the heritage of the sioux-第3部分

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everything　is　one　of　'era。　Things　is　gittin'　mighty　funny　when　a　danged　squaw

kin　straddle　my　horses　and　ride　'em　to　death；　and　sass　me　when　I　say　a　word

agin　itnow　I'm　tellin'　yuh！〃



He　went　mumbling　rebellion　that　was　merely　the　effervescing　of　a　mood　which

would　pass　with　the　words　it　bred；　to　the　store…room　which　Annie…Many…Ponies

had　called　the　prop…room。　He　found　there；　piled　upon　a　crude　shelf；　many

little　bundles　of　wire　folded　neatly　and　with　the　outer　end　wound　twice　around

to　keep　each　bundle　separate　from　the　others。　Applehead　snorted　at　what　he

chose　to　consider　a　finicky　streak　in　his　secret　idol；　Luck　Lindsay；　but　he

took　two　of　the　little　bundles　and　went　and　wired　the　wagon　tongue。　And　in　the

work　he　found　a　salve　of　anticipatory　pleasure；　so　that　he　ended　the　task　to

the　humming　of　the　tune　he　had　heard　a　movie　theatre　playing　in　town　as　he

rode　by　on　his　way　home。　　　　







CHAPTER　II。　THE　DAUGHTER　OF　A　CHIEF



In　spite　of　Andy　Green's　plea　for　delay　until　they　knew　what　Luck　meant　to　do；

Applehead　went　on　with　his　energetic　preparations　for　a　spring　roundup　of　his

own。　Some　perverse　spirit　seemed　to　possess　him　and　drive　him　out　of　his

easy…going　shiftlessness。　He　offered　to　hire　the　Happy　Family　by　the　day；

since　none　of　them　would　promise　any　permanent　service　until　they　heard　from

Luck。　He　put　them　to　work　gathering　up　the　saddle…horses　that　had　been　turned

loose　when　Luck's　picture　was　finished；　and　repairing　harness　and　attending　to

the　numberless　details　of　reorganizing　a　ranch　long　left　to　slipshod

make…shifts。



The　boys　of　the　Flying　U　argued　while　they　worked；　but　in　spite　of　themselves

the　lure　of　the　mesa　quickened　their　movements。　They　were　supposed　to　wait　for

Luck　before　they　did　anything；　an　they　all　knew　that。　But；　on　the　other　hand；

Luck　was　supposed　to　keep　them　informed　as　to　his　movements；　which　he　had　not

done。　They　did　not　voice　one　single　doubt　of　Lucks　loyalty　to　them；　but　human

nature　is　more　prone　to　suspicion　than　to　faith；　as　every　one　knows。　And　Luck

had　the　power　and　the　incentive　to　〃double…cross〃　them　if　he　was　the　kind　to

do　such　a　thing。　He　was　manager　for　their　little　free…lance　picture　company

which　did　not　even　have　a　name　to　call　itself　by。　They　had　produced　one　big

feature　film；　and　it　was　supposed　to　be　a　cooperative　affair　from　start　to

finish。　If　Luck　failed　to　make　good；　they　would　all　be　broke　together。　If　Luck

cleared　up　the　few　thousands　that　had　been　their　hope；　whythey　would　all

profit　by　the　success；　if　Luck



I　maintain　that　they　showed　themselves　of　pretty　good　metal；　in　that　not　even

Happy　Tack；　confirmed　pessimist　that　he　was；　ever　put　the　least　suspicion　of

Luck's　honesty　into　words。　They　were　not　the　kind　to　decry　a　comrade　when　his

back　was　turned。　And　they　had　worked　with　Luck　Lindsay　and　had　worked　for　him。

They　had　slept　under　the　same　roof　with　him；　had　shared　his　worries；his　hopes；

and　his　fears。　They　did　not　believe　that　Luck　had　appropriated　the　proceeds　of

The　Phantom　Herd　and　had　deliberately　left　them　there　to　cool　their　heels　and

feel　the　emptiness　of　their　pockets　in　New　Mexico；　while　he　disported　himself

in　Los　Angeles；　they　didnot　believe　thatthey　would　have　resented　the

