the heritage of the sioux-第13节

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the　adventure　itself　but　merely　a　rehearsal　and　general　preparation　for　the

real　performance。



This　had　been　on　Wednesday；　just　after　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　On

Saturday　forenoon　the　cashier　was　called　upon　the　phone　and　asked　if　a　part　of

that　robbery　stuff　could　be　retaken　that　day。　The　cashier　thrilled　instantly

at　the　thought　of　it。　Certainly；　they　could　retake　as　much　as　they　pleased。

Lucks　voiceor　a　voice　very　like　Luck'sthanked　him　and　said　that　they　would

not　need　to　retake　the　interior　stuff。　What　he　wanted　was　to　get　the　approach

to　the　bank　the　entrance　and　going　back　to　the　cashier。　That　part　of　the

negative　was　under…timed；　said　the　voice。　And　would　the　cashier　make　a　display

of　gold　behind　the　wicket；　so　that　the　camera　could　register　it　through　the

window？　The　cashier　thought　that　he　could。　〃Just　stack　it　up　good　and　high；〃

directed　the　voice。　〃The　more　the　better。　And　clear　the　bankhave　the　clerks

out；　and　every　thing　as　near　as　possible　to　what　it　was　the　other　day。　And　you

take　up　the　same　position。　The　scene　ends　where　Ramon　comes　back　and　grabs

you。〃



〃And　listen！　You　did　so　well　the　other　day　that　I'm　going　to　leave　this　to

you；　to　see　that　they　get　it　the　same。　I　can't　be　there　myselfI've　got　to

catch　some　atmosphere　stuff　down　here　in　Old　Town。　I'm　just　sending　my

assistant　camera　man　and　the　two　heavies　and　my　scenic　artist　for　this　retake。

it　won't　be　muchbut　be　sure　you　have　the　bank　cleared；　old　manbecause　it

would　ruin　the　following　scenes　to　have　extra　people　registered　in　this；　see？

You　did　such　dandy　work　in　that　struggle　that　I　want　it　to　stand。　Boy；　your

work's　sure　going　to　stand　out　on　the　screen！〃



Can　you　blame　the　cashier　for　drinking　in　every　word　of　that；　and　for　emptying

the　vault　of　gold　and　stacking　it　up　in　beautiful；　high　piles　where　the　sun

shone　on　it　through　the　windowand　where　it　would　be　within　easy　reach；　by

the　way！so　that　the　camera　could　〃register〃　it？



At　ten　minutes　past　twelve　he　had　gotten　rid　of　patrons　and　clerks；　and　he　had

the　gold　out　and　his　green　eyeshade　adjusted　as　becomingly　as　a　green　eyeshade

may　be　adjusted。　He　looked　out　and　saw　that　the　street　was　practically　empty；

because　of　the　hour　and　the　heat　that　was　almost　intolerable　where　the　sun

shone　full。　He　saw　a　big　red　machine　drive　up　to　the　corner　and　stop；　and　he。

saw　a　man　climb　out　with　camera　already　screwed；　to　the　tripod。　He　saw　the

bandits　throw　away　their　cigarettes　and　follow　the　camera　man；　and　then　he

hurried　back　and　took　up　his　station　beside　the　stacks　of　gold；　and　waited　in

a　twitter　of　excitement　for　this　unhoped…for　encore　of　last　Wednesday's

glorious　performance。　Through　the　window　he　watched　the　camera　being　set　up；

and　he　watched　also；　from　under　his　eyeshade；　the　approach　of　the　two　bandits。



From　there　on　a　gap　occurs　in　the　cashier's　memory　of　that　day。



Ramon　and　Luis　went　into　the　bank；　and　in　a　few　minutes　they　came　out　again

burdened　with　bags　of　specie　and　pulled　the　door　shut　with　the　spring　lock　set

and　the　blinds　down　that　proclaimed　the　bank　was　closed。　They　climbed　into　the

