the heritage of the sioux-第8部分

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The　two　talked；　low…voiced　and　earnest；　Bill　was　telling　all　that　he　knew　of

Luck　Lindsay's　plansand　that　was　not　much。



〃He　don't　talk；〃　Bill　complained。　〃He　just　tells　the　bunch　a　day　aheadjust

far　enough　to　get　their　makeup　and　costumes　on；　generally。　But　he　won't　stay

around　here　much　longer；　he's　taken　enough　spring　roundup　stuff　now　for　half　a

dozen　pictures。　He'll　be　moving　in　to　the　ranch　again　pretty　quick。　And　I　know

this　picture　calls　for　a　lot　of　town　business　that　he'll　have　to　take。　I　saw

the　script　the　other　day。〃　This；　of　course；；　being　a　free　translation　of　the

meaningless　jumble　of　strange　words　which　Annie　heard。



〃What　town　business　is　that？　Where　will　he　work？〃　Ramon　was　plainly　impatient

of　so　much　vagueness。



〃Well；　there's　a　bank　robberyI　paid　particular　attention；　Ramon；　so　I　know

for　certain。　But　when　he'll　do　it；　or　what　bank　he'll　use；　I　don't　know　any

more　than　you　do。　And　there's　a　running　fight　down　the　street　and　through　the

Mexican　quarter。　The　rest　is　just　street　stuffthat　and　a　fiesta　that　I　think

he'll　probably　me　the　old　plaza　for　location。　He'll　need　a　lot　of　Mexicans　for

that　stuff。　He'll　want　you；　of　course。〃



〃That　bankwho　will　do　that？〃　Ramon's　fingers　trembled　so　that　he　could

scarcely　roll　a　cigarette。　〃Andy；　perhaps？〃



〃Nothat's　the　Mexican　bunch。　Iwhy；　I　guess　that　will　maybe　be　you；　Ramon。

I　wasn't　paying　much　attention　to　the　partsI　was　after　locations；　and　I　only

had　about　two　minutes　at　the　script。　But　he's　been　giving　you　some　good　bits

right　along　where　he　needed　a　Mexican　type；　and　those　scenes　in　the　rocks　the

other　day　was　bandit　stuff　with　you　for　lead。　It'll　be　you　or　Miguelthe

Native　Son；　as　they　call　himand　so　far　he's　cast　for　another　part。　That's

the　worst　of　Luck。　He　won't　talk　about　what　he's　going　to　do　till　he's　all

ready　to　do　it。〃



There　was　a　little　further　discussion。　Ramon　muttered　a　few　sentencesrapid

instructions；　Annie…Many…Ponies　believed　from　the　tone　he　used。



〃All　right；　I'll　keep　you　posted；〃　Bill　Holmes　replied　in　English。　And　he

added　as　he　started　off；　〃You　can　send　word　by　the　squaw。〃



He　went　carefully　back　down　the　arroyo；　keeping　as　much　as　possible　in　the

shade。　Behind　him　stole　Annie…Many…Ponies；　noiseless　as　the　shadow　of　a　cloud。

Bill　Holmes；　she　reflected　angrily；　had　seen　the　day；　not　so　far　in　the　past；

when　he　was　happy　if　the　〃squaw〃　but　smiled　upon　him。　It　was　because　she　had

repelled　his　sly　lovemaking　that　he　had　come　to　speak　of　her　slightingly　like

that；　she　knew　it。　She　could　have　named　the　very　day　when　his　manner　toward

her　had　changed。　Mingled　with　her　hate　and　dread　of　him　was　a　new　contempt　and

a　new　little　anxiety　over　this　clandestine　intimacy　between　Ramon　and　him。　Why

should　Bill　Holmes　keep　Ramon　posted？　Surely　not　about　a　silver　bridle！



Shunka　Chistala　was　whining　in　her　little　tent　when　she　came　into　the　camp。

She　heard　Bill　Holmes　stumble　over　the　end　of　the　chuck…wagon　tongue　and

mutter　the　customary　profanity　with　which　the　average　man　meets　an　incident　of

that　kind。　She　whispered　a　fierce　command　to　the　little　black　dog　and　stood

very　still　for　a　minute；　listening。　She　did　not　hear　anything　further；　either

from　Bill　Holmes　or　the　dog；　and　finally　reassured　by　the　silence；　she　crept

into　her　tent　and　tied　the　flaps　together　on　the　inside；　and　lay　down　in　her

blankets　with　the　little　black　dog　contentedly　curled　at　her　feet　with　his

nose　between　his　front　paws。







CHAPTER　V。　FOR　THE　GOOD　OF　THE　COMPANY



All　through　breakfast　Applehead　seemed　to　have　something　weighty　on　his　mind。

He　kept　pulling　at　his　streaked；　reddish…gray　mustache　when　his　fingers　should

have　been　wholly　occupied　with　his　food；　and　he　stared　abstractedly　at　the

ground　after　he　had　finished　his　first　cup　of　coffee　and　before　he　took　his

second。　Once　Bill　Holmes　caught　him　glaring　with　an　intensity　which

circumstances　in　no　wise　justifiedand　it　was　Bill　Holmes　who　first　shifted

his　gaze　in　vague　uneasiness　when　he　tried　to　stare　Applehead　down。

Annie…Many…Ponies　did　not　glance　at　him　at　all；　so　far　as　one　could　discover；

yet　she　was　the　first　to　sense　trouble　in　the　air；　and　withdrew　herself　from

the　company　and　sat　apart；　wrapped　closely　in　her　crimson　shawl　that　matched

well　the　crimson　bows　on　her　two　shiny　braids。



Luck；　keenly　alive　to　the　moods　of　his　people；　looked　at　her　inquiringly。　

〃Come　on　up　by　the　fire；　Annie；〃　he　commanded　gently。　〃What　you　sitting　away

off　there　for？　Come　and　eatI　want　you　to　work　today。〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　did　not　reply；　but　she　rose　obediently　and　came　forward　in

