the heritage of the sioux-第24部分

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account　for；　when　they　realized　that　they　were　being　followed　by　nine　white

men　who　had　four　packed　horses　with　them　to　provide　for　their　needs　on　a　long

journey；　it　was　no　more　than　natural　that　the　Indians　should　take　it　for

granted　that　they　were　being　pursued；　and　that　if　they　were　caught　they　would

be　taken　back　to　town　and　shut　up　in　that　evil　place　which　the　white　men

called　their　jail。



When　it　was　known　that　the　nine　men　who　followed　had　twice　recovered　the　trail

after　sheep　and　cattle　had　trampled　it　out；　the　renegades　became　sufficiently

alarmed　to　call　upon　their　tribesmen　for　help。　And　that　was　perfectly　natural

and　sensible　from　their　point　of　view。



Now；　the　Navajos　are　peaceable　enough　if　you　leave　them　strictly　alone　and　do

not　come　snooping　upon　their　reservation　trying　to　arrest　somebody。　But　they

don't　like　jails；　and　if　you　persist　in　trailing　their　lawbreakers　you　are

going　to　have　trouble　on　your　hands。　The　Happy　Family；　with　Luck　and

Applehead；　had　no　intention　whatever　of　molesting　the　Navajos；　but　the　Navajos

did　not　know　that；　and　they　acted　according　to　their　lights　and　their　ideas　of

honorable　warfare。



Roused　to　resistance　in　behalf　of　their　fellows；　they　straightway　forsook

their　looms；　where　they　wove　rugs　for　tourists；　and　the　silver　which　they

fashioned　into　odd　bracelets　and　rings；　and　the　flocks　of　sheep　whose　wool

they　used　in　the　rugs　and　they　went　upon　a　quiet；　crafty　warpath　against　these

persistent　white　men。



They　stole　their　horses　and　started　them　well　on　the　trail　back　to

Albuquerquesince　it　is　just　as　well　to　keep　within　the　white　men's　law；　if

it　may　be　done　without　suffering　any　great　incon　venience。　They　would　have

preferred　to　keep　the　horses；　but　they　decided　to　start　them　home　and　let　them

go。　You　could　not　call　that　stealing；　and　no　one　need　go　to　jail　for　it。　They

failed　to　realize　that　these　horses　might　be　so　thoroughly　broken　to　camp　ways

that　they　would　prefer　the　camp　of　the　Happy　Family　to　a　long　trail　that　held

only　a　memory　of　discomfort；　they　did　not　know　that　every　night　these　horses

were　given　grain　by　the　camp…fire；　and　that　they　would　remember　it　when

feeding　time　came　again。　So　the　horses；　led　by　wise　old　Johnny；　swung　in　a

large　circle　when　their　Indian　drivers　left　them；　and　went　back　to　their　men。



Then　the　Navajos；　finding　that　simple　maneuver　a　failureand　too　late　to

prevent　its　failing　without　risk　of　being　discovered　and　forced　into　an　open

fight　…got　together　and　tried　something　else；　something　more

characteristically　Indian　and　therefore　more　actively　hostile。　They　rode　in

haste　that　night　to　a　point　well　out　upon　the　fresh　trail　of　their　fleeing

tribesmen；　where　the　tracks　came　out　of　a　barren；　lava…encrusted　hollow　to

softer　soil　beyond。　They　summoned　their　squaws　and　their　half…grown　papooses

armed　with　branches　that　had　stiff　twigs　and　answered　the　purpose　of　brooms。

With　great　care　about　leaving　any　betraying　tracks　of　their　own　until　they

were　quite　ready　to　leave　a　trail；　a　party　was　　formed　to　represent　the　six

whom　the　Happy　Family　bad　been　following。　These　divided　and　made　off　in

different　directions；　leaving　a　plain　trail　behind　them　to　lure　the　white　men

