the heritage of the sioux-第1节

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The　Heritage　of　the　Sioux


by　B。M。　Bower







I　　　　　WHEN　GREEN　GRASS　COMES

II　　　　THE　DAUGHTER　OF　A　CHIEF

III　　　TO　THE　VICTORS　THE　SPOILS

IV　　　　LOVE　WORDS　FOR　ANNIE

V　　　　　FOR　THE　GOOD　OF　THE　COMPANY

VI　　　　〃I　GO　WHERE　WAGALEXA　CONKA　SAY〃

VII　　　ADVENTURE　COMES　SMILING

VIII　　THE　SONG　OF　THE　OMAHA

IX　　　　RIDERS　IN　THE　BACKGROUND

X　　　　　DEPUTIES　ALL

XI　　　　ALL　THIS　WAR…TALK　ABOUT　INJUNS

XII　　　THE　WILD…GOOSE　CHASE

XIII　　SET　AFOOT

XIV　　　ONE　PUT　OVER　ON　THE　BUNCH

XV　　　　〃NOW；　DANG　IT；　RIDE！〃　

XVI　　　ANNIE…MANY…PONIES　WAITS　

XVII　　APPLEHEAD　SHOWS　THE　STUFF　HE　IS　MADE　OF

XVIII　IN　THE　DEVIL'S　FRYING…PAN

XIX　　　PEACE　TALK

XX　　　　LUIS　ROJAS　TALKS

XXI　　　〃WAGALEXA　CONKACOLA！〃　









THE　HERITAGE　OF　THE　SIOUX　by　　B。　M。　Bower　





CHAPTER　I。　WHEN　GREEN　GRASS　COMES



Old　Applehead　Furrman；　jogging　home　across　the　mesa　from　Albuquerque；　sniffed

the　soft　breeze　that　came　from　opal…tinted　distances　and　felt　poignantly　that

spring　was　indeed　here。　The　grass；　thick　and　green　in　the　sheltered　places；

was　fast　painting　all　the　higher　ridges　and　foot…hill　slopes；　and　with　the

green　grass　came　the　lank…bodied；　big…kneed　calves；　which　meant　that。　roundup

time　was　at　hand。　Applehead　did　not　own　more　than　a　thousand　head　of　cattle；

counting　every　hoof　that　walked　under　his　brand。　And　with　the　incipient

lethargy　of　old　age　creeping　into　his　habits　of　life；　roundup　time　was　not

with　him　the　important　season　it　once　had　been；　for　several　years　he　had　been

content　to　hire　a　couple　of　men　to　represent　him　in　the　roundups　of　the　larger

outfitsmen　whom　he　could　trust　to　watch　fairly　well　his　interests。　By　that

method　he　avoided　much　trouble　and　hurry　and　hard　workand　escaped　also　the

cares　which　come　with　wealth。　



But　this　spring　was　not　as　other　springs　had　been。　Somethingwhether　an

awakened　ambition　or　an　access　of　sentiment　regarding　range　matters；　he　did

not　knowwas　stirring　the　blood　in　Applehead's　veins。　Never；　since　the　days

when　he　had　been　a　cowpuncher；　had　the　wide　spaces　called　to　him　so

alluringly；　never　had　his　mind　dwelt　so　insistently　upon　the　approach　of

spring　roundup。　Perhaps　it　was　because　he　heard　so　much　range　talk　at　the

ranch；　where　the　boys　of　the　Flying　U　were　foregathered　in　uneasy　idleness；

their　fingers　itching　for　the　feel　of　lariat　ropes　and　branding　irons　while

they　gazed　out　over　the　wide　spaces　of　the　mesa。



So　much　good　rangeland　unharnessed　by　wire　fencing　the　Flying　U　boys　had　not

seen　for　many　a　day。　During　the　winter　they　had　been　content　to　ride　over　it

merely　for　the　purpose　of　helping　to　make　a　motion　picture　of　the　range；　but

with　the　coming　of　green　grass；　and　with　the　reaction　that　followed　the

completion　of　the　picture　that　in　the　making　had　filled　all　their　thoughts；

they　were　not　so　content。　To　the　inevitable　reaction　had　been　added　a　nerve

racking　period　of　idleness　and　uncertainty　while　Luck　Lindsay；　their　director；