implication　that　they　harbored　any　doubt　of　him。　But　for　all　that；　as　the　days

passed　and　he　neither　came　nor　sent　them　any　word；　they　yielded　more　and　more

to　the　determination　of　Applehead　to　start　out　upon　his　own　business；　and　they

said　less　and　less　about　Luck's　probable　plans　for　the　future。



And　then；　just　when　they　were　making　ready　for　an　early　start　the　next

morning；　just　when　Applehead　had　the　corral　full　of　horses　and　his　chuckwagon

of　grub；　just　when　the　Happy　Family　had　packed　their　war…bags　with　absolute

necessities　and　were　justifying　themselves　in　final　arguments　with　Andy　Green；

who　refused　point…blank　to　leave　the；　ranchthen；　at　the　time　a　dramatist

would　have　chosen　for　his　entrance　for　an　effective　〃curtain；〃　here　came　Luck；

smiling　and　driving　a　huge　seven…passenger　machine　crowded　to　the　last　folding

seat　and　with　the　chauffeur　riding　on　the　running　board　where　Luck　had　calmly

banished　him　when　he　skidded　on　a　sharp　turn　and　came　near　upsetting　them。



Applehead；　stowing　a　coil　of　new　rope　in　the　chuck…wagon；　took　off　his　hat　and

rubbed　his　shiny；　pink　pate　in　dismay。　He　was；　for　the　moment；　a　culprit

caught　in　the　act　of　committing　a　grave　misdemeanor　if　not　an　actual　felony。

He　dropped　the　rope　and　went　forward　with　dragging　feetashamed；　for　the

first　time　in　his　life；　to　face　a　friend。



Luck　gave　the　wheel　a　twist；　cut　a　fine　curve　around　the　windmill　and　stopped

before　the　house　with　as　near　a　flourish　as　a　seven…passenger　automobile

loaded　from　tail…lamp　to　windshield　can　possibly　approach。　



〃There。　That's　the　way　I've　been　used　to　seeing　cars　behave；〃　Luck　observed

pointedly　to　the　deposed　chauffeur　as　he　slammed　the　door　open　and　climbed

out。　〃You　don't　have　to　act　like　you're　a　catepillar　on　a　rail　fence；　to　play

safe。　I　believe　in　keeping　all　four　wheels　on　the　groundbut　I　like　to　see

'em　turn　once　in　awhile。　You　get　me？〃　He　peeled　a　five…dollar　banknote　off　a

roll　the　size　of　his　wrist；　handed　it　to　the　impressed　chauffeur　and　dismissed

the　transaction　with　a　wave　of　his　gloved　hand。　〃You're　all　right；　brother；〃

he　tempered　his　criticism；　〃but　I'm　some　nervous　about　automobiles。〃



〃I　noticed　that　myself；〃　drawled　a　soft；　humorous　voice　from　the　rear。　〃This

is　the　nearest　I　ever　came　to　traveling　by　telegraph。〃



Luck　grinned；　waved　his　hand　in　friendly　greeting　to　the　Happy　Family　who　were

taking　long　steps　up　from　the　corral；　and　turned　his　attention　to　the

unloading　of　the　machine。　〃Howdy；　folks！guess　yuh　thought　I'd　plumb　lost　the

trail　back；〃　he　called　to　them　over　his　shoulder　while　he　dove　after

suitcases；　packages　of　various　sizes　and　shapes；　a　box　or　two　which　the　Happy

Family　recognized　as　containing　〃raw　stock；〃　and　a　camera　tripod　that　looked

perfectly　new。



From　the　congested　tonneau　a　tall；　slim　young　woman　managed　to　descend　without

stepping　on　anything　that　could　not　bear　being　stepped　upon。　She　gave　her

skirts　a　little　shake；　pushed　back　a　flying　strand　of　hair　and　turned　her　back

to　the　machine　that　she　might　the　better　inspect　her　immediate　surroundings。



Old　Dave　Wiswell；　the　dried　little　man　who　never　had　much　to　say；　peered　at

her　sharply；　hesitated　and　then　came　forward　with　his　bony　hand　outstretched

and　trembling　with　eagerness。　〃Why；　my　gorry！　If　it　ain't　Jean　Douglas；　my

eyes　are　lyin'　to　me；〃　he　cried。