into　the　traps　which　would　be　prepared　for　them　farther　on。



When　dawn　made　it　possible　to　do　so　effectively；　the　squaws　began　to　whip　out

the　trail　of　the　six　renegade　Indians；　and　the　chance　footprints　of　those　who

bad　gone　ahead　to　leave　the　false　trail　for　the　white　men　to　follow。　Very

painstakingly　the　squaws　worked；　and　the　young　ones　who　could　be　trusted。

Brushing　the　sand　smoothly　across　a　hoofprint　here；　and　another　one　there；

walking　backward；　their　bodies　bent；　their　sharp　eyes　scanning　every　little

depression；　every　faint　trace　of　the　passing　of　their　tribesmen；　brushing；

replacing　pebbles　kicked　aside　by　a　hoof；　wiping　out　completely　that　trail

which　the　Happy　Family　bad　followed　with　such　persistence；　the　squaws　did

their　part；　while　their　men　went　on　to　prepare　the　trap。



Years　agoyet　not　so　many　after　allthe　mothers　of　these　squaws；　and　their

grandmothers；　had　walked　backward　and　stooped　with　little　branches　in　their

hands　to　wipe　out　the　trail　of　their　warriors　and　themselves　to　circumvent　the

cunning　of　the　enemy　who　pursued。　So　had　they　brushed　out　the　trail　when　their

men　had　raided　the　ranchos　of　the　first　daring　settlers；　and　had　driven　off

horses　and　cattle　into　the　remoter　wilderness。



And　these；　mind　you；　were　the　squaws　and　bucks　whom　you　might　meet　any　day　on

the　streets　in　Albuquerque；　padding　along　the　pavement　and　staring　in　at　the

shop　windows；　admiring　silken　gowns　with　marked…down　price　tags；　and

exclaiming　over　flaxen…haired　dolls　and　bright　ribbon　streamers；　squaws　and

bucks　who　brought　rugs　and　blankets　to　sell；　and　who　would　bargain　with　you　in

broken　English　and　smile　and　nod　in　friendly　fashion　if　you　spoke　to　them　in

Spanish　or　paid　without　bickering　the　price　they　asked　for　a　rug。　You　might

see　them　in　the　fifteen…cent　store；　buying　cheap　candy　and　staring　in　mute

admiration　at　all　the　gay　things　piled　high　on　the　tables。　Remember　that；　when

I　tell　you　what　more　they　did　out　here　in　the　wilderness。　Remember　that　and　do

not　imagine　that　I　am　trying　to　take　you　back　into　the　untamed　days　of　the

pioneers。





Luck　and　the　Happy　Familyso　well　had　the　squaws　done　their　workpassed

unsuspectingly　over　the　wiped…out　trail；　circled　at　fault　on　the　far　side　of

the　rocky　gulch　for　an　hour　or　so　and　then　found　the　false　trail　just　as　the

Indian　decoys　had　intended　that　they　should　do。　And　from　a　farther　flat　topped

ridge　a　group　of　Indians　with　Dutch　hair…cuts　and　Stetson　hats　and　moccasins

（the　two　hall…marks　of　two　races）　watched　them　take　the　false　trail；　and

looked　at　one　another　and　grinned　sourly。



The　false　trail　forked；　showing　that　the　six　had　separated　into　two　parties　of

three　riders；　each　aiming　to　passso　the　hoofprints　would　lead　one　to

believearound　the　two　ends　of　a　lone　hill　that　sat　squarely　down　on　the　mesa

like　a　stone　treasure　chest　dropped　there　by　the　gods　when　the　world　was

young。



The　Happy　Family　drew　rein　and　eyed　the　parting　of　the　ways　dubiously。



〃Wonder　what　they　did　that　for？〃　Andy　Green　grumbled；　mopping　his　red　face

irritatedly。　〃We've　got　trouble　enough　without　having　them　split　up　on　us。〃



〃From　the　looks；　I　should　say　we're　overhauling　the　bunch；〃　Luck　hazarded。

〃They　maybe　met　on　the　other　side　of　this　butte　somewhere。　And　the　tracks　were

made　early　this　morning；　I　should　say。　How　about　it；　Applehead？〃



