tales of trail and town-第9节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



scandalized　at　the　naive　air　of　camaraderie　with　which　Mrs。

Lascelles　received　his　attentions。　　Even　Peter　was　a　little

disturbed。　　Only　Lascelles；　delighted　with　his　wife's　animation；

and　pleased　at　her　success；　gazed　at　her　with　unqualified

admiration。　　Indeed；　he　was　so　satisfied　with　her　improvement；　and

so　sanguine　of　her　ultimate　recovery；　that　he　felt　justified　in

leaving　her　with　her　brother　and　returning　to　Omaha　by　the　regular

mail　wagon　next　day。　　There　was　no　danger　to　be　apprehended　in　her

accompanying　Peter；　they　would　have　a　full　escort；　the　reservation

lay　in　a　direction　unfrequented　by　marauding　tribes；　the　road　was

the　principal　one　used　by　the　government　to　connect　the　fort　with

the　settlements；　and　well　traveled；　the　officers'　wives　had　often

journeyed　thither。



The　childish　curiosity　and　high　spirits　which　Jenny　showed　on　the

journey　to　the　reservation　was　increased　when　she　reached　it　and

drew　up　before　the　house　of　the　Indian　agent。　　Peter　was　relieved；

he　had　been　anxious　and　nervous　as　to　any　instinctive　effect　which

might　be　produced　on　her　excitable　nature　by　a　first　view　of　her

own　kinsfolk；　although　she　was　still　ignorant　of　her　relationship。

Her　interest　and　curiosity；　however；　had　nothing　abnormal　in　it。

But　he　was　not　prepared　for　the　effect　produced　upon　THEM　at　her

first　appearance。　　A　few　of　the　braves　gathered　eagerly　around　her；

and　one　even　addressed　her　in　his　own　guttural　tongue；　at　which　she

betrayed　a　slight　feeling　of　alarm；　and　Peter　saw　with　satisfaction

that　she　drew　close　to　him。　　Knowing　that　his　old　interpreter　and

Gray　Eagle　were　of　a　different　and　hostile　tribe　a　hundred　miles

away；　and　that　his　secret　was　safe　with　them；　he　simply　introduced

her　as　his　sister。　　But　he　presently　found　that　the　braves　had

added　to　their　curiosity　a　certain　suspiciousness　and　sullen

demeanor；　and　he　was　glad　to　resign　his　sister　into　the　hands　of

the　agent's　wife；　while　he　prosecuted　his　business　of　examination

and　inspection。　　Later；　on　his　return　to　the　cabin；　he　was　met　by

the　agent；　who　seemed　to　be　with　difficulty　suppressing　a　laugh。



〃Your　sister　is　exciting　quite　a　sensation　here；〃　he　said。　　〃Do　you

know　that　some　of　these　idiotic　braves　and　the　Medicine　Man　insist

upon　it　that　she's　A　SQUAW；　and　that　you're　keeping　her　in

captivity　against　your　plighted　faith　to　them！　　You'll　excuse　me；〃

he　went　on　with　an　attempt　to　recover　his　gravity；　〃troubling　you

with　their　dd　fool　talk；　and　you　won't　say　anything　to　HER　about

it；　but　I　thought　you　ought　to　know　it　on　account　of　your　position

among　'em。　　You　don't　want　to　lose　their　confidence；　and　you　know

how　easily　their　skeery　faculties　are　stampeded　with　an　idea！〃



〃Where　is　she　now？〃　demanded　Peter；　with　a　darkening　face。



〃Somewhere　with　the　squaws；　I　reckon。　　I　thought　she　might　be　a

little　skeered　of　the　braves；　and　I've　kept　them　away。　　SHE'S　all

right；　you　know；　only　if　you　intend　to　stay　here　long　I'd〃



But　Peter　was　already　striding　away　in　the　direction　of　a　thicket

of　cottonwood　where　he　heard　the　ripple　of　women's　and　children's

voices。　　When　he　had　penetrated　it；　he　found　his　sister　sitting　on

a　stump；　surrounded　by　a　laughing；　gesticulating　crowd　of　young

girls　and　old　women；　with　a　tightly　swaddled　papoose　in　her　lap。

Some　of　them　had　already　half　mischievously；　half　curiously

possessed　themselves　of　her　dust　cloak；　hat；　parasol；　and　gloves；

and　were　parading　before　her　in　their　grotesque　finery；　apparently

as　much　to　her　childish　excited　amusement　as　their　own。　　She　was

even　answering　their　gesticulations　with　equivalent　gestures　in　her

attempt　to　understand　them；　and　trying　amidst　shouts　of　laughter　to

respond　to　the　monotonous　chant　of　the　old　women　who　were

zigzagging　a　dance　before　her。　　With　the　gayly　striped　blankets

lying　on　the　ground；　the　strings　of　beads；　wampum；　and　highly

colored　feathers　hanging　from　the　trees；　and　the　flickering　lights

and　shadows；　it　was　an　innocent　and　even　idyllic　picture；　but　the

more　experienced　Peter　saw　in　the　performances　only　the　uncertain

temper　and　want　of　consecutive　idea　of　playing　animals；　and　the

stolid　unwinking　papoose　in　his　sister's　lap　gave　his　sentiment　a

momentary　shock。



Seeing　him　approach　she　ran　to　meet　him；　the　squaws　and　children

slinking　away　from　his　grave　face。　　〃I　have　had　such　a　funny　time；

Peter！　　Only　to　think　of　it；　I　believe　they've　never　seen　men　or

