　expected

to　bring　that　man's　horse　back　with　him；　and　would　turn　his　own　loose　before

he　went　to　sleep。　Certainly　there　was　nothing　to　be　gained　by　rousing　the

camp。



He　did　not　suspect　the　trick　being　played　upon　him；　though　he　did　wonder　if

someone　was　leading　the　horses　away。　Still；　in　that　case　whoever　did　it　would

surely　have　sense　enough　to　muffle　the　bell。　Besides；　it　sounded　exactly　like

a　horse　feeding　and　moving　away　at　randomwhich；　to　those　familiar　with　the

sound；　can　never　be　mistaken　for　the　tinkle　of　an　animal　traveling　steadily　to

some　definite　point。



It　was　an　extremely　puzzled　young　man　who　rode　and　rode　that　night　in　pursuit

of　that　evasive；　nagging；　altogether　maddening　tinkle。　Always　just　over　the

next　little　rise　he　would　hear　it；　or　down　in　the　next　little　draw；　never

close　enough　for　him　to　discover　the　trick；　never　far　enough　away　for　him　to

give　up　the　chase。　The　stars　he　had　been　watching　in　camp　swam　through　the

purple　immensity　above　him　and　slid　behind　the　skyline。　Other　stars　as

brilliant　appeared　and　began　their　slow；　swimming　journey。　Pink　rode；　and

stopped　to　listen；　and　rode　on　again　until　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　must　be