〃It　isn't　Jean　Douglasbut　don't　blame　your　eyes　for　that；〃　said　the　girl；

taking　his　hand　and　shaking　it　frankly。　〃Jean　Douglas　Avery；　thanks　to　the　law

that　makes　a　girl　trade　her　name　for　a　husband。　You　know　Lite；　of　course

dad；　too。〃



〃Well；　wellmy　gorry　I　I　should　say　I　do！　Howdy；　Aleck？〃　He　shook　the　hand　of

the　old　man　Jean　called　dad；　and　his　lips　trembled　uncertainly；　seeking　speech

that　would　not　hurt　a　very；　very　sore　spot　in　the　heart　of　big　Aleck　Douglas。

〃I'm　shore　glad　to　meet　yuh　again；〃　he　stuttered　finally；　and　let　it　go　at

that　〃And　how　are　yuh；　Lite？　Just　as　long　and　lanky　as　evermarriage　shore

ain't　fattened　you　up　none。　My　gorry！　I　shore　never　expected　to　see　you　folks

away　down　here！〃



〃Thought　you　heard　me　say　when　I　left　that　the　Great　Western　had　offered　to

get　me　Jean　Douglas　for　leading　lady；〃　Luck　put　in；　looking　around

distractedly　for　a　place　to　deposit　his　armload　of　packages。　〃That's　one　thing

that　kept　mewaiting　for　her　to　show　up。　Of　course　a　man　naturally　expects　a

woman　to　take　her　own　time　about　starting〃



〃I　like　that！〃　Jean　drawled。　〃We　broke　up　housekeeping　and　wound　up　a　ranch

and　traveled　a　couple　of　thousand　miles　in　just　a　week's　time。　Wewe　ALMOST

hit　the　same　gait　you　did　from　town　out　here　today！〃



Rosemary　Green　came　out　then；　and　Luck　turned　to　greet　her　and　to　present　Jean

to　her；　and　was　pleased　when　he　saw　from　their　eyes　that　they　liked　each　other

at　first　sight。　He　introduced　the　Happy　Family　and　Applehead　to　her　and　to　her

husband；　Lite　Avery；　and　her　father。　He　pulled　a　skinny　individual　forward　and

announced　that　this　was　Pete　Lowry；　one　of　the　Great　Western's　crack

cameramen；　and　another　chubby；　smooth…cheeked　young　man　he　presented　as　Tommy

Johnson；　scenic　artist　and　stage　carpenter。　And　he　added　with　a　smile　for　the

whole　bunch；　〃We're　going　to　produce　some　real　stuff　from　now　on　believe　me；

folks！〃



In　the　confusion　and　the　mild　clamor　of　the　absence…bridging　questions　and

hasty　answers；　two　persons　had　no　part。　Old　Applehead；　hard…ridden　by　the

uneasy　consciousness　of　his　treason　to　Luck；　leaned　against　a　porch　post　and

sucked　hard　at　the　stem　of　an　empty　pipe。　And　just　beyond　the　corner　out　of

sight　but　well　within　hearing；　Annie…Many…Ponies　stood　flattened　against　the

wall　and　listened　with　fast…beating　pulse　for　the　sound　of　her　name；　spoken　in

the　loved　voice　of　Wagalexa　Conka。　She；　the　daughter　of　a　chief　and　Luck's

sister　by　tribal　adoptionwould　he　not　miss　her：　from　among　those　others　who

welcomed　him？　Would　he　not　presently　ask：　〃Where　is　Annie…Many…Ponies？〃　She

knew　just　how　he　would　turn　and　search　for　her　with　his　eyes。



She　knew　just　how　his　voice　would　sound　when　he　asked　for　her。　Then；　after　a

minutewhen　he　had　missed　her　and　had　asked　for　hershe　would　come　and　stand

before　him。　And　he　would　take　her　hand　and　say　to　that　white　woman；　〃This　is

my　Indian　sister；　Annie…Many…Ponies；　who　played　the　part　of　the　beautiful

Indian　girl　who　died　so　grandly　in　The　Phantom　Herd。　This　is　the　girl　who

plays　my　character　leads。〃　Then　the　white　girl；　who　was　to　be　his　leading

woman；　would　not　feel　that　she　was　the　only　woman　in　the　company　who　could　do

good　work　for　Luck。



Annie…Many…Ponies　had　worked　in　pictures　since　she　was　fifteen　and　did　only

〃atmosphere　stuff〃　in　the　Indian　camps　of　Luck's　arrang