the heritage of the sioux-第14节

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yoh？〃



〃No　hurt　for　swears　what　I　tells；〃　Annie…Many…Ponies　stepped　back　from　him　a

pace；　distrust　　creeping　into　her　voice。



〃All　right。〃　Ramon　moved　nearer。　〃So　I　make　oath；　perhaps　you　make　oath　also！

Me；　I　theenk　yoh　perhaps　not　like　for　leave　Luck　LeensayI　theenk　perhaps　yoh

loves　heem；　yoh　so　all　time　watch　for　ways　to　please！　So　I　swear；　then　yoh

mus'　swear　also　that　yoh　come　for…sure。　That　square　deal　for　bothsi？〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　hesitated；　a　dull　ache　in　her　breast　when　Ramon　spoke　of

Luck。　But　if　her　heart　was　sore　at　thought　of　him；　it　was　because　he　no　longer

looked　upon　her　with　the　smile　in　his　eyes。　It　was　because　he　was　not　so　kind；

because　he　believed　that　she　had　secret　meetings　with　Bill　Holmes　whom　she

hated。　And　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　Bill　Holmes　had　left　the　company　the

other　day　and　was　going　away；　Wagalexa　Conka　still　looked　upon　her　with　cold

eyes　and　listened　to　the　things　that　Applehead　said　against　her。　The　heart　of

Wagalexa　Conka；　she　told　herself　miserably；　was　like　a　stone　for　her。　And　so

her　own　heart　must　be　hard。　She　would　swear　to　Ramon；　and　she　would　keep　the

oathand　Wagalexa　Conka　would　not　even　miss　her　or　be　sorry　that　she　had

gone。



〃First　you　make　swears　like　I　tells　you；〃　she　said。　〃Then　I　make　swears。〃



〃Muy　bueno！〃　smiled　Ramon　then。　〃So　I　make　oath　I　take　you　queek　to　one　good

friend　me；　the　Padre　Dominguez。　Then　yoh　be　my　wife　for　sure。　That　good　enough

for　yoh；　perhaps？　Queeck　yoh　make　oath　yoh　leave　these　place　Mananatomorra。

Yoh　go　by　ol'　rancho　where　we　talk　so　many　time。　I　leave　horse　for　yoh。　Yoh

ride　pas'　that　mountain；　yoh　come　for　Bernalillo。　Yoh　wait。　I　come　queeck　as

can　when　she's　dark。　Yoh　do　that；　sweetheart？〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　stilled　the　ache　in　her　heart　with　the　thought　of　her　proud

