the heritage of the sioux-第26部分

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〃They've　clumb　down　and　straddled　their　ponies；〃　he　announced　grimly。　〃An'

about　a　dozen　is　comin'　down　this　way；　keepin'　under　cover　all　they　kin。　I

calc'late　mebby　we　better　crawl　our　bosses　'n'　do　some　ridin'　ourselves；

boys。〃　And　he　added　grimly；　〃They　ain't　in　good　shootin'　distance　yit；　'n'

they　dassent　show　theirselves　neither。　We'll　keep　in　this　draw　long　as　we　kin。

They're　bound　t'　come　careful　till　they　git　us　located。〃



The　footing　was　none　the　best；　but　the　horses　they　rode　had　been　running　over

untracked　mesaland　since　they　were　bandy…legged　colts。　They　loped　along

easily；　picking　automatically　the　safest　places　whereon　to　set　their　feet；　and

leaving　their　riders　free　to　attend　to　other　important　matters　which　proved

their　true　value　as　horses　that　knew　their　business。



Soon　the　draw　shallowed　until　they　found　themselves　out　in　the　open；　with　the

square…topped　mountain　five　miles　or　so　ahead　and　a　little　to　the　left；　a

high；　untraversable　sandstone　ledge　to　their　right；　and　what　looked　like　plain

sailing　straight　ahead　past　the　mountain。



Applehead　twisted　his　body　in　the　saddle　and　gave　a　grunt。　〃Throw　some　lead

back　at　them　hombres；　Lite；〃　he　snapped。　〃And　make　a　killin'　if　yuh　kin。　It'll

make　'em　mad；　but　it'll　hold　'em　back　fer　a　spell。〃



Lite；　the　crack　rifle…shot　of　Luck's　company　and　the　man　who　had　taught　Jean

Douglas　to　shoot　with　such　wonderful　precision；　wheeled　his　horse　short　around

and　pulled　him　to　a　stand；　lined　up　his　rifle　sights　and　crooked　his　finger　on

the　trigger。　And　away　back　there　among　the　Indians　a　pony　reared；　and　then

pitched　forward。



〃I　sure　do　bate　to　shoot　down　a　horse；〃　Lite　explained　shamefacedly；　〃but　I

never　did　kill　a　man〃



〃We…ell；　I　calc'late　mebby　yuh　will；　'fore　you're　let　out　from　this　yere

meetin'；〃　Applehead　prophesied　drily。　〃Now；　dang　it；　RIDE！〃





CHAPTER　XVI。　ANNIE…MANY…PONIES　WAITS



In　the　magic　light　of　many　unnamable　soft　shades　which　the　sun　leaves　in　New

Mexico　as　a　love　token　for　his　dark　mistress　night；　Annie…Many…Ponies　sat　with

her　back　against　a　high；　flat　rock　at　the　place　where　Ramon　had　said　she　must

wait　for　him；　and　stared　somber…eyed　at　what　she　could　see　of　the　new　land

that　bad　held　her　future　behind　the　Sandias；　waiting　for　Ramon；　and　she

wondered　if　Wagalexa　Conka　had　come　home　from　his　picture…making　in　Bear　Canon

and　was　angry　because　she　had　gone；　and　shrank　from　the　thought；　and　tried　to

picture　what　life　with　Ramon　would　be　like；　and　whether　his　love　would　last

beyond　the　wide　ring　of　shiny　gold　that　was　to　make　her　a　wife。



At　her　feet　the　little　black　dog　lay　licking　his　sore　paws　that　had　padded

patiently　after　her　all　day。　Beside　the　rock　the　black　horse　stood　nibbling　at

some　weeds　awkwardly；　because　of　the　Spanish　bit　in　his　mouth。　The　horse　was

hungry；　and　the　little　black　dog　was　hungry；　Annie…Many…Ponies　was　hungry

also；　but　she　did　not　feel　her；　hunger　so　much；　because　of　the　heaviness　that

was　in　her　heart。



When　Ramon　came　he　would　bring　food；　or　he　would　tell　her　where　she　might　buy。

The　horse；　too；　would　be　fedwhen　Ramon　came。　And　he　would　take　her　to　the

priest　who　was　his　friend；　and　together　they　would　kneel　before　the　priest。

But　first；　if　Ramon　would　wait；　she　wanted　to　confess　her　sins；　so　that　she

