susy, a story of the plains-第6节

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shield；〃　his　lance；　and　〃uncontrolled　crest。〃



Nevertheless；　the　warlike　teamster　was　not　without　embarrassment。

Muttering　something　about　the　necessity　of　〃looking　after　his

stock；〃　he　achieved　a　hesitating　bow；　backed　awkwardly　out　of　the

door；　and　receiving　from　the　conquering　hands　of　the　young　girl　his

weapons　again；　was　obliged　to　carry　them　somewhat　ingloriously　in

his　hands　across　the　road；　and　put　them　on　the　wagon　seat；　where；　in

company　with　the　culinary　articles；　they　seemed　to　lose　their

distinctively　aggressive　character。　　Here；　although　his　cheek　was

still　flushed　from　his　peaceful　encounter；　his　voice　regained　some

of　its　hoarse　severity　as　he　drove　the　oxen　from　the　muddy　pool　into

which　they　had　luxuriantly　wandered；　and　brought　their　fodder　from

the　wagon。　　Later；　as　the　sun　was　setting；　he　lit　a　corn…cob　pipe；

and　somewhat　ostentatiously　strolled　down　the　road；　with　a　furtive

eye　lingering　upon　the　still　open　door　of　the　farmhouse。　　Presently

two　angular　figures　appeared　from　it；　the　farmer　and　his　wife；

intent　on　barter。



These　he　received　with　his　previous　gloomy　preoccupation；　and　a

slight　variation　of　the　story　he　had　told　their　daughter。　　It　is

possible　that　his　suggestive　indifference　piqued　and　heightened　the

bargaining　instincts　of　the　woman；　for　she　not　only　bought　the

skillet；　but　purchased　a　clock　and　a　roll　of　carpeting。　　Still　more；

in　some　effusion　of　rustic　courtesy；　she　extended　an　invitation　to

him　to　sup　with　them；　which　he　declined　and　accepted　in　the　same

embarrassed　breath；　returning　the　proffered　hospitality　by

confidentially　showing　them　a　couple　of　dried　scalps；　presumably　of

Indian　origin。　　It　was　in　the　same　moment　of　human　weakness　that　he

answered　their　polite　query　as　to　〃what　they　might　call　him；〃　by

intimating　that　his　name　was　〃Red　Jim；〃a　title　of　achievement　by

which　he　was　generally　known；　which　for　the　present　must　suffice

them。　　But　during　the　repast　that　followed　this　was　shortened　to

〃Mister　Jim；〃　and　even　familiarly　by　the　elders　to　plain　〃Jim。〃

Only　the　young　girl　habitually　used　the　formal　prefix　in　return　for

the　〃Miss　Phoebe〃　that　he　called　her。



With　three　such　sympathetic　and　unexperienced　auditors　the　gloomy

embarrassment　of　Red　Jim　was　soon　dissipated；　although　it　could

hardly　be　said　that　he　was　generally　communicative。　　Dark　tales　of

Indian　warfare；　of　night　attacks　and　wild　stampedes；　in　which　he　had

always　taken　a　prominent　part；　flowed　freely　from　his　lips；　but

little　else　of　his　past　history　or　present　prospects。　　And　even　his

narratives　of　adventure　were　more　or　less　fragmentary　and　imperfect

in　detail。



〃You　woz　saying；〃　said　the　farmer；　with　slow；　matter　of　fact；　New

England　deliberation；　〃ez　how　you　guessed　you　woz　beguiled　amongst

the　Injins　by　your　Mexican　partner；　a　pow'ful　influential　man；　and

yet　you　woz　the　only　one　escaped　the　gen'ral　slarterin'。　　How　came

the　Injins　to　kill　HIM；their　friend？〃



〃They　didn't；〃　returned　Jim；　with　ominously　averted　eyes。



〃What　became　of　him？〃　continued　the　farmer。



Red　Jim　shadowed　his　eyes　with　his　hand；　and　cast　a　dark　glance　of

scrutiny　out　of　the　doors　and　windows。　　The　young　girl　perceived　it

with　timid；　fascinated　concern；　and　said　hurriedly：



〃Don't　ask　him；　father！　　Don't　you　see　he　mustn't　tell？〃



〃Not　when　spies　may　be　hangin'　round；　and　doggin'　me　at　every　step；〃

said　Red　Jim；　as　if　reflecting；　with　another　furtive　glance　towards

the　already　fading　prospect　without。　　〃They've　sworn　to　revenge

him；〃　he　added　moodily。



A　momentary　silence　followed。　　The　farmer　coughed　slightly；　and

looked　dubiously　at　his　wife。　　But　the　two　women　had　already

exchanged　feminine　glances　of　sympathy　for　this　evident　slayer　of

traitors；　and　were　apparently　inclined　to　stop　any　adverse

criticism。



In　the　midst　of　which　a　shout　was　heard　from　the　road。　　The　farmer

and　his　family　instinctively　started。　　Red　Jim　alone　remained

unmoved；a　fact　which　did　not　lessen　the　admiration　of　his　feminine

audience。　　The　host　rose　quickly；　and　went　out。　　The　figure　of　a

horseman　had　halted　in　the　road；　but　after　a　few　moments'

