tales of trail and town-第6部分

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had　caught　from　the　chiefs；　said：　〃He　says　he　knew　your　father。　　He

was　a　great　chief；with　many　horses　and　many　squaws。　　He　is　dead。〃



〃My　father　was　an　Englishman；Philip　Atherly！〃　said　Peter；　with　an

odd　nervousness　creeping　over　him。



The　interpreter　repeated　the　words　to　Grey　Eagle；　who；　after　a

guttural　〃Ugh！〃　answered　in　his　own　tongue。



〃He　says；〃　continued　the　interpreter　with　a　slight　shrug；　yet

relapsing　into　his　former　impassiveness；　〃that　your　father　was　a

great　chief；　and　your　mother　a　pale　face；　or　white　woman。　　She　was

captured　with　an　Englishman；　but　she　became　the　wife　of　the　chief

while　in　captivity。　　She　was　only　released　before　the　birth　of　her

children；　but　a　year　or　two　afterwards　she　brought　them　as　infants

to　see　their　father；the　Great　Chief；and　to　get　the　mark　of

their　tribe。　　He　says　you　and　your　sister　are　each　marked　on　the

left　arm。〃



Then　Gray　Eagle　opened　his　mouth　and　uttered　his　first　English

sentence。　　〃His　father；　big　Injin；　take　common　white　squaw！

Papoose　no　good；too　much　white　squaw　mother；　not　enough　big　Injin

father！　　Look！　　He　big　man；　but　no　can　bear　pain！　　Ugh！〃



The　interpreter　turned　in　time　to　catch　Peter。　　He　had　fainted。





CHAPTER　III





A　hot　afternoon　on　the　plains。　　A　dusty　cavalcade　of　United　States

cavalry　and　commissary　wagons；　which　from　a　distance　preserved　a

certain　military　precision　of　movement；　but　on　nearer　view　resolved

itself　into　straggling　troopers　in　twos　and　fours　interspersed

between　the　wagons；　two　noncommissioned　officers　and　a　guide　riding

ahead；　who　had　already　fallen　into　the　cavalry　slouch；　but　off　to

the　right；　smartly　erect　and　cadet…like；　the　young　lieutenant　in

command。　　A　wide　road　that　had　the　appearance　of　being　at　once　well

traveled　and　yet　deserted；　and　that；　although　well　defined　under

foot；　still　seemed　to　disappear　and　lose　itself　a　hundred　feet

ahead　in　the　monotonous　level。　　A　horizon　that　in　that　clear；　dry；

hazeless　atmosphere　never　mocked　you；　yet　never　changed；　but　kept

its　eternal　rim　of　mountains　at　the　same　height　and　distance　from

hour　to　hour　and　day　to　day。　　Dusta　parching　alkaline　powder　that

cracked　the　skineverywhere；　clinging　to　the　hubs　and　spokes　of

the　wheels；　without　being　disturbed　by　movement；　incrusting　the

cavalryman　from　his　high　boots　to　the　crossed　sabres　of　his　cap；

going　off　in　small　puffs　like　explosions　under　the　plunging　hoofs

of　the　horses；　but　too　heavy　to　rise　and　follow　them。　　A　reeking

smell　of　horse　sweat　and　boot　leather　that　lingered　in　the　road

long　after　the　train　had　passed。　　An　external　silence　broken　only

by　the　cough　of　a　jaded　horse　in　the　suffocating　dust；　or　the

cracking　of　harness　leather。　　Within　one　of　the　wagons　that　seemed

a　miracle　of　military　neatness　and　methodical　stowage；　a　lazy

conversation　carried　on　by　a　grizzled　driver　and　sunbrowned　farrier。



〃'Who　be　you？'　sezee。　　'I'm　Philip　Atherly；　a　member　of　Congress；'