the　silent　way　she　had；　stepping　lightly；　straight　and　slim　and　darkly

beautiful。　Applehead　glanced　at　her　sourly；　and　her　lashes　drooped　to　hide　the

venom　in　her　eyes　as　she　passed　him　to　stand　before　Luck



〃I　not　hungry；〃　she　told　Luck　tranquilly；　yet　with　a　hardness　in　her　voice

which　did　not　escape　him；　who　knew　her　so　well。　〃I　go　put　on　makeup。〃



〃Wear　that　striped　blanket　you　used　last　Saturday　when　we　worked　up　there　in

Tijeras　Canon。　Same　young　squaw　makeup　you　wore　then；　Annie。〃　He　eyed　her

sharply　as　she　turned　away　to　her　own　tent；　and　he　observed　that　when　she

passed　Applehead　she　took　two　steps　to　one　side；　widening　the　distance　between

them。　He　watched　her　until　she　lifted　her　tent　flap；　stooped　and　disappeared

within。　Then　he　looked　at　Applehead。



〃What's　wrong　between　you　two？〃　he　asked　the　old　man　quizzically。　〃Her　dog

been　licking　your　cat　again；　or　what？〃



〃You're　danged　right　he　ain't！〃　Applehead　testified　boastfully。　〃Compadre's

got　that　there　dawg's　goat；　now　I'm　tellin'　yuh！　He　don't　take　nothin'　off　him

ner　her　neither。〃



〃What　you　been　doing　to　her；　then？〃　Luck　set　his　empty　plate　on　the　ground

beside　him　and　began　feeling　for　the　makings　of　a　cigarette。　〃Way　she

side…stepped　you；　I　know　there　must　be　SOMETHING。〃



〃Well；　now；　I　ain't　done　a　danged　thing　to　that　there　squaw！　She　ain't　got　any

call　to　go　around　givin'　me　the　bad　eye。〃　He　looked　at　the　breakfasting

company　and　then　again　at　Luck；　and　gave　an　almost　imperceptible　backward　jerk

of　his　head　as　he　got　awkwardly　to　his　feet　and　strolled　away　toward　the

milling　horses　in　the　remuda。



So　when　Luck　had　lighted　his　fresh…rolled　cigarette　he　followed　Applehead

unobtrusively。　〃Well；　what's　on　your　mind？〃　he　wanted　to　know　when　he　came　up

with　him。



〃Well；　now；　I　don't　want　you　to　think　I'm　buttin'　in　on　your　affairs；　Luck；〃

Applehead　began　after　a　minute；　〃but　seein'　as　you　ast　me　what's　wrong；　I'm

goin'　to　tell　yuh　straight　out。　We　got　a　couple　of　danged　fine　women　in　this

here　bunch；　and　I　shore　do　hate　to　see　things　goin'　on　around　here　that'd

shame　'em　if　they　was　to　find　it　out。　And　fur's　I　can　see　they　will　find　it

out；　sooner　or　later。　Murder　ain't　the　only　kinda　wickedness　that's　hard　to

cover　up。　I　know　you　feel　about　as　I　do　on　some　subjects；　you　never　did　like

dirt　around　you；　no　better'n〃



〃Get　to　the　point；　man。　What's　wrong？〃



So　Applehead；　turning　a　darker　shade　of　red　than　was　his　usual　hue；　cleared

his　throat　and　blurted　out　what　he　had　to　say。　He　had　heard　Shunka　Chistala

whinnying　at　midnight　in　the　tent　of　Annie…Many…Ponies；　and　had　gone　outside