〃Well；　they　look　fresher　'n　what　we　bin　follerin'　before；〃　Applehead　admitted。

〃But　I　don't　like　this　here　move　uh　theirn；　and　I'm　tellin'　yuh　so。　The　way〃



〃I　don't　like　anything　about　'em；〃　snapped　Luck；　standing　in　his　stirrups　as

though　that　extra　three　inches　would　let　him　see　over　the　hill。　〃And　I　don't

like　this　tagging　along　behind；　either。　You　take　your　boys　and　follow　those

tracks　to　the　right；　Applehead。　I　and　my　bunch　will　go　this　other　way。　And

RIDE！　We　can't　be　so　awfully　much　behind。　If　they　meet；　we'll　meet　where　they

do。　If　they　scatter；　we'll　have　to　scatter　too；　I　reckon。　But　get'em　is　the

word；　boys！〃



〃And　where；〃　asked　Applehead　with　heavy　irony；　while　he　pulled　at　his

mustache；　〃do　yuh　calc'late　we'll　git　t'gether　agin　if　we　go　scatterin'　out？〃



Luck　looked　at　him　and　smiled　his　smile。　〃We　aren't　any　of　us　tenderfeet；

exactly；〃　he　said　calmly。　〃We'll　meet　at　the　jail　when　we　bring　in　our　men；　if

we　don't　meet　anywhere　else　this　side。　But　if　you　land　your　men；　come　back　to

that　camp　where　we　lost　the　horses。　That's　one；　place　we　KNOW　has　got　grass

and　water　both。　If　you　come　and　don't　see　any　sign　of　us；　wait　a　day　before

you　start　back　to　town。　We'll　do　the　same。　And　leave　a　note　anchored　in　the

crack　of　that　big　bowlder　by　the　spring；　telling　the　news。　We'll　do　the　same

if　we　get　there　first　and　don't　wait　for　you。〃　He　hesitated；　betraying　that

even　in　his　eagerness　he　too　dreaded　the　parting　of　the　ways。　〃Well；　so　long；

boystake　care　of　yourselves。〃



〃Well；　now；　I　ain't　so　dang　shore〃　Applehead　began　querulously。



But　Luck　only　grinned　and　waved　his　hand　as　he　led　the　way　to　the　south　on　the

trail　that　obviously　had　skirted　the　side　of　the　square　butte。　The　four　who

went　with　him　looked　back　and　waved　non…committal　adieu；　and　Big　Medicine；

once　he　was　fairly　away；　shouted　back　to　them　to　look　out　for　Navvies；　and

then　laughed　with　a　mirthless　uproar　that　deceived　no　one　into　thinking　he　was

amused。　Pink　and　Weary　raised　their　voices　sufficiently　to　tell　him　where　he

could　go；　；and　settled　themselves　dejectedly　in　their　saddles　again。



〃Well；　I　ain't　so　darned　sure；　either；〃　Lite　Avery　tardily　echoed　Applehead's

vague　statement；　in　the　dry　way　he　had　of　speaking　detached　sentiments　from

the　mental　activities　that　went　on　behind　his　calm；　mask…like　face　and　his

quiet　eyes。　〃Something　feels　snaky　around　here　today。〃



Applehead　looked　at　him　with　a　glimmer　of　relief　in　his　eyes；　but　he　did　not

reply　to　the　foreboding　directly。　〃Boys；　git　yore　rifles　where　you　kin　use　'em

quick；〃　be　advised　them　grimly。　〃I　kin　smell　shootin'　along　this　dang　trail。〃



Pink's　dimples　showed　languidly　for　a　moment；　and　be　looked　a　question　at

Weary。　Weary　grinned　answer　and　pulled　his　rifle　from　the　〃boot〃　where　it　was

slung　under　his　right　leg；　and　jerked　the　lever　forward　until　a　cartridge　slid

with　a　click　up　into　the　chamber；　let　the　hammer　gently　down　with　his　thumb

and　laid　the　gun　across　his　thighs。



〃She's　ready　for　bear；〃　he　observed　placidly。



〃Well；　now；　you　boys　show　some　kinda　sense；〃　Applehead　told　them　when　Pink　had

followed　Weary's　example。　〃Fellers　like　Happy　and　Bud；　they　shore　do　show

their　ign'rance　uh　this　here；　dang　country；　when　they　up　'n'　laff　at　the　idee

uh　trouble…　…now　I'm　tellin'　yuh！〃



From　the　ridge　which　was　no　more　than　a　high