the heritage of the sioux-第6部分

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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　to　which

his　one　big　success　had　opened　the　door；　he　was　wholly　absorbed　in　making

good。



There　was　nothing　now　to　balk　his　progress；　he　told　himself。　He　had　his

company；　he　had　the　location　for　his　big　range　stuff；　he　bad　all　the　financial

backing　any　reasonable　man　could　want。　He　had　a　salary　that　in　itself　gauged

the　prestige　he　had　gained　among　producers；　and　as　an　added　incentive　to　do

the　biggest　work　of　his　life　he　had　a　contract　giving　him　a　royalty　on　all

prints　of　his　pictures　in　excess　of　a　fixed　number。　Better　than　all　this；　he

had　big　ideals　and　an　enthusiasm　for　the　work　that　knew　no　limitations。



Perhaps　he　was　inclined　to　dream　too　big；　per…haps　he　assumed　too　great　an

enthusiasm　on　the　part　of　those　who　worked　with　himI　don't　know　just　where

he　did　place　the　boundary　line。　I　do　　know　that　he　never　once　suspected　the

Happy　Family　of　any　meditated　truancy　from　the　ranch　and　his　parting

instructions　to　〃sit　tight。〃　I　also　know　that　the　Happy　Family　was　not　at　all

likely　to　volunteer　information　of　their　lapse。　And　as　for　Applehead；　the

money　burned　his　soul　deep　with　remorse；　so　deep　that　he　went　around　with　an

abject　eagerness　to　serve　Luck　that　touched　that　young　man　as　a　rare　example

of　a　bone…deep　loyalty　that　knows　no　deceit。　Which　proves　once　more　how

fortunate　it　is　that　we　cannot　always　see　too　deeply　into　the　thoughts　and

motives　of　our　friends。　







CHAPTER　IV。　LOVE　WORDS　FOR　ANNIE



In　Tijeras　Arroyo　the　moon　made　black　shadows　where　stood　the　tiny　knolls　here

and　there；　　marking　frequently　the　windings　of　dry　washes　where　bushes　grew　in

ragged　patches　and　where　tall　weeds　of　mid…May　tangled　in　the　wind。　The

roundup　tents　of　the　Flying　U　Feature　Film　Company　stood　white　as　new　snow　in

the　moonlight；　though　daylight　showed　them　an　odd；　light…blue　tint　for

photographic　purposes。　On　a　farther　slope　cunningly　placed　by　the　scenic

artist　to　catch　the　full　sunlight　of　midday；　the　camp　of　the　Chavez　brothers

gleamed　softly　in　the　magic　light。



So　far　had　spring　roundup　progressed　that　Luck　was　holding　the　camp　in　Tijeras

Arroyo　for　picture…making　only。　Applehead's　calves　were　branded；　to　the

youngest　pair　of　knock…kneed　twins　which　Happy　Jack　found　curled　up　together

cunningly　hidden　in　a　thicket。　They　had　been　honored　with　a　〃close…up〃　scene；

those　two　spotted　calves；　and　were　destined　to　further　honors　which　they　did

not　suspect　and　could　not　appreciate。



They　slept　now；　as　slept　the　two　camps　upon　the　two　slopes　that　lay

moon…bathed　at　midnight。　Back　where　the　moon　was　making　the　barren　mountains　a

wonderland　of　deep　purple　and　black　and　silvery　gray　and　brown；　a　coyote

yapped　a　falsetto　message　and　was　answered　by　one　nearer　at　handhis　mate；　it

might　be。　In　a　bush　under　the　bank　that　made　of　it　a　black　blot　in　the

unearthly　whiteness　of　the　sand；　a　little　bird　fluttered　un；easily　and　sent　a

small；　inquiring　chirp　into　the　stillness。　From　somewhere　farther　up　the

arroyo　drifted　a　faint；　aromatic　odor　of　cigarette　smoke。



Had　you　been　there　by　the　bush　you　could　not　have　told　when　Annie…Many…Ponies

passed　by；　you　would　not　have　seen　hercertainly　you　could　not　have　heard　the