strove　with　the　Great　Western　Film　Company　in　Los　Angeles　for　terms　and　prices

that　would　make　for　the　prosperity　of　himself　and　his　company。　



In　his　heart　Applehead　knew；　just　as　the　Happy　Family　knew；　that　Luck　had　good

and　sufficient　reasons　for　over…staying　the　time…limit　he　had　given　himself

for　the　trip。　But　knowing　that　Luck　was　not　to　be　blamed　for　his　long　absence

did　not　lessen　their　impatience；　nor　did　it　stifle　the　call　of　the　wide　spaces

nor　the　subtle　influence　of　the　winds　that　blew　softly　over　the　uplands。　



By　the　time　he　reached　the　ranch　Applehead　had　persuaded　himself　that　the

immediate　gathering　of　his　cattle　was　an　imperative　duty　and　that　he　himself

must　perform　it。　He　could　not；　he　told　himself；　afford　to　wait　around　any

longer　for　luck。　Maybe　when　he　came　Luck　would　have　nothing　but　disappointment

for　them；　MaybeLuck　was　so　consarned　stubborn　when　he　got　an　idea　in　his

headmaybe　be　wouldn't　come　to　any　agreement　with　the　Great　Western。　Maybe

they　wouldn't　offer　him　enough　money；　or　leave　him　enough　freedom　in　his　work；

maybe　he　would　〃fly　back　on　the　rope〃　at　the　last　minute；　and　come　back　with

nothing　accomplished。　Applehead；　with　the　experience　gleaned　from　the　stress

of　seeing　luck　produce　one　feature　picture　without　any　financial　backing

whatever　and　without　half　enough　capital；　was　not　looking　forward　with　any

enthusiasm　to　another　such　ordeal。　He　did　not　believe；　when　all　was　said　and

done；　that　the　Flying　U　boys　would　be　so　terribly　eager　to　repeat　the

performance。　He　did　believeor　he　made　himself　think　he　believedthat　the

only　sensible　thing　to　do　right　then　was　to　take　the　boys　and　go　out　and　start

a　roundup　of　his　own。　It　wouldn't　take　longhis　cattle　weren't　so　badly

scattered　this　year。　



〃Where's　Andy　at？〃　he　asked　Pink；　who　happened　to　be　leaning　boredly　over　the

gate　when　he　rode　up　to　the　corral。　Andy　Green；　having　been　left　in　nominal

charge　of　the　outfit　when　Luck　left；　must　be　consulted；　Applehead　supposed。



〃Andy？　I　dunno。　He　saddled　up　and　rode　off　somewhere；　a　while　ago；〃　Pink

answered　glumly。　〃That's　more　than　he'll　let　any　of　us　fellows　do；　the　way

he's　close…herding　us　makes　me　tired！　Any　news？〃



〃Ain't　ary　word　from　Luckno　word　of　NO　kind。　I've　about　made　up　my　mind　to

take　the　chuck…wagon　to　town　and　stock　it　with　grub；　and　hit　out　on　roundup

t'morrer　or　next　day。　I　don't　see　as　there's　any　sense　in　setting　around　here

waitin'　on　Luck　and　lettin'　my　own　work　slide。　Chavez　boys；　they　started　out

yest'day；　I　heard　in　town。　And　if　I　don't　git　right　out　close　onto　their

heels；　I'll　likely　find　myself　with　a　purty　light　crop　uh　calves；　now　I'm

tellin'　yuh　I〃　Applehead；　so　completely　had　he　come　under　the　spell　of　the

soft　spring　air　and　the　lure　of　the　mesa；　actually　forgot　that　he　had　long

been　in　the　habit　of　attending　to　his　calf　crop　by　proxy。　



Pink's　face　brightened　briefly。　Then　he　remembered　why　they　were　being　kept　so

close　to　the　ranch；　and　he　grew　bored　again。