conversation　with　the　farmer　they　both　moved　towards　the　house　and

disappeared。　　When　the　farmer　returned；　it　was　to　say　that　〃one　of

them　'Frisco　dandies；　who　didn't　keer　about　stoppin'　at　the　hotel

in　the　settlement；〃　had　halted　to　give　his　〃critter〃　a　feed　and

drink　that　he　might　continue　his　journey。　　He　had　asked　him　to　come

in　while　the　horse　was　feeding；　but　the　stranger　had　〃guessed　he'd

stretch　his　legs　outside　and　smoke　his　cigar；〃　he　might　have　thought

the　company　〃not　fine　enough　for　him；〃　but　he　was　〃civil　spoken

enough；　and　had　an　all…fired　smart　hoss；　and　seemed　to　know　how　to

run　him。〃　　To　the　anxious　inquiries　of　his　wife　and　daughter　he

added　that　the　stranger　didn't　seem　like　a　spy　or　a　Mexican；　was　〃as

young　as　HIM；〃　pointing　to　the　moody　Red　Jim；　〃and　a　darned　sight

more　peaceful…like　in　style。〃



Perhaps　owing　to　the　criticism　of　the　farmer；　perhaps　from　some

still　lurking　suspicion　of　being　overheard　by　eavesdroppers；　or

possibly　from　a　humane　desire　to　relieve　the　strained　apprehension

of　the　women；　Red　Jim；　as　the　farmer　disappeared　to　rejoin　the

stranger；　again　dropped　into　a　lighter　and　gentler　vein　of

reminiscence。　　He　told　them　how；　when　a　mere　boy；　he　had　been　lost

from　an　emigrant　train　in　company　with　a　little　girl　some　years　his

junior。　　How；　when　they　found　themselves　alone　on　the　desolate

plain；　with　the　vanished　train　beyond　their　reach；　he　endeavored　to

keep　the　child　from　a　knowledge　of　the　real　danger　of　their

position；　and　to　soothe　and　comfort　her。　　How　he　carried　her　on　his

back；　until；　exhausted；　he　sank　in　a　heap　of　sage…brush。　　How　he　was

surrounded　by　Indians；　who；　however；　never　suspected　his　hiding…

place；　and　how　he　remained　motionless　and　breathless　with　the

sleeping　child　for　three　hours；　until　they　departed。　　How；　at　the

last　moment；　he　had　perceived　a　train　in　the　distance；　and　had

staggered　with　her　thither；　although　shot　at　and　wounded　by　the

trainmen　in　the　belief　that　he　was　an　Indian。　　How　it　was　afterwards

discovered　that　the　child　was　the　long…lost　daughter　of　a

millionaire；　how　he　had　resolutely　refused　any　gratuity　for　saving

her；　and　she　was　now　a　peerless　young　heiress；　famous　in　California。

Whether　this　lighter　tone　of　narrative　suited　him　better；　or　whether

the　active　feminine　sympathy　of　his　auditors　helped　him　along；

certain　it　was　that　his　story　was　more　coherent　and　intelligible　and

his　voice　less　hoarse　and　constrained　than　in　his　previous

belligerent　reminiscences；　his　expression　changed；　and　even　his

features　worked　into　something　like　gentler　emotion。　　The　bright

eyes　of　Phoebe；　fastened　upon　him；　turned　dim　with　a　faint　moisture；

and　her　pale　cheek　took　upon　itself　a　little　color。　　The　mother；

after　interjecting　〃Du　tell；〃　and　〃I　wanter　know；〃　remained　open…

mouthed；　staring　at　her　visitor。　　And　in　the　silence　that　followed；

a　pleasant；　but　somewhat　melancholy　voice　came　from　the　open　door。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　but　I　thought　I　couldn’t　be　mistaken。　　It　IS　my

old　friend；　Jim　Hooker！〃



Everybody　started。　　Red　Jim　stumbled　to　his　feet　with　an

inarticulate　and　hysteric　exclamation。　　Yet　the　apparition　that　now

stood　in　the　doorway　was　far　from　being　terrifying　or　discomposing。

It　was　evidently　the　stranger；a　slender；　elegantly…knit　figure；

whose　upper　lip　was　faintly　shadowed　by　a　soft；　dark　mustache

indicating　early　manhood；　and　whose　unstudied　ease　in　his　well…

fitting　garments　bespoke　the　dweller　of　cities。　　Good…looking　and

well…dressed；　without　the　consciousness　of　being　either；　self…

possessed　through　easy　circumstances；　yet　without　self…assertion；

courteous　by　nature　and　instinct　as　well　as　from　an　experience　of

granting　favors；　he　might　have　been　a　welcome　addition　to　even　a

more　critical　company。　　But　Red　Jim；　hurriedly　seizing　his

outstretched　hand；　instantly　dragged　him　away　from　the　doorway　into

the　road　and　out　of　hearing　of　his　audience。



〃Did　you　hear　what　I　was　saying？〃　he　asked　hoarsely。



〃Well；　yes；I　think　so；〃　returned　the　stranger；　with　a　quiet　smile。



〃Ye　ain't　goin'　back　on　me；　Clarence；　are　ye；ain't　goin'　to　gimme

away　afore　them；　old　pard；　are　ye？〃　said　Jim；　with　a　sudden　change

to　almost　pathetic　pleading。



〃No；〃　returned　the　stranger；　smiling。　　〃And　certainly　not　before

that　interested　young　lady；　Jim。　　But　stop。　　Let　me　look　at　you。〃



He　held　out　both　hands；　took　Jim's；　spread　them　apart　for　a　moment

with　a　boyish　gesture；　and；　looking　in　his　face；　said　half

mischievously；　half　sadly；　〃Yes；　it's　the　same　old　Jim　Hooker；

unchanged。〃



〃But　YOU'RE　changed；reg'lar　war　paint；　Big　Injin　style！〃　said

Hooker；　looking　up　at　him　with　an　awkward　mingling　of　admiration　and

envy。　　〃Heard　you　struck　it　rich　with　the　old　man；　and　was　Mister

Brant　now！〃



〃Yes；〃　said