the heritage of the sioux-第5部分

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came　reluctantly　into　the　room。



〃Time's　money　from　now　on；　so　this　is　going　to　　be　cut　short　as　possible；〃　he

began　with　his　usual　dynamic　energy　showing　in　his　tone　and　in　the　movements

of　his　hands　as　he　gathered　up　the　papers　and　evened　their　edges　on　the　table

top。　〃You　fellows　know　how　much　you　put　into　the　game　when　we　started　out　to

come　here　and　produce　The　Phantom　Herd；　don't　you？　If　you　don't；　I've　got　the

figures　here。　I　guess　the　returns　are　all　in　on　that　pictureand　so　far　She's

brought　us　twenty…three　thousand　and　four　hundred　dollars。　She　went　big；

believe　me！　I　sold　thirty　states。　Well；　cost　of　production　is…what　we　put　in

the　pool；　plus　the　cost　of　making　the　prints　I　got　in　Los。　We　pull　out　the

profits　according　to　what　we　put　insabe？　I　guess　that　suits　everybody；

doesn't　it？〃



〃Sure；〃　one　astonished　voice　gulped　faintly。　The　others　were　dumb。



〃Well；　I've　figured　it　out　that　wayand　to　make　sure　I　had　it　right　I　got

Billy　Wilders；　a　pal　of　mine　that　works　in　a　bank　there；　to　figure　it　himself

and　check　up　after　me。　We　all　put　in　our　servicesone　man's　work　against

every　other　man's　work；　mine　same　as　any　of　you。　Bill　Holmes；　here；　didn't

have　any　money　up；　and　he　was　an　apprenticebut　I'm　giving　him　twenty　a　week

besides　his　board。　That　suit　you；　Bill？〃



〃I　guess　it's　all　right；〃　Bill　answered　in　his　colorless　tone。



Luck；　being　extremely　sensitive　to　tones；　cocked　an　eye　up　at　Bill　before　he

deliberately　peeled；　from　the　roll　he　drew　from　his　pocket；　enough　twenty

dollar　notes　to　equal　the　number　of　weeks　Bill　had　worked　for　him。　〃And　that's

paying　you　darned　good　money　for　apprentice　work；〃　he　informed　him　drily；　a

little　hurt　by　Bill's　lack　of　appreciation。　For　when　you　take　a　man　from　the

streets　because　he　is　broke　and　hungry　and　homeless；　and　feed　him　and　give　him

work　and　clothes　and　three　meals　a　day　and　a　warm　bed　to　sleep　in；　if　yon　are

a　normal　human　being　you　are　going　to　expect　a　little　gratitude　from　that　man；

Luck　had　a　flash　of　disappointment　when　he　saw　how　indifferently　Bill　Holmes

took　those　twenties　and　counted　them　before　shoving　them　into　his　pocket。　His

own　voice　was　more　crisply　businesslike　when　he　spoke　again。



〃Annie…Many…Ponies　back　yet？　She's　not　in　on　the　split　either。　I'm　paying　her

ten　a　week　besides　her　board。　That's　good　money　for　a　squaw。〃　He　counted　out

the　amount　in　ten　dollar　bills　and　snapped　a　rubber　band　around　them。



〃Now　here　is　the　profit；　boys；　on　your　winter's　work。　Applehead　comes　in　with

the　use　of　his　ranch　and　stock　and　wagons　and　so　on。　Here；　pardhow　does　this

look　to　you？〃　His　own　pleasure　in　what　he　was　doing　warmed　from　Luck's　voice

all　the　chill　that　Bill　Holmes　had　sent　into　it。　He　smiled　his　contagious

smile　and　peeled　off　fifty　dollar　banknotes　until　Applehead's　eyes　popped。　



〃Oh；　don't　give　me　so　dang　much！〃　he　gulped　nervously　when　Luck　had　counted

out　for　him　the　amount　he　had　jotted　down　opposite　his　name。　〃That　there's

moren　the　hul　dang　ranch　is　worth　if　I　was　t'　deed　it　over　to　yuh；　Luck！　I

ain't　goin'　to　take〃



〃You　shut　up；〃　Luck　commanded　him　affectionately。　〃That's　yoursnow；　close

your　face　and　let　me　get　this　thing　wound　up。　NowWILL　you　quit　your　arguing；

