the heritage of the sioux-第7部分

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

anticipate　his　wants　and　minister　to　them　as　though　it　was　her　duty　and　her

pleasure　to　do　so。　It　was　vital　that　he　should　know；　and　it　was　certain　that

he　could　not　question　Luck　upon　the　subjectfor　Ramon　Chavez　was　no　fool。



〃Long　time　agowhen　I　was　papoose　with　no　shoes；〃　she　began　with　seeming

irrelevance；　her　eyes　turning　instinctively　toward　the　white　tents　of　the

Flying　U　camp　gleaming　in　the　distance；　〃my　people　go　for　work　in　Buffalo　Bill

show。　My　father　go；　my　mother　go；　I　go。　All　time　we　dance　for　show；　make

Indian　fight　with　cowboysall　them　act　for　Buffalo　Bill…Pawnee　Bill　show。

That　time　Wagalexa　Conka　boss　of　Indians。　He　Indian　Agent。　He　take　care　whole

bunch。　He　make　peace　when　fights；　he　give　med'cine　when　somebody　sick。　He

awful　good　to　them　Indians。　He　give　me　candy；　always　stop　to　talk　me。　I　like

him。　My　father　like　him。　All　them　Indians　like　him　plenty　much。　My　father

awful　sick　one　time；　he　no　let　doctor　come。　Leg　broke　all　in　pieces。　He　say

die　plenty　if　Wagalexa　Conka　no　make　well。　I　go　ticket　wagon；　tell　Wagalexa

Conka；　he　come　quick；　fix　up　leg　all　right。



〃All　them　Indians　like　to　make　him〃　She　stopped；　searching　her　mind　for　the

elusive；　little…used　word　which　she　　had　learned　in　the　mission　school。　Make

him　adop'；〃　she　finished　triumphantly。　〃Indians　make　much　dance；　plenty　music；

lots　speeches　make　him　Indian　man。　My　father　big　chief；　he　make　Wagalexa　Conka

him　son。　Make　him　my　brother。　Give　him　Indian　name　Wagalexa　Conka。　All　Indians

call　that　name　for　him。



〃Pretty　soon　show　stop；　all　them　Indians　go　home　by　reservation。　long　time　we

don't　see　Wagalexa　Conka　no　more。　I　get　big　girl；　go　school　little　bit。　Pretty

soon　Wagalexa　Conka　come　back；　for　wants　them　Indians　for　work　in　pictures。　My

father　go；　my　mother　go；　all　us　go。　We　work　long　time。　I；〃　she　added　with

naive　pride　in　her　comeliness；　〃awful　good　looking。　I　do　lots　of　foreground

stuff。　Pretty　soon　hard　times　come。　Indians　go　home　by　reservation。　I　goI

don't　like　them　reservations　no　more。　Too　lonesome。　I　like　for　work　all　time

in　pictures。　I　come；　tell　Wagalexa　Conka　I　be　Indian　girl　for　pictures。　He

write　letter　for　agent；　write　letter　for　my　father。　They　writes　letter　for　say

yes；　I　stay。　I　stay　and　do　plenty　more　foreground　stuff。〃



〃I　don't　see　you　do　moch　foreground　work　since　that　white　girl　come；〃　Ramon

observed；　hitting　what　he　instinctively　knew　was　a　tender　point。



Had　he　seen　her　face；　he　must　have　been　satisfied　that　the　chance　shot　struck

home。　But　in　the　shadow　hate　blazed　unseen　from　her　eyes。　She　did　not　speak；

and　so　he　went　back　to　his　first　charge。



〃All　this　don't　tell　me　moch；〃　he　complained。　〃Yoh　lov'　him；　maybe？　That's　

what　I　ask。〃



〃Wagalexa　Conka　my　brother；　my　father；　my　friend；〃　she　replied　calmly；　and　let

him　interpret　it　as　he　would。



〃He　treats　yoh　like　a　dog。　He　crazee　'bout　that　Jean。　He　gives　her　all　smiles；

all　what　yoh　call　foreground　stuff。　I　knowI　got　eyes。　Me；　it　makes　me　mad

for　see　how　he　treat　yohand　yoh　so　trying　hard　always　to　Please。　He　got　no

heart　for　yohme；　I　see　that。〃　He　moved　a　step　closer；　hesitating；　wanting

yet　not　quite　daring　to　touch　her。　〃Me；　I　lov'　yoh；　little　Annie；〃　he

murmured。　〃Yoh　lov'　me　little　bit；　eh？　Jus'　little　bit！　Jus'　for　say；　'Ramon；

I　go　weeth　yoh；　I　be　yoh　woman'〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　widened　the　distance　between　them。　〃Why　you　not　say　wife？〃

