the heritage of the sioux-第27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！



lest　they　scratch　her　face　as　she　passed。



Luis　went　swiftly　along　the　path；　as　though　his　haste　was　great；　but　he　went

stealthily　as　well；　and　she　knew　that　he　had　some　unknown　cause　for　secrecy。

She　wondered　a　little　at　this。　Had　Wagalexa　Conka　discovered　where　she　and

Ramon　were　to　meet？　But　how　could　he　discover　that　which　had　been　spoken　but

once；　and　then　in　the　quiet　loneliness　of　that　place　far　back　on　the　mesa？

Wagalexa　Conka　bad　not　been　within　three　miles　of　that　place；　as

Annie…Many…Ponies　knew　well。　How　then　did　he　know？　For　he　must　have　followed；

since　Ramon　dared　not　come　to　the　place　he　had　named　for　their　meeting。



Dawn　came　while　they　were　still　following　the　little；　brush…choked　ravine　with

its　faint　pathway　up　the　middle　of　it；　made　by　cattle　or　sheep　or　goats；

perhaps　all　three。　Luis　hurried　along；　stopping　now　and　then　and　holding　up　a

hand　for　silence　so　that　he　might　listen。　Fast　as　he　went；　Annie…Many…Ponies

kept　within　two　long　steps　of　his　heels；　her　plaid　shawl　drawn　smoothly　over

her　black　head　and　folded　together　under　her　chin。　Her　mouth　was　set　in　a

straight　line；　and　her　chin　had　the　square　firmness　of　the　Indian。　Luis；

looking　back　at　her　curiously；　could　not　even　guess　at　her　thoughts；　but　he

thought　her　too　calm　and　cold　for　his　effervescent　naturethough　he　would

have　liked　to　tell　her　that　she　was　beautiful。　He　did　not；　because　he　was

afraid　of　Ramon。



〃Poco　tiempo；　come　to　his　camp；　Ramon；〃　he　said　when　the　sun　was　peering　over

the　high　shoulder　of　a　ridge；　and　he　spoke　in　a　hushed　tone；　as　if　he　feared

that　someone　might　overhear　him。



〃You　'fraid　Wagalexa　Conka；　he　come？〃　Annie…Many…Ponies　asked　abruptly；

looking　at　him　full。



Luis　did　not　understand　her；　so　he　lifted　his　shoulders　in　the　Mexican　gesture

which　may　mean　much　or　nothing。　〃Quien　sabe？〃　he　muttered　vaguely　and　went　on。

Annie…Many…Ponies　did　not　know　what　he　meant；　but　she　guessed　that　he　did　not

want　to　be　questioned　upon　the　subject；　so　she　readjusted　the　shawl　that　had

slipped　from　her　head　and　went　on　silently；　two　long　steps　behind　him。



In　a　little　he　turned　from　the　ravine；　which　was　becoming　more　open　and　not

quite　so　deep。　They　scrambled　over　boulders　which　the　horse　must　negotiate

carefully　to　avoid　a　broken　leg；　and　then　they　were　in　another　little　ravine；

walled　round　with　rocks　and　high；　brushy　slopes。　Luis　went　a　little　way；

stopped　beside　a　huge；　jutting　boulder　and　gave　a　little　exclamation　of

dismay。