or　shall　I　throw　you　out　the　window？〃



〃Well；　now；　I　calc'late　you'd　have　a　right　busy　time　throwin'　ME　out　the

window；〃　Applehead　boasted；　and　backed　into　a　corner　to　digest　this

astonishing　turn　of　events。



One　by　one；　as　their　names　stood　upon　his　list；　Luck　called　the　boys　forward

and　with　exaggerated　deliberation　peeled　off　fifty…dollar　notes　and

one…hundred…dollar　notes　to　take　their　breath　and　speech　from　them。



With　Billy　Wilders；　his　friend　in　the　bank；　to　help　him；　he　had　boyishly　built

that　roll　for　just　this　heart…warming　little　ceremony。　He　might　have　written

checks　to　square　the　account　of　each；　but　he　wanted　to　make　their　eyes　stand

out；　just　as　he　was　doing。　He　had　looked　forward　to　this　half　hour　more

eagerly　than　any　of　them　guessed；　he　had；　with　his　eyes　closed；　visualized

this　scene　over　more　than　one　cigarette；　his　memory　picturing　vividly　another

scene　wherein　these　same　young　men　had　cheerfully　emptied　their　pockets　and

planned　many　small　personal　sacrifices　that　he；　Luck　Lindsay；　might　have　money

enough　to　come　here　to　New　Mexico　and　make　his　one　Big　Picture。　Luck　felt　that

nothing　less　than　a　display　　of　the　profits　in　real　money　could　ever　quite

balance　that　other　scene　when　all　the　Happy　Familyhad　in　the　world　went　in　the

pot　and　they　mourned　because　it　was　so　little。



〃Aw；　I　betche　Luck　robbed　a　bank　er　something！〃　Happy　Jack　stuttered　with　an

awkward　attempt　to　conceal　his　delight　when　his　name　was　called；　his

investment　was　read　and　the　little　sheaf　of　currency　that　represented　his

profit　was　laid　in　his　outstretched　palm。



〃It's　me　for　the　movies　if　this　is　the　way　they　pan　out；〃　Weary　declared

gleefully。　〃Mamma！　I　didn't　know　there　was　so　much　money　in　the　world！〃



〃I'll　bet　he　milked　Los　Angeles　dry　of　paper　money；〃　Andy　Green　asserted

facetiously；　thumbing　his　small　fortune　gloatingly。　〃Holding　out　anything　for

yourself；　Luck？　We　don't　want　to　be　hogs。〃



〃I'm　taking　care　of　my　interestsdon't　you　worry　about　that　a　minute；〃　Luck

stated　complacently。　〃I　held　mine　out　first。　That　wipes　the　slateand　cleans

up　the　bank…roll。　I　maintain　The　Phantom　Herd　was　so…o…ome　picture；　boys。

They'll　be　getting　it　here　in　'Querque　soonwe'll　all　go　in　and　see　it。〃



〃Now　we're　all　set　for　a　fresh　start。　And　while　you're　all　here　I'll　just　put

you　up　to　date。　on　what　kind　of　a　deal　I　made　with　Dewitt。　We　come　in　under

the　wing　of　Excelsior；　and　our　brand　name　will　be　Flying　U　Feature　Filmhow

does　that　hit　you？　You　boys　are　all　on　a　straight　board…and…salary

basisthirty　dollars　a　week；　and　it's　up　to　me　to　make　you　earn　it！〃　He

grinned　and　beckoned　to　Jean　Douglas　Avery　and　her　companions　in　the　next

room。　



〃Mrs。　Avery；　here；　is　our　leading　womankeeping　the　name　of　Jean　Douglas；

since　she　made　it　valuable　in　that　Lazy　A　serial　she　did　a　year　or　so　ago。

Lite　is　on　the　same　footing　as　the　rest　of　you　boys。　Her　father　will　be　my

assistant　in　choosing　locations　and　so　on。　Tommy　Johnson；　as　I　said；　is

another　assistant　in　another　capacity；　that　of　scenic　artist　and　stage

carpenter。　Pete　Lowry；　here；　is　camera　man　and　Bill　Holmes　will　be　his

assistant。　The　rest　of　you　work　wherever　I　need　youa　good　deal　the　way　we

did　last　winter。　Annie…Many…Ponies　stays　with　us　as　character　lead　and　is　in

general　stock。　Rosemary〃　he　stopped　and　smiled　at　her　understandingly