soft　tread　of　her　slim；　moccasined　feet。　Yet　she　passed　the　bush　and　the　bank

and　went　away　up　the　arroyo；　silent　as　the　shadows　themselves；　swift　as　the

coyote　that　trotted　over　a　nearby　ridge　to　meet　her　mate　nearer　the　mountains。

Sol　following　much　the　same　instinct　in　much　the　same　way；　Annie…Many…Ponies

stole　out　to　meet　the　man　her　heart　timidly　yearned　for　a　possible　mate。



She　reached　the　rock…ledge　where　the　smoke　odor　was　strongest；　and　she

stopped。　She　saw　Ramon　Chavez；　younger　of　the　Chavez　brothers　who　were

ten…mile…off　neighbors　of　Applehead；　and　who　owned　many　cattle　and　much　land

by　right　of　an　old　Spanish　grant。　He　was　standing　in　the　shadow　of　the　ledge；

leaning　against　it　as　they　of　sun…saturated　New　Mexico　always　lean　against

anything　perpendicular　and　solid　near　which　they　happen　to　stand。　He　was

watching　the　white…lighted　arroyo　while　he　smoked；　waiting　for　her；

unconscious　of　her　near　presence。



Annie…Many…Ponies　stood　almost　within　reach　of　him；　but　she　did　not　make　her

presence　known。　With　the　infinite　wariness　of　her　race　she　waited　to　see　what

he　would　do；　to　read；　if　she　might；　what　were　his　thoughtshis　attitude

toward　her　in　his　unguarded　moments。　That　little；　inscrutable　smile　which　so

exasperated　Applehead　was　on　her　lips　while　she　watched　him。



Ramon　finished　that　cigarette；　threw　away　the　stab　and　rolled　and　lighted

another。　Still　Annie…Many…Ponies　gave　no　little　sign　of　her　presence。　He

watched　the　arroyo；　and　once　he　leaned　to　one　side　and　stared　back　at　his　own

quiet　camp　on　the　slope　that　had　the　biggest　and　the　wildest　mountain　of　that

locality　for　its　background。　He　settled　himself　anew　with　his　other　shoulder

against　the　rock；　and　muttered　something　in　Spanishthat　strange；　musical

talk　which　Annie…Many…Ponies　could　not　understand。　And　still　she　watched　him；

and　exulted　in　his　impatience　for　her　coming；　and　wondered　if　it　would　always

be　lovelight　which　she　would　see　in　his　eyes。



He　was　not　of　her　race；　though　in　her　pride　she　thought　him　favored　when　she

named　him　akin　to　the　Sioux。　He　was　not　of　her　race；　but　he　was　tall　and　he

was　straight；　he　was　dark　as　she；　he　was　strong　and　brave　and　he　bad　many

cattle　and　much　broad　acreage。　Annie…Many…Ponies　smiled　upon　him　in　the　dark

and　was　glad　that　she；　the　daughter　of　a　chief　of　the　Sioux；　had　been　found

good　in　his　sight。



Five　minutes；　ten　minutes。　The　coyote；　yap…yap…yapping　in　the　broken　land

beyond　them；　found　his　mate　and　was　silent。　Ramon　Chavez；　waiting　in　the

shadow　of　the　ledge；　muttered　a　Mexican　oath　and　stepped　out　into　the

moonlight　and　stood　there；　tempted　to　return　to　his　campfor　he；　also；　had

pride　that　would　not　bear　much　bruising。



Annie…Many…Ponies　waited。　When　he　muttered　again　and　threw　his　cigarette　from

him　as　though　it　had　been　something　venomous；　when　he　turned　his　face　toward

his　own　tents　and　took　a　step　forward；　she　laughed　softly；　a　mere　whisper　of

amusement　that　might　have　been　a　sleepy　breeze　stirring　the　bushes　somewhere

near。　Ramon　started　and　turned　his　face　her　way；　in　the　moonlight　his　eyes

shone　with　a　certain　love…hunger　which　Annie…Many…Ponies　exulted　to

seebecause　she　did　not　understand。



〃You　not　let　moon　look　on　you；〃　she　chided　in　an　undertone；　her　sentences

clipped　of　superfluous　words　as　is　the　Indian　way；　her　voice　that　pure；