dreaming　some　terribly　realistic　nightmare。



He　was　sitting　on　his　horse　on　a　lava…crusted　ridge；　straining　bloodshot　eyes

into　the　mesa　that　stretched　dimly　before　him；　when　dawn　came　streaking　the

sky　with　blood　orange　and　purple　and　crimson。　The　stars　were　quenched　in　that

flood　of　light；　and　Pink；　looking　now　with　clearer　vision；　saw　that　there　was

no　living　thing　in　sight　save　a　coyote　trotting　home　from　his　night's　hunting。

He　turned　short　around　and；　getting　his　bearings　from　his　memory　of　certain

stars　and　from　the　sun　that　was　peering　at　him　from　the　top　of　a　bare　peak；

and　from　that　sense　of　direction　which　becomes　second　nature　to　a　man　who　had

lived　long　on　the　range；　started　for　camp　with　his　ill　news。







CHAPTER　XIV。　ONE　PUT　OVER　ON　THE　BUNCH



〃Sounds　to　me；〃　volunteered　the　irrepressible　Big　Medicine　after　a　heavy

silence；　〃like　as　if　you'd　gone　to　sleep　on　your　hawse；　Little　One；　and

dreamed　that　there　tinkle…tinkle　stuff。　By　cripes；　I'd　like　to　see　the

bell…hawse　that　could　walk　away　from　ME　'nless　I　was　asleep　an'　dreamin'　about

it。　Sounds　like〃



〃Sounds　like　Navvy　work；〃　Applehead　put　in；　eyeing　the　surrounding　rim　of

sun…gilded　mesa；　where　little　brown　birds　fluttered　in　short；　swift　flights

and　chirped　with　exasperating　cheerfulness。



〃If　it　was　anybody；　it　was　Ramon　Chavez；〃　Luck　declared　with　the　positiveness

of　his　firm　conviction。　〃By　the　tracks　here；　we're　crowding　up　on　him。　And　no

man　that's　guilty　of　a　crime；　Applehead；　is　going　to　ride　day　after　day

without　wanting　to　take　a　look　over　his　shoulder　to　see　if　be's　followed。　He's

probably　seen　us　from　some　of　these　ridgesyesterday；　most　likely。　And　do　you

think　he　wouldn't　know　this　bunch　as　far　as　he　could　see　us；　even　without

glasses？　The　chances　are　he　has　them；　though。　He'd　be　a　fool　if　he　didn't

stake　himself　to　a　pair。〃



〃Say；　by　gracious；〃　Andy　observed　somewhat　irrelevantly；　his　eyes　going　over

the　group；　〃this　would　sure　make　great　picture　dope；　wouldn't　it？　Why　didn't

we　bring　Pete　along；　darn　it？　Us　all　standing　around　here；　plumb　helpless

because　we're　afoot〃



〃Aw；　shut　up！〃　snapped　Pink；　upon　whom　the　burden　of　responsibility　lay　heavy。

〃I　oughta　be　hung　for　laying　around　the　fire　here　instead　of　being　out　there

on　guard！　I　oughta〃



〃It　ain't　your　fault；〃　Weary　championed　him　warmly。　〃We　all　heard　the　bell〃



〃Yesand　damn　it；_I_　heard　the　bell　from　then　on　till　daylight！〃　Pink's　lips

quivered　perceptibly　with　the　mortification　that　burned　within　him。　〃If　I'd

been　on　guard〃



〃Well；　I　calc'late　you'd　a　been　laid　out　now　with　a　knife…cut　in　yuh　som'ers；〃

Applehead　stopped　twisting　his　sunburnt　mustache　to　say　bluntly。　〃'S　a　dang

lucky　thing　fer　you；　young　man；　't　you　WASN'T　on　guard；　'n'　the　only　thing't

looks　queer　to　me　is　that　you　wasn't　potted　las'　night　when　yuh　got　out　away

from　here。　Musta　been　only　one　of　'em　stayed　behind；　an'　he　had　t'　keep　out　in

front　uh　yuh　t'　tinkle　that　dang　bell。　Figgered　on　wearin'　out　yer　hoss；　I

reckon；　'n'　didn't　skurcely　dare　t'　take　the　risk　uh　killin'　you　off　'nless

they　was　a　bunch　around　t'　handle　us。〃　His　bright　blue　eyes　with　their　range

squint　went　from　one　to　another　with　a　certain　speculative　pride　in　the

glance。　〃'N'　they　shore　want　t'　bring　a　crowd　along　when　they　tie　into　this

yere　outfit；　now　I'm　tellin'　yuh！〃



Lite　Avery；　who　had　gone　prowling　down　the　draw　by　himself；　came　back　to　camp；

tilting　stiff…leggedly　along　in　his　high…heeled　boots　and　betraying；　in　every

step　he　took；　just　how　handicapped　a　cowpuncher　is　when　set　afoot　upon　the

range　and　forced　to　walk　where　he　has　always　been　accustomed　to　ride。　He

stopped　to　give　Pink's　exhausted　horse　a　sympathetic　pat　on　the　shoulder；　and

came　on；　grinning　a　little　with　the　comers　of　his　mouth　tipped　down。



〃Here's　what's　left　of　the　hobbles　the　buckskin　wore；〃　he　said；　holding　up　the