she　queried　suspiciously。



〃Woman；　wife；　sweetheartall　same；〃　he　assured　her　with　his　voice　like　a

caress。　〃All　words　mean　I　lov'　yoh　jus'　same。　Now　yoh　say　yoh　lov'　me；　say　yoh

go　weeth　me；　I　be　one　happy　man。　I　go　back　on　camp　and　my　heart　she's　　singing

lov'　song。　My　girl　weeth　eyes　that　shine　so　bright；　she　lov'　me　moch　as　I　lov'

her。　That　what　my　heart　she　　sing。　Yoh　not　be　so　cruel　like　stoneyoh　say；

'Ramon；　I　lov'　yoh。'　Jus'　like　that！　So　easy　to　say！〃　



〃Not　easy；〃　she　denied；　moved　to　save　her　freedom　yet　a　while　longer。　〃I　say

them　words；　then　Ithen　I　not　be　same　girl　like　now。　Maybe　much　troubles

come。　Maybe　much　happyI　dunno。　Lots　time　I　see　plenty　trouble　come　for　girl

that　say　them　words　for　man。　Some　time　plenty　happyI　think　trouble　comes

most　many　times。　I　think　　Wagalexa　Conka　he　be　awful　mad。　I　not　like　for　hims

be　mad。〃



〃Now　you　make　ME　madRamon　what　loves　yoh！　Yoh　like　for　Ramon　be　mad；

perhaps？　　　Always　yoh　'fraid　Luck　Lindsay　this；　'fraid　Luck　that　other。　Me；　I

gets　damn'　sick　hear　that　talk　all　time。　Bimeby　he　marree　som'　　girl；　then

what　for　you？　He　don'　maree　yoh；　eh？　He　don'　lov'　yoh；　he　think　too　good　for

maree　Indian　girl。　　Me；　I　not　think　like　that。　I；　Ramon　Chavez；　I　think　proud

to　lov；　yoh。　Ramon〃　



〃I　not　think　Wagalexa　Conka　marry　me。〃　The　girl　was　turning　stubborn　under　his

importunities。　〃Wagalexa　Conka　my　brothermy　friend。　I　tell　you　plenty　time。

Now　I　tell　no　more。〃



〃Ramon　loves　yoh　so　moch；〃　he　pleaded；　and　smiled　to　himself　when　he　saw　her

turn　toward　toward　him　again。　The　love…talkthat　was　what　a　woman　likes　best

to　hear！　〃Yoh　say　yoh　lov'　Ramon　jus'　little　bit！〃



〃I　not　say　now。　When　I　say　I　be　sure　I　say　truth。〃



〃All　right；　then　I　be　sad　till　yoh　lov'　me。　Yoh　maybe　be　happy；　yoh　know

Ramon's　got　heavy　heart　for　yoh。〃



〃I　plenty　sorry；　you　be　sad　　for　me；〃　she　confessed　demurely。　　〃I　lov'　yoh　so

moch！　I　think　nothing　but　how　beautiful　my　sweetheart　is。　I　not　tease　yoh　no

more。　Tell　me；　how　long　Luck　says　he　stay　out　here？　Maybe　yoh　hear　sometimes

he's　going　for　taking　pictures　in　town？〃



〃I　not　hear。〃



〃Going　home；　maybe？　You　mus'　hear　little　bit。　Yoh　tell　me；　sweetheart；　what's

he　gone　do　when　roundup's　all　finish？　Me；　I　know　she's　finish　las'　week。　Looks

like　he's　taking　pictures　out　here　all　summer！　You　hear　him　say　something；

maybe？〃



〃I　not　hear。〃



〃Them　vaquerosbah！　They　don't　bear　nothings　either。　What's　matter　over

there；　nobody　hear　nothing？　Luck；　he　got　no　tongue　when　camera's　shut　up；

perhaps？〃



〃NahI　dunno。〃



Ramon　looked　at　her　for　a　minute　in　mute　rage。　It　was　not　the　first　time　he

had　found　himself　hard　against　the　immutable　reticence　of　the　Indian　in　her

nature。



〃Why　you　snapping　teeth　like　a　wolf？〃　she　asked　him　slyly。



〃Me？　I　don'　snap　my　teeth；　sweetheart。〃　It　cost　Ramon　some　effort　to　keep　his

voice　softened　to　the　love　key。



〃Why　you　not　ask　Wagalexa　Conka　what　he　do？〃



〃I　don'　care；　that's　why　I　don'　ask。　Me；　it's'　no　matter。〃



He　hesitated　a　moment；　evidently　weighing　a　matter　of　more　importance　to　him

than　he　would　have　Annie…Many…Ponies　suspect。　〃Sweetheart；　yoh　do　one　thing

for　Ramon？〃　His　voice　might　almost　be　called　wheedling。　〃Me；　I'm　awful　busy

