a waif of the plains(草原流浪儿)-第2节
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conventionality； 〃President。〃 It was safe； required no embarrassing
description； and had been approved by benevolent old gentlemen with
their hands on his head。
〃I'm goin' to be a parson's wife；〃 said Susy； 〃and keep hens； and have
things giv' to me。 Baby clothes； and apples； and apple sass and
melasses！ and more baby clothes！ and pork when you kill。〃
She had thrown herself at the bottom of the wagon； with her back
towards him and her doll in her lap。 He could see the curve of her curly
head； and beyond； her bare dimpled knees； which were raised； and over
which she was trying to fold the hem of her brief skirt。
〃I wouldn't be a President's wife；〃 she said presently。
〃You couldn't！〃
〃Could if I wanted to！〃
〃Couldn't！〃
〃Could now！〃
〃Couldn't！〃
〃Why？〃
Finding it difficult to explain his convictions of her ineligibility；
Clarence thought it equally crushing not to give any。 There was a long
silence。 It was very hot and dusty。 The wagon scarcely seemed to
move。 Clarence gazed at the vignette of the track behind them formed by
the hood of the rear。 Presently he rose and walked past her to the tail…
board。 〃Goin' to get down；〃 he said； putting his legs over。
〃Maw says 'No；'〃 said Susy。
Clarence did not reply； but dropped to the ground beside the slowly
turning wheels。 Without quickening his pace he could easily keep his
hand on the tail…board。
〃Kla'uns。〃
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A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
He looked up。
〃Take me。〃
She had already clapped on her sun…bonnet and was standing at the
edge of the tail…board； her little arms extended in such perfect confidence
of being caught that the boy could not resist。 He caught her cleverly。
They halted a moment and let the lumbering vehicle move away from
them； as it swayed from side to side as if laboring in a heavy sea。 They
remained motionless until it had reached nearly a hundred yards； and then；
with a sudden half…real； half…assumed； but altogether delightful trepidation；
ran forward and caught up with it again。 This they repeated two or three
times until both themselves and the excitement were exhausted； and they
again plodded on hand in hand。 Presently Clarence uttered a cry。
〃My！ Susylook there！〃
The rear wagon had once more slipped away from them a considerable
distance。 Between it and them； crossing its track； a most extraordinary
creature had halted。
At first glance it seemed a doga discomfited； shameless； ownerless
outcast of streets and byways； rather than an honest stray of some drover's
train。 It was so gaunt； so dusty； so greasy； so slouching； and so lazy！
But as they looked at it more intently they saw that the grayish hair of its
back had a bristly ridge； and there were great poisonous…looking dark
blotches on its flanks； and that the slouch of its haunches was a peculiarity
of its figure； and not the cowering of fear。 As it lifted its suspicious head
towards them they could see that its thin lips； too short to cover its white
teeth； were curled in a perpetual sneer。
〃Here； doggie！〃 said Clarence excitedly。 〃Good dog！ Come。〃
Susy burst into a triumphant laugh。 〃Et tain't no dog； silly； it's er
coyote。〃
Clarence blushed。 It wasn't the first time the pioneer's daughter had
shown her superior knowledge。 He said quickly； to hide his discomfiture；
〃I'll ketch him； any way； he's nothin' mor'n a ki yi。〃
〃Ye can't； tho；〃 said Susy； shaking her sun…bonnet。 〃He's faster nor a
hoss！〃
Nevertheless； Clarence ran towards him； followed by Susy。 When
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A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
they had come within twenty feet of him； the lazy creature； without
apparently the least effort； took two or three limping bounds to one side；
and remained at the same distance as before。 They repeated this onset
three or four times with more or less excitement and hilarity； the animal
evading them to one side； but never actually retreating before them。
Finally； it occurred to them both that although they were not catching him
they were not driving him away。 The consequences of that thought were
put into shape by Susy with round…eyed significance。
〃Kla'uns； he bites。〃
Clarence picked up a hard sun…baked clod； and； running forward；
threw it at the coyote。 It was a clever shot； and struck him on his
slouching haunches。 He snapped and gave a short snarling yelp； and
vanished。 Clarence returned with a victorious air to his companion。
But she was gazing intently in the opposite direction； and for the first time
he discovered that the coyote had been leading them half round a circle。
〃Kla'uns；〃 said Susy； with a hysterical little laugh。
〃Well？〃
〃The wagon's gone。〃
Clarence started。 It was true。 Not only their wagon； but the whole
train of oxen and teamsters had utterly disappeared； vanishing as
completely as if they had been caught up in a whirlwind or engulfed in the
earth！ Even the low cloud of dust that usually marked their distant
course by day was nowhere to be seen。 The long level plain stretched
before them to the setting sun； without a sign or trace of moving life or
animation。 That great blue crystal bowl； filled with dust and fire by day；
with stars and darkness by night； which had always seemed to drop its rim
round them everywhere and shut them in； seemed to them now to have
been lifted to let the train pass out； and then closed down upon them
forever。
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A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
CHAPTER II
Their first sensation was one of purely animal freedom。
They looked at each other with sparkling eyes and long silent breaths。
But this spontaneous outburst of savage nature soon passed。 Susy's little
hand presently reached forward and clutched Clarence's jacket。 The boy
understood it； and said quickly；
〃They ain't gone far； and they'll stop as soon as they find us gone。〃
They trotted on a little faster； the sun they had followed every day and
the fresh wagon tracks being their unfailing guides； the keen； cool air of
the plains； taking the place of that all… pervading dust and smell of the
perspiring oxen； invigorating them with its breath。
〃We ain't skeered a bit； are we？〃 said Susy。
〃What's there to be afraid of？〃 said Clarence scornfully。 He said this
none the less strongly because he suddenly remembered that they had been
often left alone in the wagon for hours without being looked after； and that
their absence might not be noticed until the train stopped to encamp at
dusk； two hours later。 They were not running very fast； yet either they
were more tired than they knew； or the air was thinner； for they both
seemed to breathe quickly。 Suddenly Clarence stopped。
〃There they are now。〃
He was pointing to a light cloud of dust in the far…off horizon； from
which the black hulk of a wagon emerged for a moment and was lost。
But even as they gazed the cloud seemed to sink like a fairy mirage to the
earth again； the whole train disappeared； and only the empty stretching
track returned。 They did not know that this seemingly flat and level plain
was really undulatory； and that the vanished train had simply dipped below
their view on some further slope even as it had once before。 But they
knew they were disappointed； and that disappointment revealed to them
the fact that they had concealed it from each other。 The girl was the first
to succumb； and burst into a quick spasm