sez　the　long；　dark…complected　man；　sezee；　'and　I'm　on　a　commission

for　looking　into　this　yer　Injin　grievance；'　sezee。　　'You　may　be　God

Almighty；'　sez　Nebraska　Bill；　sezee；　'but　you　look　a　dd　sight

more　like　a　hoss…stealin'　Apache；　and　we　don't　want　any　of　your

psalm…singing；　big…talkin'　peacemakers　interferin'　with　our　ways　of

treatin'　pizen；you　hear　me？　　I'm　shoutin'；'　sezee。　　With　that　the

dark…complected　man's　eyes　began　to　glisten；　and　he　sorter　squirmed

all　over　to　get　at　Bill；　and　Bill　outs　with　his　battery。Whoa；

will　ye；　what's　up　with　YOU　now？〃　　The　latter　remark　was　directed

to　the　young　spirited　near　horse　he　was　driving；　who　was　beginning

to　be　strangely　excited。



〃What　happened　then？〃　said　the　farrier　lazily。



〃Well；〃　continued　the　driver；　having　momentarily　quieted　his　horse；

〃I　reckoned　it　was　about　time　for　me　to　wheel　into　line；　for

fellers　of　the　Bill　stripe；　out　on　the　plains；　would　ez　leave　plug

a　man　in　citizen's　clothes；　even　if　he　was　the　President　himself；

as　they　would　drop　on　an　Injin　or　a　nigger。　　'Look　here；　Bill；'　sez

I；　'I'm　escortin'　this　stranger　under　gov'ment　orders；　and　I'm

responsible　for　him。　　I　ain't　allowed　to　waste　gov'ment　powder　and

shot　on　YOUR　kind　onless　I've　orders；　but　if　you'll　wait　till　I

strip　off　this　shell*　I'll　lam　the　stuffin'　outer　ye；　afore　the

stranger。'　　With　that　Bill　just　danced　with　rage；　but　dassent　fire；

for　HE　knew；　and　I　knew；　that　if　he'd　plugged　me　he'd　been　a　dead

frontiersman　afore　the　next　mornin'。〃





*　Cavalry　jacket。





〃But　you'd　have　had　to　give　him　up　to　the　authorities；　and　a　jury

of　his　own　kind　would　have　set　him　free。〃



〃Not　much！　　If　you　hadn't　just　joined；　you'd　know　that　ain't　the

way　o'　30th　Cavalry；〃　returned　the　driver。　　〃The　kernel　would　have

issued　his　orders　to　bring　in　Bill　dead　or　alive；　and　the　30th

would　have　managed　to　bring　him　in　DEAD！　　Then　your　jury　might　have

sat　on　him！　　Tell　you　what；　chaps　of　the　Bill　stripe　don't　care

overmuch　to　tackle　the　yaller　braid。〃*





*　Characteristic　trimming　of　cavalry　jacket。





〃But　what's　this　yer　Congressman　interferin'　for；　anyway？〃



〃He's　a　rich　Californian。　　Thinks　he's　got　a　'call；'　I　reckon；　to

look　arter　Injins；　just　as　them　Abolitionists　looked　arter　slaves。

And　get　hated　just　as　they　was　by　the　folks　here；and　as　WE　are；

too；　for　the　matter　of　that。〃



〃Well；　I　dunno；〃　rejoined　the　farrier；　〃it　don't　seem　nateral　for

white　men　to　quarrel　with　each　other　about　the　way　to　treat　an

Injin；　and　that　Injin　lyin'　in　ambush　to　shoot　'em　both。　　And　ef

gov'ment　would　only　make　up　its　mind　how　to　treat　'em；　instead　of

one　day　pretendin'　to　be　their　'Great　Father'　and　treatin'　them

like　babies；　and　the　next　makin'　treaties　with　'em　like　as　they　wos

forriners；　and　the　next　sendin'　out　a　handful　of　us　to　lick　ten

thousand　of　them　　Wot's　the　use　of　ONE　regimenteven　twoagin　a

nationon　their　own　ground？〃



〃A　nation；and　on　their　own　ground；that's　just　whar　you've　hit

it；　Softy。　　That's　the　argument　of　that　Congressman　Atherly；　as

I've　heard　him　talk　with　the　kernel。〃



〃And　what　did　the　kernel　say？〃



〃The　kernel　reckoned　it　was　his　business　to　obey　orders；and　so

should　you。　　So　shut　your　head！　　If　ye　wanted　to　talk　about

gov'ment　ye　might　say　suthin'　about　its　usin'　us　to　convoy　picnics

and　excursion　parties　around；　who　come　out　here　to　have　a　day's

shootin'；　under　some　big…wig　of　a　political　boss　or　a　railroad

president；　with　a　letter　to　the　general。　　And　WE'RE　told　off　to