place　beside　Ramon　who　had　much　land　and　many　cattle　and　who　loved　her　so

much。　She　lifted　her　hand　and　swore　she　would　go　with　him。



She　slipped　away　then　and　crept　into　her　tent　in　the　little　cluster　beside　the

housefor　the　company　'had　forsaken　Applehead's　adobe　and　slept　under　canvas

as　a　matter　of　choice。　With　Indian　cunning　she　bided　her　time　and　gave　no　sign

of　what　was　hidden　in　her　heart。　She　rose　with　the　others　and　brushed　her

glossy　hair　until　it　shone　in　the　sunlight　like　the　hair　of　a　high…caste

Chinese　woman。　She　tied　upon　it　the　new　bows　of　red　ribbon　which　she　had

bought　in　the　secret　hope　that　they　would　be　a　part　of　her　wedding　finery。　She

put　on　her　Indian　gala　dress　of　beaded　buckskin　with　the　colored　porcupine

quillsand　then　she　smiled　cunningly　and　drew　a　dress　of　red…and…blue　striped

calico　over　her　head　and　settled　the　folds　of　it　about　her　with　little；

smoothing　pats；　so　that　the　two　white　women；　Rosemary　and　Jean；　should　not

notice　any　unusual　bulkiness　of　her　figure。



She　did　not　know　how　she　would　manage　to　escape　the　keen　eyes　of　Wagalexa

Conka　and　to　steal　away　from　the　ranch；　especially　if　she　had　to　work　in　the

picture　that　day。　But　Luck　unconsciously　opened　wide　the　trail　for　her。　He

announced　at　breakfast　that　they　would　work　up　in　Bear　Canon　that　day；　and

that　he　would　not　need　Jean　or　Annie　either；　and　that；　as　it　would　be　hotter

than　the　hinges　of　Gehenna　up　in　that　canon；　they　had　better　stay　at　home　and

enjoy　themselves。



Annie…Many…Ponies　did　not　betray　by　so　much　as　a　flicker　of　the　lashes　that

she　heard　him　much　less　that　it　was　the　best　of　good　news　to　her。　She　went

into　her　tent　and　packed　all　of　her　clothes　into　a　bundle　which　she　wrapped　in

her　plaid　shawl；　and　was　proud　because　the　bundle　was　so　big；　and　because　she

had　much　fine　beadwork　and　so　many　red　ribbons；　and　a　waist　of　bright　blue

silk　which　she　would　wear　when　she　stood　before　the　priest；　if　Ramon　did　not

like　the　dress　of　beaded　buckskin。



A　ring　with　an　immense　red　stone　in　it　which　Ramon　had　given　her；　she　slipped

upon　her　finger　with　her　little；　inscrutable　smile。　She　was　engaged　to　be

married；　now；　just　like　white　girls；　and　tomorrow　she　would　have　a　wide　ring

of　shiny　gold　for　that　finger；　and　should　be　the　wife　of　Ramon。



Just　then　Shunka　Chistala；　lying　outside　her　tent；　flapped　his　tail　on　the

ground　and　gave　a　little；　eager　whine。　Annie…Many…Ponies　thrust　her　head

through　the　opening　and　looked　out；　and　then　stepped　over　the　little　black　dog

and　stood　before　her　tent　to　watch　the　Happy　Family　mount　and　ride　away　with

Wagalexa　Conka　in　their　midst　and　with　the　mountain　wagon　rattling　after　them

loaded　with　〃props〃　and　the　camera　and　the　noonday　lunch　and　Pete　Lowry　and

Tommy　Johnson；　the　scenic　artist。　Applehead　was　going　to　drive　the　wagon；　and

she　scowled　when　he　yanked　off　the　brake　and　cracked　the　whip　over　the　team。



Luck；　feeling　perchance　the　intensity　of　her　gaze；　turned　in　the　saddle　and

looked　back。　The　eyes　of　Annie…Many…Ponies　softened　and　saddened；　because　this

was　the　last　time　she　would　see　Wagalexa　Conka　riding　away　to　make

picturesthe　last　time　she　would　see　him。　She　lifted　her　hand；　and　made　the

Indian　sign　of　farewellthe　peace…go…with…you　sign　that　is　used　for　solemn

occasions　of　parting。



Luck　pulled　up　short　and　stared。　What　did　she　mean　by　that？　He　reined　his

horse　around；　half　minded　to　ride　back　and　ask　her　why　she　gave　him　that

peace…sign。　She　had　never　done　it　before；　except　once　or　twice　in　scenes　that

he　directed。　But　after　all　he　did　not　go。　They　were　late　in　getting　started