red　automobile；　the　camera　and　its　operator　followed；　and　the　machine　went

away　down　the　street　to　the　post…office；　turned　and　went　purring　into　the

Mexican　quarter　which　spreads　itself　out　toward　the　lower　bridge　that　spans

the　Rio　Grande。　This　much　a　dozen　persons　could　tell　you。　Beyond　that　no　man

seemed　to　know　what　became　of　the　outfit。



In　the　bank；　the　cashier　lay　back　across　a　desk　with　a　gag　in　his　mouth　and

his　hands　and　feet　tied；　and　with　a　welt　on　the　side　of　his　head　that　swelled

and　bled　sluggishly　for　a　while　and　then　stopped　and　became　an　angry　purple。

Where　the　gold　had　been　stacked　high　in　the　sunshine　the　marble　glistened

whitely；　with　not　so　much　as　a　five…dollar　piece　to　give　it　a　touch　of　color。

The　window　blinds　were　drawn　downthe　bank　was　closed。　And　people　passed　the

windows　and　never　guessed　that　within　there　lay　a　sickly　young　man　who　had

craved　adventure　and　found　it；　and　would　presently　awake　to　taste　its　bitter

flavor。



Away　off　across　the　mesa；　sweltering　among　the　rocks　in　Bear　Canon；　Luck

Lindsay　panted　and　sweated　and　cussed　the　heat　and　painstakingly　directed　his

scenes；　and　never　dreamed　that　a　likeness　of　his　voice　had　beguiled　the

cashier　of　the　Bernalillo　County　Bank　into　consenting　to　be　robbed　and　beaten

into　oblivion　of　his　betrayal。



Andalthough　some　heartless　teller　of　tales　might　keep　you　in　the　dark　about

thisthe　red　automobile；　having　dodged　hurriedly　into　a　high…boarded

enclosure　behind　a　Mexican　saloon；　emerged　presently　and　went　boldly　off

across　the　bridge　and　up　through　Atrisco　to　the　sand　hills　which　is　the

beginning　of　the　desert　off　that　way。　But　another　automobile；　bigger　and　more

powerful　and　black；　slipped　out　of　this　same　enclosure　upon　another　street；

and　turned　eastward　instead　of　west。　This　machine　made　for　the　mesa　by　a

somewhat　roundabout　course；　and　emerged；　by　way　of　a　rough　trail　up　a　certain

draw　in　the　edge　of　the　tableland；　to　the　main　road　where　it　turns　the　corner

of　the　cemetery。　From　there　the　driver　drove　as　fast　as　he　dared　until　he

reached　the　hill　that　borders　Tijeras　Arroyo。　There　being　no　sign　of　pursuit

to　this　point；　he　crossed　the　Arroyo　at　a　more　leisurely　pace。　Then　he　went

speeding　away　into　the　edge　of　the　mountains　until　they　reached　one　of　those

deep；　deserted　dry　washes　that　cut　the　foothills　here　and　there　near　Coyote

Springs。　There　his　passengers　left　him　and　disappeared　up　the　dry　wash。



Before　the　wound　on　the　cashier's　head　had　stopped　bleeding；　the　black

automobile　was　returning　innocently　to　town　and　no　man　guessed　what　business

had　called　it　out　upon　the　mesa。







CHAPTER　VIII。　THE　SONG　OF　THE　OMAHA



〃Me；　I　theenk　yoh　not　lov'　me　so　moch　as　a　pin；〃　Ramon　complained　in　soft

reproach；　down　in　the　dry　wash　where　Applehead　had　looked　in　vain　for　baling

wire。　〃Sometimes　I　show　yoh　what　is　like　the　Spanish　lov'。　Like　stars；　like

firesometimes　I　seeng　the　jota　for　you　that　tell　how　moch　I　lov'　yoh。　'Te

quiero；　Baturra；　te　quiero；'〃　he　began　humming　softly　while　he　looked　at　her

with　eyes　that　shone　soft　in　the　starlight。　〃Sometimes　me；　I　learn　yoh　dat

songand　moch　more　I　learn　yoh〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　stood　before　him；　straight　and　slim　and　with　that　air　of