look　arter　their　precious　skins；　and　keep　the　Injins　off　'em；and

they　shootin'　or　skeerin'　off　the　Injins'　nat'ral　game；　and　our

provender！　　Darn　my　skin　ef　there'll　be　much　to　scout　for　ef　this

goes　on。　　And　b'gosh！of　they　aren't　now　ringin'　in　a　lot　of

titled　forriners　to　hunt　'big　game；'　as　they　call　it；Lord　This…

and…That　and　Count　So…and…So；all　of　'em　with　letters　to　the

general　from　the　Washington　cabinet　to　show　'hospitality；'　or　from

millionaires　who've　bin　hobnobbin'　with　'em　in　the　old　country。

And　darn　my　skin　ef　some　of　'em　ain't　bringin'　their　wives　and

sisters　along　too。　　There　was　a　lord　and　lady　passed　through　here

under　escort　last　week；　and　we're　goin'　to　pick　up　some　more　of　'em

at　Fort　Biggs　tomorrow；and　I　reckon　some　of　us　will　be　told　off

to　act　as　ladies'　maids　or　milliners。　　Nothin'　short　of　a　good

Injin　scare；　I　reckon；　would　send　them　and　us　about　our　reg'lar

business。　　Whoa；　then；　will　ye？　　At　it　again；　are　ye？　　What's　gone

of　the　dd　critter？〃



Here　the　fractious　near　horse　was　again　beginning　to　show　signs　of

disturbance　and　active　terror。　　His　quivering　nostrils　were　turned

towards　the　wind；　and　he　almost　leaped　the　centre　pole　in　his

frantic　effort　to　avoid　it。　　The　eyes　of　the　two　men　were　turned

instinctively　in　that　direction。　　Nothing　was　to　be　seen；the

illimitable　plain　and　the　sinking　sun　were　all　that　met　the　eye。

But　the　horse　continued　to　struggle；　and　the　wagon　stopped。　　Then

it　was　discovered　that　the　horse　of　an　adjacent　trooper　was　also

laboring　under　the　same　mysterious　excitement；　and　at　the　same

moment　wagon　No。　3　halted。　　The　infection　of　some　inexplicable

terror　was　spreading　among　them。　　Then　two　non…commissioned

officers　came　riding　down　the　line　at　a　sharp　canter；　and　were

joined　quickly　by　the　young　lieutenant；　who　gave　an　order。　　The

trumpeter　instinctively　raised　his　instrument　to　his　lips；　but　was

stopped　by　another　order。



And　then；　as　seen　by　a　distant　observer；　a　singular　spectacle　was

unfolded。　　The　straggling　train　suddenly　seemed　to　resolve　itself

into　a　large　widening　circle　of　horsemen；　revolving　round　and

partly　hiding　the　few　heavy　wagons　that　were　being　rapidly　freed

from　their　struggling　teams。　　These；　too；　joined　the　circle；　and

were　driven　before　the　whirling　troopers。　　Gradually　the　circle

seemed　to　grow　smaller　under　the　〃winding…up〃　of　those　evolutions；

until　the　horseless　wagons　reappeared　again；　motionless；　fronting

the　four　points　of　the　compass；　thus　making　the　radii　of　a　smaller

inner　circle；　into　which　the　teams　of　the　wagons　as　well　as　the

troopers'　horses　were　closely　〃wound　up〃　and　densely　packed

together　in　an　immovable　mass。　　As　the　circle　became　smaller　the

troopers　leaped　from　their　horses；which；　however；　continued　to

blindly　follow　each　other　in　the　narrower　circle；and　ran　to　the

wagons；　carbines　in　hand。　　In　five　minutes　from　the　time　of　giving

the　order　the　straggling　train　was　a　fortified　camp；　the　horses

corralled　in　the　centre；　the　dismounted　troopers　securely　posted

with　their　repeating　carbines　in　the　angles　of　the　rude　bastions

formed　by　the　deserted　wagons；　and　ready　for　an　attack。　　The

stampede；　if　such　it　was；　was　stopped。



And　yet　no　cause　for　it　was　to　be　seen！　　Nothing　in　earth　or　sky

suggested　a　reason　for　this　extraordinary　panic；　or　the　marvelous

evolution　that　suppressed　it。　　The　guide；　with　three　men　in　open

order；　rode　out　and　radiated　across　the　empt