the heritage of the sioux-第28部分

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

lay　parched　and　empty　under　the　sky



And　then；　peering　straight　into　the　glare　of　the　sun；　he　saw；　down　the　slope

which　they　had　climbed　without　realizing　that　it　would　have　a　crest；　it　was　so

lowApplehead　saw　the　answer　to　the　puzzle；　saw　and　gave　his　funny　little

grunt　of　astonishment　and　dismay。　Straight　as　a　chalk　line　from　the　sandstone

ledge　on　their　right　to　the　straight…walled　butte　on　their　left　stretched　that

boundary　line　between　the　untamed　wilderness　and　the　tameda　barbed　wire

fence；　a　four…wire　fence　at　that；　with　stout　cedar　posts　whereon　the　wire　was

stretched　taut　and　true。　From　the　look　of　the　posts；　it　was　not　newfour　or

five　years　old；　perhaps；　not　six　years；　certainly；　for　Applehead　had　ridden

this　way　six　years　before　and　there　had　been　not　so　much　as　a　post…hole　to

herald　the　harnessing　of　the　mesa。



Here；　then；　was　the　explanation　of　the　fanlike　spreading　out　of　the　line　of

Indians。　They　knew　that　the　white　men　would　be　trapped　by　the　fence；　and　they

were　cutting　off　the　retreatand　keeping　out　of　the　hottest　danger…zone　of

the　white　men's　guns。　Even　while　the　four　were　grasping　the　full　significance

of　the　trap　that　they　had　ridden　into　unaware；　the　Indians　topped　the　ridge

behind　them；　yip…yip…yipping　gleefully　their　coyotelike　yells　of　triumph。　The

sound　so　stirred　the　slow　wrath　of　Lite　Avery　that；　without　waiting　for　the

word　from　Applehead　he　twisted　half　around　in　his　saddle；　glanced　at　the

nearest　Indian　along　his　rifle…sights；　bent　his　forefinger　with　swift

deliberation　upon　the　trigger；　and　emptied　the　saddle　of　one　yelling　renegade；

who　made　haste　to　crawl　behind　a　clump　of　rabbit　weed。



〃They　howl　like　a　mess　uh　coyotes；〃　Lite　observed　in　justification　of　the

shot；　〃and　I'm　getting　sick　of　hearing　'em。〃



〃Mama！〃　Weary；　exclaimed　annoyedly；　〃that　darn　fence　is　on　an　up…slope；　so

it's　going　to　be　next　to　impossible　to　jump　it！　I　guess　here's　where　we　do

about　an　eight…hundred…foot　scene　of　Indian　Warfare；　or　Fighting　For　Their

Lives。　How　yuh　feel；　Cadwalloper？〃



〃Me？〃　Pink's　eyes　were　purple　with　sheer；　fighting　rage。　〃I　feel　like　cleaning

out　that　bunch　back　there。　They'll　have　something　to　howl　about　when　I　get

through！〃



〃Stay　back　uh　me；　boys！〃　Applehead's　voice　had　a　masterful　sharpness　that　made

the　three　tighten　reins　involuntarily。　〃You　foller　me　and　don't　crowd　up　on

me；　neither。　Send　back　a　shot　or　two　if　them　Injuns　gits　too　ambitious。〃



The　three　fell　in　behind　him　without　cavil　or　question。　He　was　in　charge　of

the　outfit；　and　that　settled　it。　Pink；　released　from　irksome　inaction　by　the

permission　to　shoot；　turned　and　fired　back　at　the　first　Indian　his　sights

rested　upon。　He　saw　a　spurt　of　sand　ten　jumps　in　advance　of　his　target；　and　he

swore　and　fired　again　without　waiting　to　steady　his　aim。　The　sorrel

pack…horse；　loping　along　fifty　yards　or　so　behind　with　a　rhythmic　clump…clump

of　frying…pan　against　coffee…pot　at　every　leap　he　took；　swerved　sharply；　shook

his　head　as　though　a　bee　had　stung　him；　and　came　on　with　a　few　stiff…legged

〃crow　hops〃　to　register　his　violent　objection　to　being　shot　through　the　ear。



Pink；　with　an　increased　respect　for　the　shooting　skill　of　Lite　Avery；　glanced