throaty　melody　that　is　a　gift　which　nature　gives　lavishly　to　the　women　of

savage　people。　〃Moon　see；　men　see。〃



Ramon　swung　back　into　the　shadow；　reached　out　his　two　arms　to　fold　her　close

and　got　nothing　more　substantial　than　another　whispery　laugh。



〃Where　are　yoh；sweetheart？〃　He　peered　into　the　shadow　where　she　had　been；　and

saw　the　place　empty。　He　laughed；　chagrined　by　her　elusiveness；　yet　hungering

for　her　the　more。



〃You　not　touch；〃　she　warned。　〃Till　priest　say　marriage　prayers；　no　man　touch。〃



He　called　her　a　devil　in　Spanish；　and　she　thought　it　a　love…word　and　laughed

and　came　nearer。　He　did　not　attempt　to　touch　her；　and　so；　reassured；　she　stood

close　so　that　he　could　see　the　pure；　Indian　profile　of　her　face　when　she

raised　it　to　the　sky　in　a　mute　invocation；　it　might　be；　of　her　gods。　　　



〃When　yoh　come？〃　he　asked　swiftly；　his　race　betrayed　in　tone　and　accent。　〃I

look　and　lookI　no　see　yoh。〃



〃I　come；〃　she　stated　with　a　quiet　meaning。　〃I　not　like　cow；　for　make　plenty

noise。　I　stand　here；　you　smoke　two　times；　I　look。〃



〃You　mus'　be　moonbeam；〃　he　told　her；　reaching　out　again；　only　to　lay　hold　upon

nothing。　〃Come　back；　sweetheart。　I　be　good。〃



〃I　not　like　you　touch；〃　she　repeated。　〃I　good　girl。　I　mind　priest；　I　read

prayers；　I　mind　Wagalexa　Conka〃　There　she　faltered；　for　the　last　boast　was

no　longer　the　truth。



Ramon　was　quick　to　seize　upon　the　one　weak　point　of　her　armor。　〃So？　He　send

yoh　then　to　talk　with　Ramon　at　midnight？　Yoh　come　to　please　yoh　boss？〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　turned　her　troubled　face　his　way。　〃Wagalexa　Conka　sleep

plenty。　I　not　ask；〃　she　confessed。　〃You　tell　me　come　here　you　tell　me　must

talk　when　no　one　hear。　I　come。　I　no　ask　Wagalexa　Conkahim　say　good　girl　stay

by　camp。　Him　say　not　walk　in　night…time；　say　me　not　talk　you。　I　no　ask；　I　just

come。〃



〃Yoh　lov'　him；　perhaps？　More　as　yoh　lov'　me？　Always　I　see　yoh　look　at

himalways　watch；　watch。　Always　I　see　yoh　jomp　when　he　snap　the　finger；

always　yoh　run　like　train　dog。　Yoh　lov'　him；　perhaps？　Bah！　Yoh　dirt　onder　his

feet。〃　Ramon　did　not　seriously　consider　that　any　woman　whom　he　favored　could

sanely　love　another　man　more　than　himself；　but　to　his　nature　jealousy　was　a

necessary　adjunct　of　lovemaking；　not　to　have　displayed　jealousy　would　have

been　to　betray　indifference；　as　he　interpreted　the　tender　passion。



Annie…Many…Ponies；　woman…wily　though　she　was　by　nature；　had　little　learning　in

the　devious　ways　of　lovemaking。　Eyes　might　speak；　smiles　might　half　reveal；

half　hide　her　thoughts；　but　the　tongue；　as　her　tribe　had　taught　her　sternly；

must　speak　the　truth　or　keep　silent。　Now　she　bent　her　head；　puzzling　how　best

to　put　her　feelings　toward　Luck　Lindsay　into　honest　words　which　Ramon　would

understand。　　



〃Yoh　lov'　him；　perhapssince　yoh　all　time　afraid　he　be　mad。〃　Ramon　persisted；

beating　against　the　wall　of　her　Indian　taciturnity　which　always　acted　as　a

spur　upon　his　impetuosity。　Besides；　it　was　important　to　him　that　he　should

know　just　what　was　the　tie　between　these　two。　He　had　heard　Luck　Lindsay　speak

to　the　girl　in　the　Sioux　tongue。　He　had　seen　her　eyes　lighten　as　she　made

swift　answer。　He　had　seen　her　always　eager　to　do　Luck's　biddinghad　seen　her

anticipate　his　wants　and　minister　to　them　as　though