aloofness　which　so　fired　Ramon's　desire　for　her。　She　lifted　a　hand　to　check

him；　and　Ramon　stopped　instantly　and　waited。　So　far　had　her　power　over　him

grown。



〃All　time　you　tell　me　you　heap　love；〃　she　said　in　her　crooning　soft　voice。　

〃Why　you　not　talk　of　priest　to　make　us　marry？　You　say　words　for　loveyou　say

no　word　for　wife。　Why　you　no　say〃



〃Esposa！〃　Ramon's　teeth　gleamed　white　as　a　wolf's　in　the　dusk。　〃When　the　padre

marry　us　I　maybe　teach　you　many　ways　to　say　wife！〃　He　laughed　under　his

breath。　〃How　I　calls　yoh　wife　when　I　not　gets　one　kees；　me？　Now　I　calls　yoh　la

sweetheartgood　enough　when　I　no　gets　so　moch　as　touches　hand　weeth　yoh。〃



〃I　go　way　with　you；　you　gets　priest　for　make　us　marry？〃　Annie…Many…Ponies

edged　closer　so　that　she　might　read　what　was　in　his　face。



〃Why　yoh　no　trus'　Ramon？　Sure；　I　gets　padre！　W'at　yoh　theenk　for　speak　lies；

me？　Sure；　I　gets　padre；　foolish　one！　Me；　I　not　like　for　yoh　no　trus'　Ramon。

Looks　like　not　moch　yoh　lov'　Ramon。〃



〃I　good　girl；〃　Annie…Many…Ponies　stated　simply。　〃I　love　my　husband　when　priest

says　that's　right　thing　to　do。　You　no　gets　priest；　I　no　go　with　you。　I　think

mens　not　much　cares　for　marry　all　time。　Womens　not　care；　they　go　to　hell。

That's　what　priest　tells。　Girls　got　to　care。　That's　truth。〃　Simple　as

two…plus…two　was　the　rule　of　life　as　Annie…Many…Ponies　laid　it　down　in　words

before　him。　No　fine　distinctions　between　virtue　and　superwomanhood　there；　if

you　please！　No　slurring　of　wrong　so　that　it　may　look　like　an　exalted　right。

〃Womens　got　to　care；〃　said　Annie…Many…Ponies　with　a　calm　certainty　that　would

brook　no　argument。



〃Sure　theeng；〃　Ramon　agreed　easily。　〃Yoh　theenk　I　lov'　yoh　so　moch　if　yoh　not

good？〃



〃You　gets　priest？〃　Annie…Many…Ponies　persisted。



〃Sure；　I　gets　padre。　You　theenk　Ramon　lies　for　soch　theeng？〃



〃You　swear；　then；　all　same　white　mans　in　picture　makes　oath。〃　There　was　a　new

quality　of　inflexibility　under　the　soft　music　of　her　voice。　〃You　lift　up　hand

and　says；　'Help　me　by　God　I　makes　you　for…sure　my　wife！'〃　She　had　pondered

long　upon　this　oath；　and　she　spoke　it　now　with　an　easy　certainty　that　it　was

absolutely　binding；　and　that　no　man　would　dare　break　it。　〃You　makes　that　swear

now；〃　she　urged　gently。



〃Foolish　one！　Yoh　theenk　I　mus'　swear　I　do　what　my　hearts　she's　want？　I　tell

yoh　many　　times　we　go　on　one　ranch　my　brother　Tomas　says　she's　be　mine。　We

lives　there　in　fine　house　weeth　mooch　flowers；　yoh　not　so　moch　as　lif'　one

finger　for　work；　querida　mia。　Yoh　theenk　I　not　be　trus'；　me；　Ramon　what　loves

yoh？〃



〃No　hurt　for　swears　what　I　tells