need　not　go　into　the　new　life　bearing　the　sins　of　the　old。　The　priest　could

pray　away　the　ache　that　was　in　her　heart；　and　then；　with　her　heart　light　as

air；　she　would　be　married　with　Ramon。　It　was　long　since　she　had　confessed

not　since　the　priest　came　to　the　agency　when　she　was　there；　before　she　ran

away　to　work　in　pictures　for　Wagalexa　Conka。



Before　her　the　glow　deepened　and　darkened。　A　rabbit　hopped　out　of　a　thick

clump　of　stunted　bushes；　sniffed　the　air　that　blew　the　wrong　way　to　warn　him；

and　began　feeding。　Shunka　Chistala　gathered　his　soft　paws　under　him；　scratched

softly　for　a　firm　foothold　in　the　ground；　and　when　the　rabbit；　his　back　turned

and　the　evening　wind　blowing　full　in　his　face；　fed　unsuspectingly　upon　some

young　bark　that　he　liked；　the　little　black　dog　launched　himself　suddenly

across　the　space　that　divided　them。　There　was　a　squeak　and　a　thin；　whimpering

cryingand　the　little　black　dog；　at　least；　was　sure　of　his　supper。



Annie…Many…Ponies；　roused　from　her　brooding；　shivered　a　little　when　the　rabbit

cried。　She　started　forward　to　save　itshe　who　had　taught　the　little　black　dog

to　hunt　gophers　and　prairie…dogs！and　when　she　was　too　late　she　scolded　the

dog　in　the　language　of　the　Sioux。　She　tore　the　rabbit　away　from　him　while　he

eyed　her　reproachfully；　but　when　she　saw　that　it　was　quite　dead；　she　flung　the

warm　body　back　to　him　and　went　and　sat　down　again　with　her　back　to　the　rock。



A　train　whistled　for　the　little　station　of　Bernalillo；　and　soon　she　saw　its

headlight　paint　the　squat　houses　that　had　before　been　hidden　behind　the

creeping　dusk。　Ramon　was　late　in　coming　and　for　one　breath　she　caught　herself

hoping　that　he　would　not　come　at　all。　But　immediately　she　remembered　the　love

words　he　had　taught　her；　and　smiled　her　inscrutable　little　smile　that　had　now

a　tinge　of　sadness。　Perhaps；　she　thought　wishfully；　Ramon　had　come　on　the

train　from　Albuquerque。　Perhaps　he　had　a　horse　in　the　town；　and　would　ride　out

and　meet　her　here　where　he　had　told　her　to　wait。



The　train　shrieked　and　painted　swiftly　hill　and　embankment　and　little　adobe

huts　and　a　corral　full　of　huddled　sheep；　and　went　churning　away　to　the

northeast。　Annie…Many…Ponies　followed　its　course　absently　with　her　eyes　until

the　last　winking　light　from　its　windows　and　the　last　wisp　of　smoke　was　hidden

behind　hills　and　trees。　The　little　black　dog　finished　the　rabbit；　nosed　its

tracks　back　to　where　it　had　hopped　out　of　the　brush；　and　came　back　and　curled

up　at　the　feet　of　his　mistress；　licking　his　lips　and　again　his　travel…sore

paws。　In　a　moment；　feeling　in　his　dumb　way　her　loneliness；　perhaps；　be　reached

up　and　laid　his　pink　tongue　caressingly　upon　her　brown　hand。



Dark　came　softly　and　with　it　a　noisy　wind　that　whistled　and　murmured　and　at

last；　growing　more　boisterous　as　the　night　deepened；　whooped　over　her　bead　and

tossed　wildly　the　branches　of　a　clump　of　trees　that　grew　near。

Annie…Many…Ponies　listened　to　the　wind　and　thought　it　a　brother；　perhaps；　of

the　night　wind　that　came　to　the　Dakota　prairies　and　caroused　there　until　dawn

bade　it　be　still。　Too　red　the　blood　of　her　people　ran　in　her　veins　for　her　to

be　afraid　of　the　night；　even　though　she　peopled　it　with　dim　shapes　of　her

fancy。



After　a　long　while　the　wind　grew　chill。　Annie…Many…Ponies　shivered；　and　then