tomorrow。　I　got　long　ride　away　off　…to　my　rancho。　I　got　to　see　my　brother

Tomas。　I　be　back　here　not　before　night。　Yoh　tell　Bill　Holmes　he　come　here　by

this　rockyoh　say　midnight　that's　good　timeI　sure　be　here　that　time。　Yoh

say　I　got　something　I　wan'　tell　him。　Yoh　do　that　for　Ramon；　sweetheart？〃



He　waited；　trying　to　hide　the　fact　that　he　was　anxious。



〃I　not　like　Bill　Holmes。〃　Annie…Many…Ponies　spoke　with　an　air　of　finality。

〃Bill　Holmes　comes　close；　I　feel　snakes。　Him　not　friend　to　Wagalexa　Conkasay

nothingalways　go　around　still；　like　fox　watching　for　rabbit。　You　not　friend

to　Bill　Holmes？〃



〃Me？　NoI　not　friend；　querida　mia。　I　got　business。　I　sell　Bill　Holmes　one

silver　bridle；　perhaps。　I　don'　knowmus'　talk　about　it。　Yoh　tell　him　come

here　by　big　rock；　sweetheart？〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　took　a　minute　for　deliberationwhich　is　the　Indian　way。

Ramon；　having　learned　patience；　said　no　more　but　watched　her　slant…eyed。



〃I　tell；〃　she　promised　at　last；　and　added；　〃I　go　now。〃　Then　she　slipped　away。

And　Ramon；　though　he　stood　for　several　minutes　by　the　rock　smiling　queerly　and

staring　down　the　arroyo；　caught　not　the　slightest　glimpse　of　her　after　she

left　him。　He　knew　that　she　would　deliver　faithfully　his　message　to　Bill

Holmes；　she　had　given　her　word。　That　was　one　great　advantage；　considered

Ramon；　in　dealing　with　those　direct；　uncompromising　natures。　She　might　torment

him　with　her　aloofness　and　her　reticence；　but　once　he　had　won　her　to　a　full

confidence　and　submission　he　need　not　trouble　himself　further　about　her

loyalty。　She　would　tell　Bill　Holmesand；　what　was　vastly　more　important；　she

would　do　it　secretly；　he　had　not　dared　to　speak　of　that；　but　he　thought　he

might　safely　trust　to　her　natural　wariness。　So　Ramon；　after　a　little；　stole

away　to　his　own　camp　quite　satisfied。



The　next　night；　when　he　stood　in　the　shadow　of　the　rock　ledge　and　waited；　he

was　not　startled　by　the　unexpected　presence　of　the　person　he　wanted　to　see。

For　although　Bill　Holmes　came　as　cautiously　as　he　knew　how；　and　avoided　the

wide；　bright…lighted　stretches　of　arroyo　where　he　would　have　been　plainly

visible；　Ramon　both　saw　and　heard　him　before　he　reached　the　ledge。　What　Ramon

did　not　see　or　hear　was　Annie…Many…Ponies；　who　did　not　quite　believe　that

those　two　wished　merely　to　talk　about　a　silver　bridle；　and　who　meant　to　listen

and　find　out　why　it　was　that　they　could　not　talk　openly　before　all　the　boys。



Annie…Many…Ponies　had　ways　of　her　own。　She　did　not　tell　Ramon　that　she　doubted

his　word；　nor　did　she　refuse　to　deliver　the　message。　She　waited　calmly　until

Bill　Holmes　left　camp　stealthily　that　night；　and　she　followed　him。　It　was

perfectly　simple　and　sensible　and　the　right　thing　to　do；　if　you　wanted　to　know

for　sure　whether　a　person　lied　to　you；　you　had　but　to　watch　and　listen　and　let

your　own　eyes　and　ears　prove　guilt　or　innocence。



So　Annie…Many…Ponies　stood　by　the　rock　and　listened　and　watched。　She　did　not

see　any　silver　bridle。　She　heard　many　words；　but　the　two　were　speaking　in　that

strange　Spanish　talk　which　she　did　not　know　at　all；　save　〃Querida　mia；〃　which

Ramon　had　told　her　meant　sweetheart。



The　two　talked；　low…voiced　and　earnest；　Bill　was　telling