the heritage of the sioux-第11节

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top；　looking　down　at　the　way　Jean　came；　and　then　I　can　pick　you　up　on　an

easier　trail。　But　if　you　want　to　do　it；　it　will　save　some　cut…backs　and　put

another　little　punch　in　here。　Either　way　it's　up　to　you。〃



The　voice　of　Annie…Many…Ponies　did　not　rise　to　a　higher　key　when　she　spoke；

but　it　had　in　it　a　clear　incisiveness　that　carried　her　answer　to　Ramon　and

made　him　understand　that　she　was　speaking　for　his　ears。



〃I　come　down　with　big　punch；〃　she　said。



〃Where　Jean　came？　You're　riding　bareback；　remember。〃



〃No　matter。　I　come　down　jus'　same。〃　And　she　added　with　a　haughty　tilt　of　her

chin；　〃That's　easy　place　for　me。〃



Luck　eyed　her　steadfastly；　a　smile　of　approval　on　his　face。　〃All　right。　I　know

you've　got　plenty　of　nerve；　Annie。　You　mount　and　ride　up　that　draw　till　you

get　to　the　ridge。　Come　up　to　where　you　can　see　camp　over　the　brow　of　the

hillsabe？and　then　wait　till　I　whistle。　One　whistle；　get　ready　to　come

down。　Two　whistles；　you；　come。　Ride　past　camera；　just　the　way　Jean　did。　You

know　you're　following　the　white　girl　and　trying　to　catch　up　with　her。　You're　a

friend　and　you　have　a　message　for　her；　but　she's　scared　and　is　running　away

sabe？　You　want　to　come　down　slow　first　and　pick　your　trail？〃



〃No。〃　Annie…Many…Ponies　started　toward　the　pinto　pony　which　was　her　mount　in

this　picture。　〃I　come　down　hill。　I　make　big　punch　for　you。　Pete　turn　camera。〃



〃You've　got　more　nerve　than　I　have；　Annie；〃　Jean　told　her　good…naturedly　as

she　went　by。　〃I'd　hate　to　run　a　horse　down　there　bareback。〃



〃I　go　where　Wagalexa　Conka　say。〃　From　the　corner　of　her　eye　she　saw　the　quick

frown　of　jealousy　upon　the　face　of　Ramon；　and　her　pulse　gave　an　extra　beat　of

triumph。



With　an　easy　spring　she　mounted　the　pinto　pony；　took　the　reins　of　her　squaw

bridle　that　was　her　only　riding　gear；　folded　her　gay　blanket　snugly　around　her

uncorseted　body　and　touched　the　pinto　with　her　moccasined　heels。　She　was

readyready　to　the　least　little　tensed　nerve　that　tingled　with　eagerness

under　the　calm　surface。



She　rode　slowly　past　luck；　got　her　few　final　instructions　and　a　warning　to　be

careful　and　to　take　no　chances　of　an　accidentwhich　brought　that　inscrutable

smile　to　her　face；　for　Wagalexa　Conka　knew；　and　she　knew　also；　that　in　the