cut　loops　of　a　figure…eight　rope　hobble。　〃Kinda　speaks　for　itself；　don't　it？〃



They　crowded　around　to　inspect　this　plain　evidence　of　stealing。　Afterwards

they　stood　hard…eyed　and　with　a　flush　on　their　cheek…bones；　considering　what

was　the　best　and　wisest　way　to　meet　this　emergency。　As　to　hunting　afoot　for

their　horses；　the　chance　of　success　was　almost　too　small　to　be　considered　at

all；　Pink's　horse　was　not　fit　for　further　travel　until　he　had　rested。　There

was　one　pair　of　field　glasses　…and　there　were　nine　irate　men　to　whom　inaction

was　intolerable。



〃One　thing　we　can　do；　if　we　have　to；〃　Luck　said　at　last；　with　the　fighting

look　in　his　face　which　moving…picture　people　had　cause　to　remember。　〃We　can

help　ourselves　to　any　horses　we　run　across。　Applehead；　how's　the　best　way　to

go　about　it？〃



Applehead；　thus　pushed　into　leadership；　chewed　his　mustache　and　eyed　the　mesa

sourly。　〃Well；　　seein'　they've　set　us　afoot；　I　calc'late　we're　jest　about

entitled　to　any　dang　thing　we　run　across　that's　ridable；〃　he　acceded。　〃'N'　the

way　I'd　do；　would　be　to　git　on　high　groun'　with　them　glasses　'n'　look　fer

hosses。　'N'　then　head　fer　'em　'n'　round　'em　up　afoot　'n'　rope　out　what　we

want。　They's　enough　of　us　t'　mebby　git　a　mount　apiece；　but　it　shore　ain't

goin'　t'　be　no　snap；　now　I'm　tellin'　ye。　'N'　if　yuh　do　that；〃　he　added；　〃yuh

want　t'　leave　a　man　er　two　in　camp'n'　they　want　to　keep　their　dang　eyes

peeled；　lemme　tell　yuh！　Ef　we　was　t'　find　ourselves　afoot　an'　our　grub　'n'

outfit　stole〃



〃We　won't　give　them　that　chance　at　us。〃　Luck　was　searching　with　his　eyes　for

the　nearest　high　point　that　was　yet　not　too　far　from　camp。　〃I　think　I'll　just

take　Andy　up　on　that　pinnacle　there；　and　camp　down　by　that　pile　of　boulders。

The　rest　of　you　stay　around　camp　and　rest　yourselves　while　you've　got　the

chance。　In　a　couple　of　hours；　Applehead；　you　and　Lite　come　up　and　take　our

place；　then　Miguel　and　Bud；　and　after　that　Weary　and　Happy。　Pink；　you　go　and

bed　down　in　the　shade　somewhere　and　go　to　sleepand　quit　worrying　over　last

night。　Nobody　could　have　done　any　better　than　you　did。　It　was　just　one　put

over　on　the　bunch；　and　you　happened　to　be　the　particular　goat；　that's　all。



〃Now；　if　one　of　us　waves　his　hat　over　his　head；　all　of　you　but　Happy　and　Bud

and　Pink　come　up　with　your　rifles　and　your　ropes；　because　we'll　have　some

horses　sighted。　If　we　wave　from　side　to　side；　like　this；　about　even　with　our

belts；　you　boys　want　to　look　out　for　trouble。　So　one　of　you　keep　an　eye　on　us

all　the　time　we're　up　there。　We'll　be　up　outa　reach　of　any　trouble　ourselves；

if　I　remember　that　little　pinnacle　right。〃　He　hung　the　strap　that　held　the

leather　case　of　the　glasses　over　one　shoulder；　picked　up　his　rifle　and　his

rope　and　started　off；　with　Andy　similarly　equipped　coming　close　behind　him。



The　mesa；　when　they　reached　the　pinnacle　and　looked　down　over　the　wide　expanse

of　it；　glimmered　like　clear；　running　water　with　the　heat　waves　that　rose　from

the　sand。　Away　to　the　southward　a　scattered　band　of　sheep　showed　in　a　mirage

that　made　them　look　long…legged　as　camels　and　half　convinced　them　both　that

they　were　seeing　　the　lost　horses；　until　the　vision　changed　and　shrunk　the

moving　objects　to　mere　dots　upon　the　mesa。



Often　before　they　had　watched　the　fantastic　airpictures　of　the　desert　mirage；

and　they　knew　well　enough　that　what　they　saw　might　be　one　mile　away　or　twenty。

But　unless　the　atmospheric　conditions　happened　to　be　just　right；　what　was

pictured　in　the　air　could　not　be　depended　upon　to　portray　truthfully　what　was

reflected。　They　sat　there　and　saw　the　animals　suddenly　grow　clearly　defined

and　very　close；　and　discovered　at　last　that　they　were　sheep；　and　that　a　man

was　walking　beside　the　flock；　and　even　while　they　watched　it　and　wondered　if

the　sheep　were　really　as　close　as　they　seemed；　the　vision　slowly　faded　into

blank；　wavery　distance　and　the　mesa　lay　empty　and　quivering　under　the　sun