guiltily　at　the　others　to　see　if　they　bad　observed　where　his　second　bullet

hit。　But　the　others　were　eyeing　Applehead　uneasily　and　paid　no　attention　to

Pink　or　his　attempts　to　hit　an　Indian　on　the　run。　And　presently　Pink　forgot　it

also　while　he　watched　Applehead；　who　was　apparently　determined　to　commit

suicide　in　a　violently　original　form。



〃You　fellers　keep　behind；　now…and　hold　the　Injuns　back　fer　a　minute　er　two；〃

Applehead　yelled　while　he　set　himself　squarely　in　the　saddle；　gathered　up　his

reins　as　though　be　were　about　to　〃top　a　bronk〃　and　jabbed　the　spurs　with　a

sudden　savageness　into　Johnny's　flanks。



〃GIT　outa　here！〃　he　yelled；　and　Johnny　with　an　astonished　lunge；　〃got。〃



Straight　toward　the　fence　they　raced；　Johnny　with　his　ears　laid　back　tight

against　his　skull　and　his　nose　pointed　straight　out　before　him；　with　old

Applehead　leaning　forward　and　yelling　to　Johnny　with　a　cracked　hoarseness　that

alone　betrayed　how　far　youth　was　behind　him。



They　thought　at　first　that　he　meant　to　jump　the　fence；　and　they　knew　he　could

not　make　it。　When　they　saw　that　he　meant　to　ride　through　it；　Weary　and　Pink

groaned　involuntarily　at　the　certainty　of　a　fall　and　sickening　entanglement　in

the　wires。　Only　Lite；　cool　as　though　he　were　rounding　up　milch　cows；　rode

half…turned　in　the　saddle　and　sent　shot　after　shot　back　at　the　line　of

Navajos；　with　such　swift　precision　that　the　Indians　swerved　and　fell　back　a

little；　leaving　another　pony　wallowing　in　the　sand　and　taking　with　them　one

fellow　who　limped　until　he　had　climbed　up　behind　one　who　waited　for　him。



〃Go　it；　Johnnydang　yore　measly　hide；　go　to　it！　We'll　show　'm　we　ain't　so　old

'n'　tender　we　cain't　turn　a　trick　t'bug　their　dang　eyes　out？　Bust　into　it！

WE'LL　show　'em！〃　And　Applehead　shrilled　a　raucous　range　〃HOO…EEE…EE！〃　as

Johnny　lunged　against　the　taut　wires。



It　was　a　long　chance　he　tooka　〃dang　long　chance〃　as　Applehead　admitted

afterward。　But；　as　he　had　hoped；　it　happened　that　Johnny's　stride　brought　him

with　a　forward　leap　against　the　wires；　so　that　the　full　impact　of　his

eleven…hundred　pounds　plus　the　momentum　of　his　speed；　plus　the　weight　of

Applehead　and　the　saddle；　hit　the　wires　fair　and　full。　They　popped　like　cut

wires　on　a　bale　of　hayand　it　was　lucky　that　they　were　tight　strung　so　that

there　was　no　slack　to　take　some　of　the　force　away。　It　was　not　luck；　but　plain

shrewdness　on　Applehead's　part；　that　Johnny　came　straight　on；　so　that　there

was　no　tearing　see…saw　of　the　strands　as　they　broke。　Two　inch…long　cuts　on　his

chest　and　a　deeper；　longer　one　on　his　foreleg　was　the　price　Johnny　paid；　and

that　was　all。　The　lower　wire　he　never　touched；　since　it　was　a　leap　that　landed

him　against　the　fence。　He　lurched　and　recovered　himself；　and　went　on　at　a

slower　gallop　while　Applehead　beckoned　the　three　to　come　on。



〃I　kain't　say　I'd　want　to　git　in　the　habit　uh　bustin'　fences　that　way；〃　he

grinned　over　his　shoulder　as　the　three　jumped　through　the　gap　he　had　made　and

forged　up　to　him。　〃But　I　calc'late　if　they's　another　one　Johnny　n'　me　kin　make

it；　mebby。〃



〃Well；　I　was　brought　up　in　a　barbed　wire　country；〃　Pink　exploded；　〃but　I'll　be

darned　if　I　ever　saw　a　stunt　like　that　pulled　off　before！〃



〃We…ell；　I　hed　a　bronk　go　hog…wild　'n'　pop　three　wires　on　a　fence　one　time；〃

Applehead　explained　modestly；　〃'n'　he　didn't　cut　hisself　a…tall；　skurcely。