mere　act　of　riding　down　that　slope　faster　than　a　walk　she　was　taking　a　chance

of　an　accident。　It　was　that　risk　that　lightened　her　heart　which　had　been　so

heavy　all　day。　The　greater　the　risk；　the　more　eager　was　she　to　take　it。　She

would　show　Ramon　that　she；　too；　could　ride。



〃Oh；　do　be　careful；　Annie！〃　Jean　called　anxiously　when　she　was　riding　into　the

mouth　of　the　draw。　〃Turn　to　the　right；　when　you　come　to　that　big　flat　rock；

and　don't　come　down　where　I　did。　It's　too　steep。　Really；〃　she　drawled　to

Rosemary　and　Lite；　〃my　heart　was　in　my　mouth　when　I　came　straight　down　by　that

rock。　It's　a　lot　steeper　than　it　looks　from　here。〃



〃She　won't　go　round　it；〃　Rosemary　predicted　pessimistically。　〃She's　in　one　of

her　contrary　moods　today。　She'll　come　down　the　worst　way　she　can　find　just　to

scare　the　life　out　of　us。〃



Up　the　steep　draw　that　led　to　the　top；　Annie…Many…Ponies　rode　exultantly。　She

would　show　Ramon　that　she　could　ride　wherever　the　white　girl　dared　ride。　She

would　shame　Wagalexa　Conka；　too；　for　his　injustice　to　her。　She　would　put　the

too；　　for　　big　punch　in　that　scene　orshe　would　ride　no　more；　unless　it　were

upon　a　white　cloud；　drifting　across　the　moon　at　night　and　looking；　down　at

this　world　and　upon　Ramon。



At　the　top　of　the　ridge　she　rode　out　to　the　edge　and　made　the　peace…sign　to

Luck　as　a　signal　that　she　was　ready　to　do　his　bidding。　Incidentally；　while　she

held　her　hand　high　over　her　head；　her　eyes　swept　keenly　the　bowlder…strewn

bluff　beneath　her。　A　little　to　one　side　was　a　narrow　backbone　of　smoother　soil

than　the　rest；　and　here　were　printed　deep　the　marks　of　Jean's　horse。　Even

there　it　was　steep；　and　there　was　a　bank；　down　there　by　the　big　flat　rock

which　Jean　had　mentioned。　Annie…Many…Ponies　looked　daringly　to　the　left；　where

one　would　say　the　bluff　was　impassable。　There　she　would　come　down；　and　no

other　place。　She　would　show　Ramon　what　she　could　dohe　who　had　praised　boldly

another　when　she　was　by！



〃All　right；　Annie！〃　Luck　called　to　her　through　his　megaphone。　〃Go　back　now　and

wait　for　whistle。　Ride　along　the　edge　when　you　come；　from　bushes　to　where　you

stand。　I　want　silhouette；　you　coming。　You　sabe？〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　raised　her　hand　even　with　her　breast；　and　swept　it　out　and