that　morning；　which　irked　his　energetic　soul；　and　women's　whims　never　did

impress　Luck　Lindsay　very　deeply。　Besides；　just　as　he　was　turning　to　ride

back；　Annie　stooped　and　went　into　her　tent　as　though　her　gesture　had　carried

no　especial　meaning。



Then　in　her　tent　he　heard　her　singing　the　high；　weird　chant　of　the　Omaha

mourning　song　anad　again　he　was　half…　minded　to　go　back；　though　the　wailing

minor　notes；　long　drawn　and　mournful；　might　mean　much　or　they　might　mean

merely　a　fit　of　the　blues。　The　others　rode　on　talking　and　laughing　together；

and　Luck　rode　with　them；　but　the　chant　of　the　Omaha　was　in　his　ears　and

tingling　his　nerves。　And　the　vision　of　Annie…Many…Ponies　standing　straight

before　her　tent　and　making　the　sign　of　peace　and　farewell　haunted　him　that

day。



Rosemary　and　Jean；　standing　in　the　porch；　waved　good…bye　to　their　men　folk

until　the　last　bobbing　hatcrown　had　gone　down　out　of　sight　in　the　long；　low

swale　that　creased　the　mesa　in　that　direction。　Whereupon　they　went　into　the

house。　



〃What　in　the　world　is　the　matter　with　Annie？〃　Jean　exploded；　with　a　little

shiver。　〃I'd　rather　hear　a　band　of　gray　wolves　tune　up　when　you're　caught　out

in　the　breaks　and　have　to　ride　in　the　dark。　What　is　that　caterwaul？　Do　you

suppose　she's　on　the　warpath　or　anything？〃



〃Oh；　that's　just　the　squaw　coming　out　in　her！〃　Rosemary　slammed　the　door　shut

so　they　could　not　hear　so　plainly。　〃She's　getting　more　Injuny　every　day　of　her

life。　I　used　to　try　and　treat　her　like　a　white　girlbut　you　just　can't　do　it；

Jean。〃



〃Hiu…hiu…hi…i…ah…h！　Hiu…hiu…hi…i…ah…h…hhiaaa…h…h！〃



Jean　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room　and　listened。　〃Br…r…r！〃　she　shiveredand

one　could　not　blame　her。　I　wonder　if　she'd　be　mad；〃　she　drawled；　〃if　I　went

out　and　told　her　to　shut　up。　It　sounds　as　if　somebody　was　dead；　or　going　to

die　or　something。　Like　Lite　says　your　dog　will　howl　if　anything　〃



〃Oh；　for　pity　sake！〃　Rosemary　pushed　her　into　the　living　room　with

make…believe　savageness。　〃I've　heard　her　and　Luck　sing　that　last　winter。　And

there's　a　kind　of　a　teetery　dance　that　goes　with　it。　It's　supposed　to　be　a

mourning　song；　as　Luck　explains　it。　But　don't　pay　any　attention　to　her　at　all。

She　just　does　it　to　get　on　our　nerves。　It'd　tickle　her　to　death　if　she　thought

it　made　us　nervous。〃



〃And　now　the　dog　is　joining　in　on　the　chorus！　I　must　say　they're　a　cheerful

pair　to　have　around　the　house。　And　I　know　one　thingif　they　keep　that　up　much

longer；　I'll　either　get　out　there　with　a　gun；　or　saddle　up　and　follow　the

boys。〃



〃They'd　tease　us　to　death；　Jean；　if　we　let　Annie　run　us　out。〃



〃It's　run　or　be　run；〃　Jean　retorted　irritatedly。　〃I　wanted　to　write　poetry

todayI　thought　of　an　awfully　striking　sentence　about　thefor　heaven's　sake；

where's　a　shotgun？〃



〃Jean；　you　wouldn't！〃　Rosemary；　I　may　here　explain；　was　very　femininely　afraid

of　guns。　〃She'dwhy；　there's　no　telling　WHAT　she　might　do！　Luck　says　she

carries　a　knife。〃



〃What　if　she　does？　　She　ought　to　carry　a　few　bird…shot；　too。　She's　got　nothing

to　mourn　aboutnobody's　died；　has　there？



〃Hiu…hiu…hia…a…a；ah！　Hia…a…a…a…ah！〃　wailed　Annie…Many…Ponies　in　her　tent；

because　she　would　never　again　look　upon　the　face　of　Wagalexa　Conkaor　if　she

did　it　would　be　to　see　his　anger　blaze　and　burn　her　heart　to　ashes。　To　her　it

was　as　though　death　sat　beside　her；　the　death　of　Wagalexa　Conka's　friendship

for　her。　She　forgot　his　harshness　because　he　thought　her　disobedient　and

wicked。　She　forgot　that　she　loved　Ramon　Chavez；　and　that　he　was　rich　and