women　with　decent　clothes　before；of　course　the　settlers'　wives

don't　dress　much；and　I　believe　they'd　have　had　everything　I

possess　if　you　hadn't　come。　　But　they're　TOO　funny　for　anything。

It　was　killing　to　see　them　put　on　my　hat　wrong　side　before；　and　try

to　make　one　out　of　my　parasol。　　But　I　like　them　a　great　deal　better

than　those　gloomy　chiefs；　and　I　think　I　understand　them　almost。

And　do　you　know；　Peter；　somehow　I　seem　to　have　known　them　all

before。　　And　those　dear　little　papooses；　aren't　they　ridiculously

lovely。　　I　only　wish〃she　stopped；　for　Peter　had　somewhat

hurriedly　taken　the　Indian　boy　from　her　arms　and　restored　it　to　the

frightened　mother。　　A　singular　change　came　over　her　face；　and　she

glanced　at　him　quickly。　　But　she　resumed；　with　a　heightened　color；

〃I　like　it　ever　so　much　better　here　than　down　at　the　fort。　　And

ever　so　much　better　than　New　York。　　I　don't　wonder　that　you　like

them　so　much；　Peter；　and　are　so　devoted　to　them。　　Don't　be　angry；

dear；　because　I　let　them　have　my　things；　I'm　sure　I　never　cared

particularly　for　them；　and　I　think　it　would　be　such　fun　to　dress　as

they　do。〃　　Peter　remembered　keenly　his　sudden　shock　at　her

precipitate　change　to　bright　colors　after　leaving　her　novitiate　at

the　Sacred　Heart。　　〃I　do　hope；〃　she　went　on　eagerly；　〃that　we　are

going　to　stay　a　long　time　here。〃



〃We　are　leaving　to…morrow；〃　he　said　curtly。　　〃I　find　I　have　urgent

business　at　the　fort。〃



And　they　did　leave。　　None　too　soon；　thought　Peter　and　the　Indian

agent；　as　they　glanced　at　the　faces　of　the　dusky　chiefs　who　had

gathered　around　the　cabin。　　Luckily　the　presence　of　their　cavalry

escort　rendered　any　outbreak　impossible；　and　the　stoical

taciturnity　of　the　race　kept　Peter　from　any　verbal　insult。　　But

Mrs。　Lascelles　noticed　their　lowering　dissatisfaction；　and　her　eyes

flashed。　　〃I　wonder　you　don't　punish　them；〃　she　said　simply。



For　a　few　days　after　their　return　she　did　not　allude　to　her　visit；

and　Peter　was　beginning　to　think　that　her　late　impressions　were　as

volatile　as　they　were　childlike。　　He　devoted　himself　to　his

government　report；　and　while　he　kept　up　his　communications　with　the

reservation　and　the　agent；　for　the　present　domiciled　himself　at　the

fort。



Colonel　Bryce；　the　commandant　though　doubtful　of　civilians；　was　not

slow　to　appreciate　the　difference　of　playing　host　to　a　man　of

Atherly's　wealth　and　position　and　even　found　in　Peter's　reserve　and

melancholy　an　agreeable　relief　to　the　somewhat　boisterous　and

material　recreations　of　garrison　life；　and　a　gentle　check　upon　the

younger　officers。　　For；　while　Peter　did　not　gamble　or　drink；　there

was　yet　an　unobtrusive　and　gentle　dignity　in　his　abstention　that

relieved　him　from　the　attitude　of　a　prig　or　an　〃example。〃　　Mrs。

Lascelles　was　popular　with　the　officers；　and　accepted　more

tolerantly　by　the　wives；　since　they　recognized　her　harmlessness。

Once　or　twice　she　was　found　apparently　interested　in　the

gesticulations　of　a　few　〃friendlies〃　who　had　penetrated　the　parade

ground　of　the　fort　to　barter　beads　and　wampum。　　The　colonel　was

obliged　at　last　to　caution　her　against　this；　as　it　was　found　that　in

her　inexperience　she　had　given　them　certain　articles　that　were

contraband　of　the　rules；　and　finally　to　stop　them　from　an　intrusion

which　was　becoming　more　frequent　and　annoying。　　Left　thus　to

herself；　she　relieved　her　isolation　by　walks　beyond　the　precincts　of

the　garrison；　where　she　frequently　met　those　〃friendly〃　wanderers；

chiefly　squaws　and　children。　　Here　she　was　again　cautioned　by　the

commander；



〃Don't　put　too　much　faith　in　those　creatures；　Mrs。　Lascelles。〃



Jenny　elevated　her　black　brows　and　threw　up　her　arched　nose　like　a

charger。　　〃I'm　not　afraid　of　old　women　and　children；〃　she　said

loftily。



〃But　I　am；〃　said　the　colonel　gravely。　　〃It's　a　horrible　thing　to

think　of；　but　these　feeble　old　women　and　innocent　children　are

always　selected　to　torture　the　prisoners　taken　by　the　braves；　and；

by　Jove；　they　seem　to　like　it。〃



Thus　restricted；　Mrs。　Lascelles　fell　back　upon　the　attentions　of

Lieutenant　Forsyth；　whose　gallantry　was　always　as　fresh　as　his

smart　cadet…like　tunics；　and　they　took　some　rides　together。

Whether　it　was　military　caution　or　the　feminine　discretion　of　the

colonel's　wife；to　the　quiet　amusement　of　the　other　officers；a

trooper　was　added　to　the　riding　party　by　the　order　of　the　colonel；

and　thereafter　it　consisted　of　three。　　One　night；　however；　the

riders　did　not　appear　at　dinner；　and　there　was　considerable