It's　all　accordin'　t'　how　yuh　hit　it；　I　reckon。　Anyway；　I　calc'lated　it　was

wuth　tryin'；　'cause　we　shore　woulda　had　our　hands　full　if　we'd　a　stopped　at

that　fence；　now　I'm　tellin'　yuh！　'N'　another　thing；〃　he　added　bodefully；　〃I

figgured　we'd　better　be　gittin'　to　Luck　In'　his　bunch。　I　calc'late　they　need

us；　mebby。〃



No　one　made　any　reply　to　that　statement；　but　even　Lite；　who　never　had　been

inclined　to　laugh　at　him；　looked　at　Applehead　with　a　new　respect。　The　Indians；

having　scurried　back　out　of　range　of　Lite's　uncomfortably　close　shooting；

yelled　a　bedlam　of　yips　and　howls　and　came　on　again　in　a　closer　group　than

before；　shooting　as　they　rodeat　the　four　men　first；　and　then　at　the　hindmost

pack…horse　that　gave　a　hop　over　the　wire　left　across　the　gap；　and　came

galloping　heavily　after　the　others。　They　succeeded　in　burying　a　bullet　in　the

packed　bedding；　but　that　was　all。



Three　hundred　yards　or　so　in　the　lead；　the　four　raced　down　the　long；　gentle

slope。　A　mile　or　two；　perhaps　three；　they　could　run　before　their　horses　gave

out。　But　then；　when　they　could　run　no　longer；　they　would　have　to　stop　and

fight；　and　the　question　that　harped　continually　through　their　minds　was：　Could

they　run　until　they　reached　Luck　and　the　boys　with　him？　Could　they？　They　did

not　even　know　where　Luck　was；　or　what　particular　angle　of　direction　would

carry　them　to　him　quickest。　Applehead　and　Johnny　were　pointing　the　way；

keeping　a　length　ahead　of　the　others。　But　even　old　Applehead　was　riding；　as　he

would　have　put　it；　〃by…guess　and　by…gosh〃　until　they　crossed　a　shallow　draw；

labored　up　the　hill　beyond；　and　heard；　straight　away　before　them；　the　faint

pop…pop　of　rifle　shots。　Old　Applehead　turned　and　sent　them　a　blazing　blue

glance　over　his　shoulders。



〃RIDE；　dang　ye！〃　he　barked。　〃They've　got　Luck　cornered　in　the　Devil's

Fryin'…pan！〃







CHAPTER　XVIII。　IN　THE　DEVIL'S　FRYING…PAN



Luck；　　riding　confidently　on　the　trail　of　the　three　horsemen　who　had　taken　to

the　south　along　the　front　of　the　square　butte；　believed　that　the　turn　of　the

trail　around　the　southern　end　meant　simply　that　the　three　who　came　this　way

would　meet　their　companions　on　the　other　side；　and　that　he；　following　after；

would　be　certain　to　meet　Applehead。　He　had　hopes　of　the　speedy　capture　of

Ramon　Chavez　and　his　men；　and　the　hope　spread　to　the　four　who　went　with　him；

so　that　their　spirits　rose　considerably。　Big　Medicine　and　Happy　Jack　even

found　a　good　deal　of　amusement　in　their　exchange　of　opinions　regarding　old

granny　Applehead　and　his　constant　fear　of　the　Navvies。　Now　and　then　the　Native

Son　joined　in　the　laugh；　though　his　attention　was　chiefly　given　to　the

discussion　Andy　and　Luck　were　having　about　Ramon　and　his　manner　of　using

Luck's　work　as　an　opportunity　to　rob　the　bank；　and　the　probable　effect　it

would　have　on　the　general　standing　of　Luck　and　his　company　unless　they　managed

to　land　the　thieves　in　jail。　Being　half　Mexican　himself；　the　Native　Son　was

sensitive　upon　the　subject　of　Ramon；　and　almost　as　anxious　to　see　Ramon　in

jail　as　was　Luck　himself。



So　while　Applehead　and　his　boys　were　scenting　danger　and　then　finding

themselves　in　the　middle　of　it；　Luck　and　his　party　rode　along　absorbed　in

themselves　and　in　the　ultimate　goal；　which　was　Ramon。　They　saw　nothing　q