rose　and　went　to　the　horse　and；　reaching　into　the　bundle　which　was　still　bound

to　the　saddle；　she　worked　a　plaid　shawl　loose　from　the　other　things　and　pulled

it　out　and　wrapped　it　close　around　her　and　pulled　it　over　her　head　like　a

cowl。　Then　she　went　back　and　sat　down　against　the　bowlder；　waiting；　with　the

sublime　patience　of　her　kind；　for　Ramon。



Until　the　wind　hushed；　listening　for　the　dawn；　she　sat　there　and　waited。　At

her　feet　the　little　black　dog　slept　with　his　nose　folded　between　his　front

paws　over　which　he　whimpered　sometimes　in　his　dreams。　At　every　little　sound

all　throughthe　night　Annie…Many…Ponies　had　listened；　thinking　that　at　last

here　came　Ramon　to　take　her　to　the　priest；　but　for　the　first　time　since　she

had　stolen　out　on　the　mesa　to　meet　him；　Ramon　did　not　keep　the　trystand　this

was　to　be　their　marriage　meeting！　Annie…Many…Ponies　grew　very　still　and

voiceless　in　her　heart；　as　if　her　very　soul　waited。　She　did　not　even　speculate

upon　what　the　future　would　be　like　if　Ramon　never　came。　She　was　waiting。



Then；　just　before　the　sky　lightened；　someone　stepped　cautiously　along　a　little

path　that　led　through　rocks　and　bushes　back　into　the　hills。　Annie…Many　Ponies

turned　her　face　that　way　and　listened。　But　the　steps　were　not　the　steps　of

Ramon；　Annie…Many…Ponies　had　too　much　of　the　Indian　keenness　to　be　fooled　by

the　hasty　footsteps　of　this　man。　And　since　it　was　not　Ramonher　slim　fingers

closed　upon　the　keen…edged　knife　she　carried　always　in　its　sinew…sewed

buckskin　sheath　near　her　heart。



The　little　black　dog　lifted　his　head　suddenly　and　growled；　and　the　footsteps

came　to　a　sudden　stop　quite　near　the　rock。



〃It　is　you？〃　asked　a　cautious　voice　with　the　unmistakable　Mexican　tone　and

soft；　slurring　accent。　〃speak　me　what　yoh　name。〃



〃Ramon　comes？〃　Annie　asked　him　quietly；　and　the　footsteps　came　swiftly　nearer

until　his　form　was　silhouetted　by　the　rock。



〃Sh…shyoh　not　spik　dat　name；〃　he　whispered。　〃Luis　Rojas　me。　I　come　for

breeng　yoh。　No　can　come；　yoh　man。　No　spik　namesom'bodys　maybe　hears。〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　rose　and　stood　peering　at　him　through　the　dark。　〃What's

wrong？〃　she　asked　abruptly；　borrowing　the　curt　phrase　from　Luck　Lindsay。　〃Why

I　not　speak　name？　Whysome　body？〃　she　laid　ironical　stress　upon　the

word〃not　come？　What　business　you　got；　Luis　Rojas？〃



〃Nodon'　spik　names；　me！〃　The　figure　was　seen　to　throw　out　an　imploring　hand。

〃Moch　troubles；　yoh　bet！　Yoh　come　nowsomebodys　she　wait　in　dam…hurry！〃



Annie…Many…Ponies；　with　her　fingers　still　closed　upon　the　bone　handle　of　her

sharp…edged　knife；　thought　swiftly。　Wariness　had　been　born　into　her　blood

therefore　she　could　understand　and　meet　halfway　the　wariness　of　another。

Perhaps　Wagalexa　Conka　had　suspected　that　she　was　going　with　Ramon；　Wagalexa

Conka　was　very　keen；　and　his　anger　blazed　hot　as　pitch…pine　flame。　Perhaps

Ramon　feared　Wagalexa　Conkaas　she；　too；　feared　him。　She　was　not　afraidshe

would　go　to　Ramon。



She　stepped　away　from　the　rock　and　took　the　black　horse　by　its　dropped

bridle…reins　and　followed　Luis　Rojas　up　the　dim　path　that　wound　through　trees

and　rocks　until　it　dropped　into　a　little　ravine　that　was　chocked　with　brush；

so　that　Annie…Many…Ponies　had　to　put　the　stiff　branches　aside　with　her　hand

lest　they　scratch　her　face　as　she　passed。



Luis　went　swiftly　along