〃No　more　here；　Ramon；〃　he　said；　staring　down　at　the　faintly　smoking　embers　of

a　little　fire。　　〃She's　go　som'　place；　I　don't　know；　me。〃



The　slim　right　hand　of　Annie…Many…Ponies　went　instinctively　to　her　bosom　and

to　what　lay　hidden　there。　But　she　waited；　looking　from　the　little　campfire

that　was　now　almost　dead；　to　Luis　whom　she　suspected　of　treachery。　Luis

glanced　up　at　her　apologetically；　caught　something　of　menace　in　that

unwinking；　glittering　stare；　and　began　hastily　searching　here　and　there　for

some　sign　that　would　enlighten　him　further。



〃She's　here　when　I　go；　Ramon；〃　he　explained　deprecatingly。　〃I　don'　un'stan'；

me。　She's　tell　me　go　breeng　yoh　thees　place。　She's　say　I　mus'　huree　w'ile　dark

she's　las'。　I'm　sure　s'prised；　me！〃　Luis　was　a　slender　young　man　with　a　thin；

patrician　face　that　had　certain　picture　values　for　Luck；　but　which　greatly

belied　his　lawless　nature。　Until　he　stood　by　the　rock　where　she　had　waited　for

Ramon；　Annie…Many…Ponies　had　never　spoken　to　him。　She　did　not　know　him；

therefore　she　did　not　trust　himand　she　looked　her　distrust。



Luis　turned　from　her　after　another　hasty　glance；　and　began　searching　for　some

sign　of　Ramon。　Presently；　in　a　tiny　cleft　near　the　top　of　the　boulder；　his

black　eyes　spied　a　folded　papertwo　folded　papers；　as　he　discovered　when　he

reached　up　eagerly　and　pulled　them　out。



〃She's　write　letter；　Ramon；〃　he　cried　with　a　certain　furtive　excitement。

〃Thees　for　yoh。〃　And　he　smiled　while　he　gave　her　a　folded　note　with　〃Ana〃

scrawled　hastily　across　the　face　of　it。



Annie…Many…Ponies　extended　her　left　hand　for　it；　and　backed　the　few　steps　away

from　him　which　would　insure　her　safety　against　a　sudden　attack；　before　she

opened　the　paper　and　read：



〃Querida　mia；　you　go　with　Luis。　Hes　all　rite　you　trus　him。　He　bring　you　where

i　am。　i　lov　you。　Ramon〃



She　read　it　twice　and　placed　the　note　in　her　bosomnext　the　knifeand　looked

at　Luis；　the　glitter　gone　from　her　eyes。　She　smiled　a　little。　〃I　awful

hongry；〃　she　said　in　her　soft　voice；　and　it　was　the　second　sentence　she　had

spoken　since　they　left　the　rock　where　she　had　waited。



Luis　smiled　back；　relief　showing　in　the　uplift　of　his　lips　and　the　lightening

of　his　eyes。　〃She's　cache　grob；　Ramon；〃　he　said。　〃She's　go　som'　place　and　we

go　also。　She's　wait　for　us。　Dam…long　waytree　days；　I　theenk　me。〃



〃You　find　that　grub；〃　said　Annie…Many…Ponies；　letting　her　hand　drop　away　from

the　knife。　〃I　awful　hongry。　We　eat；　then　we　go。〃



〃Nono　go　till　dark　comes！　We　walk　in　nightso　somebody　don'　see！〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　looked　at　him　sharply；　saw　that　he　was　very　much　in　earnest；