〃What　if　Luck　pulled　in　before　we　got　back；　and　wanted　us　to　start　work　on

another　picture？〃　he　asked；　discouraging　the　idea　reluctantly。　Pink　had

himself　been　listening　to　the　call　of　the　wide　spaces；　and　the　mere　mention　of

roundup　had　a　thrill　for　him。



〃Well；　now；　I　calc'late　my　prope'ty　is　might'　nigh　as　important　as　Luck's

pitcher…making；〃　Applehead　contended　with　a　selfishness　born　of　his　newly

awakened　hunger　for　the　far　distances。　〃And　he　ain't　sent　ary　word　that　he's

coming；　or　will　need　you　boys　immediate。　The　chances　is　we　could　go　and　git

back　agin　before　Luck　shows　up。　And　if　we　don't；〃　he　argued　speciously；　〃he

can't　blame　nobody　for　not　wantin'　to　set　around　on　their　haunches　all　spring

waiting　for　'im。　I'd　do　a　lot　fer　luck；　I've　DONE　a　lot　fer　'im。　But　it　ain't

to　be　expected　I'd　set　around　waitin'　on　him　and　let　them　danged　Mexicans

rustle　my　calves。　They'll　do　it　if　they　git　half　a　shownow　I'm　tellin'　yuh！〃



Pink　did　not　say　anything　at　all；　either　in　assent　or　argument；　but　old

Applehead；　now　that　he　had　established　a　plausible　reason　for　his　sudden

impulse；　went　on　arguing　the　case　while　he　unsaddled　his　horse。　By　the　time　he

turned　the　animal　loose　he　had　thought　of　two　or　three　other　reasons　why　he

should　take　the　boys　and　start　out　as　soon　as　possible　to　round　up　his　cattle。

He　was　still　dilating　upon　these　reasons　when　Andy　Green　rode　slowly　down　the

slope　to　the　corral。　



〃Annie…Many…Ponies　come　back　yet？〃　he　asked　of　Pink；　as　he　swung　down　off　his

horse。　〃Annie？　No；　ain't　seen　anything　of　her。　Shunky's　been　sitting　out　there

on　the　hill　for　the　last　hour；　looking　for　her。〃



〃Fer　half　a　cent；〃　threatened　old　Applehead；　in　a　bad　humor　because　his

arguments　had　not　quite　convinced　him　that　he　was　not　meditating　a　disloyalty；

〃I'd　kill　that　danged　dawg。　And　if　I　was　runnin'　this　bunch；　I'd　send　that

squaw　back　where　she　come　from；　and　I'd　send　her　quick。　Take　the　two　of　'em

together　and　they　don't　set　good　with　me；　now　I'm　tellin'　yuh！　If　I　was　to　say

what　I　think；　I'd　say　yuh　can't　never　trust　an　Injunand　shiny　hair　and　eyes

and　slim　build　don't　make　'em　no　trustier。　They's　something　scaley　goin'　on

around　here；　and　I'd　gamble　on　it。　And　that　there　squaw's　at　the　bottom　of　it。

What　fur's　she　ridin'　off　every　day；　'n'　nobody　knowin'　where　she　goes　to？　If

Luck's　got　the　sense　he　used　to　have；　he'll　git　some　white　girl　to　act　in　his

pitchers；　and　send　that　there　squaw　home　'fore　she　double…crosses　him　some　way

or　other。〃



〃Oh；　hold　on；　Applehead！〃　Pink　felt　constrained　to　defend　the　girl。　〃You've

got　it　in　for　her　'cause　her　dog　don't　like　your　cat。　Annie's　all　right；　I

never　saw　anything　outa　the　way　with　her　yet。〃



〃Well；　now；　time　you're　old　as　I　be；　you'll　have　some　sense；　mebby；〃　Applehead

quelled。　〃Course　you　think　Annie's　all　right。　She's　purty；'n'　purtyness　in　a

woman　shore　does　cover　up　a　pile　uh　cussednessto　a　feller　under　forty。

You're　boss　here；　Andy。　When　she　comes　back；　you　ask　'er　where　she's　been；