upward　in　the　Indian　sign…talk　which　meant　〃yes。〃　Luck's　eyes　flashed

appreciation　of　the　gesture；　he　loved　the　sign…talk　of　the　old　plains　tribes。



〃Be　careful；　Annie；〃　he　cried　impulsively。　〃I　don't　want　you　to　be　hurt。〃　He

dropped　the　megaphone　as　she　swung　her　horse　back　from　the　edge　and

disappeared。　〃I'd　cut　the　whole　scene　out　if　I　didn't　know　what　a　rider　she

is；〃　he　added　to　the　others；　more　uneasy　than　he　cared　to　own。　〃But　it　would

hurt　her　a　heap　more　if　I　wouldn't　let　her　ride　where　Jean　rode。　She's　proud；

awfully　proud　and　sensitive。〃



〃I'm　glad　you're　letting　her　do　it；〃　Jean　said　sympathetically。　〃She'd　hate　me

if　you　hadn't。　But　I'm　going　to　watch　her　with　my　eyes　shut；　just　the　same。

It's　an　awfully　mean　place　in　spots。〃



〃She'll　make　it；　all　right；〃　Luck　declared。　But　his　tone　was　not　so　confident

as　his　words；　and　he　was　manifestly　reluctant　to　place　the　whistle　to　his

lips。　He　fussed　with　his　script；　and　he　squinted　into　the　viewfinder；　and　he

made　certain　for　the　second　time　just　where　the　side…lines　came；　and　thrust

half　an　inch　deeper　in　the　sandy　soil　the　slender　stakes　which　would　tell

Annie…Many…Ponies　where　she　must　guide　the　pinto　when　she　came　tearing　down　to

foreground。　But　he　could　delay　the　signal　only　so　long；　unless　he　cut　out　the

scene　altogether。



〃Get　back；　over　on　that　side；　Bill；〃　he　commanded　harshly。　〃Leave　her　plenty

of　room　to　pass　that　side　of　the　camera。　All　ready；　Pete？〃　Then；　as　if　he

wanted　to　have　it　over　with　as　soon　as　possible；　he　whistled　once；　waited

while　he　might　have　counted　twenty；　perhaps；　and　sent　shrilling　through　the

sunshine　the　signal　that　would　bring　her。



They　watched；　holding　their　breaths　in　fearful　expectancy。　Then　they　saw　her

flash　into　view　and　come　galloping　down　along　the　edge　of　the　ridge　where　the

hill　fell　away　so　steeply　that　it　might　be　called　a　cliff。　Indian　fashion；　she

was　whipping　the　pinto　down　both　sides　with　the　end　of　her　reins。　Her　slim

legs　hung　straight；　her　moccasined　toes　pointing　downward。　One　corner　of　her

red…and…green　striped　blanket　flapped　out　behind　her。　Hastethe　haste　of　the

pursuershowed　in　every　movement；　every　line　of　her　figure。



She　came　to　the　descent；　and　the　pinto；　having　no　desire　for　applause　but　a

very　great　hankering　for　whole　bones　in　his　body；　planted　his　forefeet　and

slid　to　a　stop　upon　the　brink。　His　snort　came　clearly　down　to　those　below　who

watched。



〃He　won't　tackle　it；〃　Pete　Lowry　predicted　philosophically　while　he　turned　the

camera　crank　steadily　round　and　round　and　held　himself　ready　to　〃panoram〃　the

scene　if　the　pinto　bolted。



But　the　pinto；　having　Annie…Many…Ponies　to　reckon　with；　did　not　bolt。　The

braided　rein…end　of　her　squaw　bridle　lashed　him　stingingly；　the　moccasined

heels　dug　without　mercy　into　the　tender　part　of　his　flanks。　He　came　lunging

down　over　the　first　rim　of　the　bluff；　then　since　he　must；　he　gathered　himself

for　the　ordeal　and　came　leaping　down　and　down　and　down；　gaining　momentum　with

every　jump。　He　could　not　have　stopped　then　if　he　had　triedand

Annie…Many…Ponies；　still　the　incarnation　of　eager　pursuit；　would　not　let　him

try。



At　the　big　flat　rock　of　which　Jean　had　warned　her；　the　pinto　would　have

swerved。　But　she　yanked　him　into　the　　straighter　descent；　down　over　the　bank。

He　leaped；　and　he　fell　and　slid　twice　his　own　length；　his　nose　rooting　the　

soil。　Annie…Many…Ponies　lurched；　came　hard　against　a　boulder　and　somehow　flung

herself　into　place　again　on　the　horse。　She　lifted　his　head　and　called　to　him

in　short；　harsh；　Indian　words。　The　pinto　scrambled　to　his　knees；　got　to　　his

feet　and　felt　again　the　sting　of　the　rein…end　in　his　flanks。　Like　a　rabbit　he

came　bounding　down；　down　where　the　way　was　steepest　and　most　treacherous。　And

at　every　jump　the　rein…end　fell；　first　on　one　side　and　then　along　the　other；

as　a　skilled　canoeman　shifts　the　paddle　to　force　his　slight　craft　forward　in　a

treacherous　current。



Down　the　last　slope　he　came　thundering。　On　his　back　Annie…Many…Ponies　lashed

him　steadily；　straining　her　eyes　in　the　direction　which　Jean　had　taken　past

the　camera。　She　knew　that　they　were　watching　hershe　knew　also　that　the

camera　crank　in　Pete　Lowry's　hands　was　turning；　turning；　recording　every　move

of　hers；　every　little　changing　expression。　She　swept　down　upon　them　so　close

that　Pete　grabbed　the　tripod　with　one　hand；　ready　to　lift　it　and　dodge　away

from　the　coming　collision。　Sti