〃Rosemary　draws　fifteen　a　weekoh；　don't　get　scared！　I　won't　give　you　any

foreground　stuff！　just　atmosphere　when　I　need　it；　and　general　comforter　and

mascot　of　the　company！〃



Luck　may　have　stretched　a　point　there；　but　if　he　did　it　was　merely　a　technical

one。　Rosemary　Green　was　hopelessly　camera…shy；　but　he　could　use　her　in

background　atmosphere；　and　when　it　came　to　looking　after　the　physical　and

mental　welfare　of　the　bunch　she　was　worth　her　weight　in　any　precious　metal　you

may　choose　to　name。



〃You　better　put　me　down　as　camp　cook　and　dishwasher；　Luck　Lindsay；〃　Rosemary

protested；　blushing。



〃Nothank　the　Lord　you　won't　have　to　cook　for　this　hungry　bunch　any　longer。

I've　got　a　Mexican　hired　and　headed　this　way。　There'll　be　no　more　of　that　kind

of　thing　for　you；　ladynot　while　you're　with　us。



〃Now；　boys；　let's　get　organized　for　action。　Weather's　perfectLowry's　been

raving　over　the　light；　all　the　way　out　from　town。　I've　got　a　range　　picture

all　blocked　outdid　it　while　I　was　waiting　in　Los　for　Jean　to　show　up。　Done

anything　about　roundup　yet；　Applehead？〃



Poor　old　Applehead；　with　his　guilty　conscience　and　his　soft…hearted　affection

for　Luck　so　deeply　stirred　by　the　money　laid　in　his　big…knuckled　hand；

shuffled　his　feet　and　cleared　his　throat　and　did　not　get　one　intelligible　word

past　his　dry　tongue。



〃If　you　haven't；〃　Luck　hurried　on；　spurred　by　his　inpatient　energy；　〃I　want　to

organize　and　get　out　right　away　with　a　regular　roundup　outfitchuck…wagon；

remuda　and　allsee　what　I　mean　I　While　I'm　getting　the　picture　of　the　stuff　I

want；　we　can　gather　and　brand　your　calves。　That　way；　all　my　range　scenes　will

be　of　the　real　thing。　I　may　want　to　throw　the　Chavez　outfit　in　with　ours；　too；

so　as　to　get　bigger　stuff。　I'll　try　and　locate　Ramon　Chavez　and　see　what　I　can

do。　But　anyway；　I　want　the　roundup　outfit　ready　to　start　just　as　soon　as

possibletomorrow；　if　we　could　get　it　together　in　time。　How　about　that

cracked　tongue　on　the　chuck…wagon？　Anybody　fixed　that？〃



〃We…ell；　I　wired　it　up　so'st　it's　as　solid　as　the　rest　uh　the　runnin'　gear；〃

Applehead　confessed　shamefacedly；　rolling　his　eyes　apprehensively　at　the

flushed　faces　of　his　fellow　traitors。



〃Yuh　did？　Good！　Tires　need　setting；　if　I　recollect〃



〃ErI　had　the　boys　set　the　tires；　'n'〃



〃Fine！　I　might　have　known　you　fellows　would　put　things　in　shape　while　I　was

gone！　How　about　the　horses？　I　thought　I　saw　a　bunch　in　the　big　corral〃



〃I　rustled　enough　saddle　horses　to　give　us　all　two　apiece；〃　Applehead

admitted；　perspiring　coldly。　〃'Tain't　much　of　a　string；　but〃



〃You　did？　Sounds　like　you've　been　reading　my　mind；　Applehead。　Now　we'll

grubstake　the　outfit〃



〃Erwell；　I　took　the　chuck…wagon　in　yest'day　and　loaded　'er　up　with　grub　fer

two　weeks；〃　blurted　Applehead　heroically。　〃I　was　figurin'〃



〃Good！　Couldn't　ask　better。　Applehead；　you　sure　are　there　when　it　comes　to

backing　a　man's　play。　If　I　haven't　said　much　about　how　I　stand　toward　you

fellows　it　isn't　because　I　don't　appreciate　every　durned　one　of　you。〃



The　Happy　Family　squirmed　guiltily　and　made　way　for　Applehead；　who　was　sidling

toward　the　open　door；　his　face　showing　alarming　symptoms　of　apoplexy。　Their

confusion　Luck　set　down　to　a　becoming　modesty。　He　went　on　planning　and

perfecting　details。　Standing　as　he　did　on　the　threshold　of　a　career