to　see　what　was　the　matter。　He　didn't　know；　he　explained；　but　what　his　cat

Compadre　was　somehow　involved。　He　had　stood　in　the　shadow　of　his　tent　for　a

few　minutes；　and　had　seen　Bill　Holmes　sneak　into　camp；　coming　from　up　the

arroyo　somewhere。



For　some　reason　he　waited　a　little　longer；　and　he　had　seen　a　woman's　shadow

move　stealthily　up　to　the　front　of　Annie's　tent；　and　had　seen　Annie　slip

inside　and　had　heard　her　whisper　a　command　of　some　sort　to　the　dog；　which　had

immediately　hushed　its　whining。　He　hated　to　be　telling　tales　on　anybody；　but

he　knew　how　keenly　Luck　felt　his　responsibility　toward　the　Indian　girl；　and　he

thought　he　ought　to　know。　This　night…prowling；　he　declared；　had　shore　got　to

be　stopped；　or　he'd　be　danged　if　he　didn't　run　'em　both　outa　camp　himself。



〃Bill　Holmes　might　have　been　out　of　camp；〃　Luck　said　calmly；　〃but　you　sure

must　be　mistaken　about　Annie。　She's　straight。〃



〃You　think　she　is；〃　Applehead　corrected　him。　〃But　you　don't　know　a　danged

thing　about　it。　A　girl　that's　behavin'　herself　don't　go　chasin'　all　over　the

mesa　alone；　the　way　she's　been　doin'　all　spring。　I　never　said　nothin'　'cause

it　wa'n't　none　of　my　put…in。　But　that　Injun　had　a　heap　of　business　off　away

from　the　ranch　whilst　you　was　in　Los　Angeles；　Luck。　Sneaked　off　every　day；

just　aboutand　'd　be　gone　fer　hours　at　a　time。　You　kin　ast　any　of　the　boys；

if　yuh　don't　want　to　take　my　word。　Or　you　kin　ast　Mis'　Green；　she　kin　tell　ye；

if　she's　a　mind　to。〃



〃Did　Bill　Holmes　go　with　her？〃　Luck's　eyes　were　growing　hard　and　gray。



〃As　to　that　I　won't　say；　fer　I　don't　know　and　I'm　tellin'　yuh　what　I　seen

myself。　Bill　Holmes　done　a　lot　uh　walkin'　in　to　town；　fur　as　that　goes；　and　he

didn't　always　git　back　the　same　day　neither。　He　never　went　off　with　Annie；　and

he　never　came　back　with　her；　fur　as　I　ever　seen。　But；〃　he　added　grimly；　〃they

didn't　come　back　together　las'　night；　neither。　They　come　about　three　or　four

minutes　apart。〃



Luck　thought　a　minute；　scowling　off　across　the　arroyo。　Not　even　to　Applehead；

bound　to　him　by　closer　ties　than　anyone　there；　did　he　ever　reveal　his　thoughts

completely。



〃All　rightI'll　attend　to　them；〃　he　said　finally。　〃Don't　say　anything　to　the

bunch；　these　things　aren't　helped　by　talk。　Get　into　your　old　cowman　costume

and　use　that　big　gray　you　rode　in　that　drive　we　made　the　other　day。　I'm　going

to　pick　up　the　action　where　we　left　off　when　it　turned　cloudy。　Tomorrow　or

next　day　I　want　to　move　the　outfit　back　to　the　ranch。　There's　quite　a　lot　of

town　stuff　I　want　to　get　for　this　picture。〃



Applehead　looked　at　him　uncertainly；　tempted　to　impress　further　upon　him　the

importance　of　safeguarding　the　morals　of　his　comp