and　turned　away　to　gather　some　dry　twigs　for　the　fire。　Up　the　canon　a　horse

whinnied　inquiringly；　and　Luis；　hastening　furtively　that　way；　found　the　horse

he　bad　ridden　into　this　place　with　Ramon。　With　the　problem　of　finding

provender　for　the　two　animals；　he　had　enough　to　occupy　him　until

Annie…Many…Ponies；　from　the　coarse　food　he　brought　her；　cooked　a　crude

breakfast。



Truly；　this　was　not　what　she　had　dreamed　the　morning　would　be　likeshe　who

had　been　worried　over　the　question　of　whether　Ramon　would　let　her　confess　to

the　priest　before　they　were　married！　Here　was　no　priest　and　no　Ramon；　even；

but　a　keen…eyed　young　Mexican　whom　she　scarcely　knew　at　all；　and　a　mysterious

hiding…out　in　closed…in　canons　until　dark　before　they　might　follow　Ramon　who

loved　her。　Annie…Many…Ponies　did　not　understand　why　all　this　stealthiness

should　be　necessary；　for　she　knew　that　proof　of　her　honorable　marriage　would

end　Luck's　pursuitsupposing　he　did　pursueeven　though　his　anger　might　live

always　for　her。　She　did　not　understand；　and　when　an　Indian　confronts　a

situation　which　puzzles　him；　you　may　be　very　sure　that　same　Indian　is　going　to

be　very；　very　cautious。　Annie…Many…Ponies　was　Indian　to　the　middle　of　her

bone。







CHAPTER　XVII。　APPLEHEAD　SHOWS　THE　STUFF　HE　IS　MADE　0F



Lite　Avery；　turning　to　look　back　as　they　galloped　up　a　long　slope　so　gradual

in　its　rise　that　it　seemed　almost　level；　counted　just　fourteen　Indians

spreading　out　fanwise　in　pursuit。　He　turned　to　Applehead　with　the　quiet

deference　in　his　manner　that　had　won　the　old　man's　firm　friendship。



〃What's　this　new　move　signify；　boss？〃　he　asked；　tilting　his　head　backward。

〃What　they　spreading　out　like　that　for；　when　they're　outa　easy　rifle　range？〃



Applehead　looked　behind　him；　studied　the　new　formation　of　their　enemy；　and

scowled　in　puzzlement。　He　looked　ahead；　where　he　knew　the　land　lay　practically

level　before　them；　all　sand　and　rabbit　weed；　with　a　little　grass　here　and

there；　to　the　left；　where　the　square　butte　stood　up　bold…faced　and　grim；　to

the　right　where　a　ragged　sandstone　ledge　blocked　the　way。



〃'S　some　dang　new　trap　uh　theirn；〃　he　decided；　his　voice　signifying　disgust

for　such　methods。　〃Take　an　Injun　'n'　he　don't　calc'late　he's　fightin'　'nless

he's　figgurin'　on　gittin'　yuh　cornered。　Mebby　they　got　some　more　cached　ahead

som'ers。　Keep　yer　eye　peeled；　boys；　'n'　shoot　at　any　dang　thing　yuh　see　that

yuh　ain't　dead　sure　's　a　rabbit　weed。　Don't　go　bankin'　on　rocks　bein'

harmless'cause　every　dang　one's　liable　to　have　an　Injun　layin'　on　his　belly

behind　it。　Must　be　another　bunch　ahead　som'ers；　'cause　I　know　it's　smooth

goin'　fer　five　miles　yit。　After　that　they's　a　drop　down　into　a　rocky　kinda

pocket　that's　hard　t'　git　out　of　except　the　way　yuh　go　in；　account　of　there

bein'　one　uh　them　dang　rim…rocks　runnin'　clean　'round　it。　Some　calls　it　the

Devil's　Fryin'…pan。　No　water　ner　grass　ner　nothin'　else　'ceptin'　snakes。　'N'

Navvies　kinda　ownin'　rattlers　as　bein'　their　breed　uh　cats；　they　don't　kill

'em　off；　so　they's　a　heap　'n'　plenty　of　'em　in　that　basin。



〃But　I　ain't　aimin'　t'　git　caught　down　in　there；　now　I'm　tellin'　yuh！　I　aim　t'

keep　along　clost　t'　that　there　butte；　'n'　out　on　the　other　side　where　we　kin

pick　up　luck's　trail。　I　shore　would　do　some　rarin'　around　if　that　boy　rode　off

into　a　mess　uh　trouble；　'n'　I'm　tellin'　yuh　straight！〃



〃He's　got　some　good　boy　at　his　back；〃　Weary　reminded　him；　loyal　to　his　Flying

U　comrade。



〃You're　dang　right　he　has！　I　ain't　sayin'　he　ain't；　am　I？　Throw　some　more　lead

back　at　them　skunks　behind　us；　will　ye；　Lite？　'N'　the　rest　of　yuh　save　yore

shells　fer　close…ups！〃　He　grinned　a　little　at　the　incongruity　of　a

motion…picture　phrase　in　such　a　situation　as　this。　〃'N'　don't　be　so　dang

skeered　uh　hurtin'　somebody！〃　he　adjured　Lite；　drawing　rein　a　little　so　as　not

to　forge　ahead　of　the　other。　〃You'll　have　to　kill　off　a　few　anyway　'fore

you're　through　with　'em。〃



Lite　aimed　at　the　man　riding　in　the　center　of　the　half…circle；　and　the　bullet

he　sent　that　way　created　excitement　of　some　sort；　but　whether　the　Indian　was

badly　hit；　or　only　missed　by　a　narrow　margin；　the　four　did　not　wait　to

discover。　They　had　held　their　horses　down　to　a　pace　that　merely　kept　them　well

ahead　of　the　Indians；　and　though　the　horses　were　sweating；　they　were　holding

their　own　easily　enoughwith　a　reserve　fund　of　speed　if　their　riders　needed

to　call　upon　it。



Applehead；　glancing　often　behind　him；　scowled　over　the　puzzle　of　that　fanlike

formation　of　riders。　They　would　hardly　begin　so　soon　to　herd　him　and　his　men

into　that　evil　little　rock　basin　with　the　sinister　name；　and　there　was　no

other　reason　he　could　think　of　which　would　justify　those　tactics；　unless

another　party　waited　ahead　of　them。　He　squinted　ahead　uneasily；　but　the　mesa

lay　parched　and　empty　u