the heritage of the sioux-第16节

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corner　of　rock　and　disappeared　from　sight　of　the　camera。　〃We'll　do　that　scene

over　once　more　before　the　sun　gets　too　far　around。〃



〃Do　it　over；　will　ye？〃　Applehead　snarled　as　he　came　toiling　obediently　back

down　the　gulch。　〃Well；　now；　I　ain't　so　danged　shore　about　that　there　doin'

over'nless　yuh　want　to　wait　and　do　it　after　sundown。　Ain't　nobody　but　a

danged　fool　It　would　go　trailin'　up　that　there　gulch　this　kinda'　day。　Them

rocks　up　there　is　hot　enough　to　brile　a　lizardnow；　I'm　tellin'　ye！〃



Luck　covered　a　smile　with　his　moist　palm。　He　could　not　afford　to　be　merciful

at　the　expense　of　good　〃picture…stuff；〃　however；　so　he　called　down　grimly：



〃Now　you're　just　about　fagged　enough　for　that　close…up　I　want　of　you；

Applehead。　You　went　up　that　gulch　a　shade　too　brisk　for　a　fellow　that's　all　in

from　traveling；　and　starved　into　the　bargain。　Come　back　down　here　by　this　sand

bank；　and　start　up　towards　camera。　Back　up　a　little；　Pete；　so　you　can　'pam'

his　approach。　I　want　to　get　him　pulling　his　burro　up　past　that　banksabe？　And

the　close…up　of　his　face　with　all　those　sweat…streaks　will　prove　how　far　he's

comeand　then　I　want　the　detail　of　that　burro　and　his　pack　which　you'll　get

as　they　go　by。　You　see　what　I　mean。　Let's　see。　Will　it　swing　you　too　far　into

the　sun；　Pete；　if　you　pick　him　up　down　there　in　that　dry　channel？〃



〃Not　if　you　let　me　make　it　right　away；〃　Pete　replied　after　a　squint　or　two

through　the　viewfinder。　〃Sun's　getting　pretty　far　over〃



〃Ought　to　leave　a　feller　time　to　git　his　wind；〃　Applehead　complained；　looking

up　at　Luck　with　eyes　bloodshot　from　the　heat。　〃I　calc'late　mebby　you　think

it's　FUN　to　drag　that　there　burro　up　over　them　rocks？〃



〃Sure；　it　isn't　fun。　We　didn't　come　out　here　for　fun。　Go　down　and　wait　behind

that　bank；　and　come　out　into　the　channel　when　I　give　the　word。　I　want　you

coming　up　all…in；　just　as　you　look　right　now。　Sorry；　but　I　can't　let　you　wait

to　cool　off；　Applehead。〃



〃Well　now；〃　Applehead　began　with　shortwinded　sarcasm；　〃I'm　s'posed　to　be　outa

grub。　Why　didn't　yuh　up　In'　starve　me　fer　a　week　or　two；　so'st　I'd　be　gaunted

up　realistic？　Why　didn't　yuh　break　a　laig　fer　me；　sos't　I　kin　show　some

five…cent　bunch　in　a　pitcher…show　how　bad　I'm　off？　Danged　if　I　ain't　jest

about　gettin'　my　hide　full　uh　this　here　danged　fool　REELISM　you're　hollerin'

fur　all　the　time。　'F　you　send　me　down　there　to　come　haulin'　that　there　burro

back　up　here　so's　the　camery　kin　watch　me　sweat　'n'　puff　my　danged　daylights

outbefore　I　git　a　drink　uh　water；　I'll　murder　ye　in　cold　blood；　now　I'm

tellin'　ye！〃



〃You　go　on　down　there　and　shut　up！〃　Luck　yelled　inexorably。　〃You　can　drink　a

barrel　when　I'm　through　with　this　sceneand　not　before。　Get　that？　My　Lord！　If

you　can't　lead　a　burro　a　hundred　yards　without　setting　down　and　fanning

yourself　to　sleep；　you　must　be　losing　your　grip　for　fair。　I'll　stake　you　to　a

rocking…chair　and　let　you　do　old　grandpa　parts；　if　you　aren't　able　to〃



〃Dang　you；　Luck；　if　you　wasn't　such　a　little　runt　I'd　come　up　there　and　jest

about　lick　the　pants　off　you！　Talk　that　way　to　ME；　will　ye？　I'll　have　ye　know

I　kin　lead　burros　with　you　or　any　other　dang　man；　heat　er　no　heat　Ef　yuh　ain't

got　no　more　heart'n　to　AST　it　of　me；　I'll　haul　this　here　burro　up　'n'　down

this　dang　gulch　till　there　ain't　nothin'　left　of　'im　but　the　lead…rope；　and

the　rocks　is　all　wore　down　to　cobble…stone！　Ole　grandpa　parts；　hey？　You'll

swaller　them　words　when　I　git　to　ye；　young　fellerand　you'll　swaller　'em

mighty　dang　quick；　now　I'm　tellin'　ye！〃



He　went　off　down　the　gulch　to　the　sand　bank。　The　Happy　Family；　sprawled　at

ease　in　the　shade；　took　cigarettes　from　their　lips　that　they　might　chortle

their　amusement　at　the　two。　Like　father　and　son　were　Applehead　and　Luck；　but

their　bickerings　certainly　would　never　lead　one　to　suspect　their　affection。



〃Get　that　darned　burro　outa　sight；　will　you？　Luck　bawled　impatiently　when

Applehead　paused　to　send　a　murderous　glance　back　toward　camera。　〃What's　the

matteryuh　PARALYZED　down　there？　Haul　him　in　behind　that　bank！　The　moon'll　be

up　before　you　get　turned　around；　at　that　rate！〃



〃You　shet　yore　haid！〃　Applehead　retorted　at　the　full　capacity　of　his　lungs　and

with　an　absolute　disregard　for　Luck's　position　as　director　of　the　company。

〃Who's　leadin'　this　here　burroyou　er　me？　Fer　two　cents　I'd　come　back　and

knock　the　tar　outa　you；　Luck！　Stand　up　there　on　a　rock　and　flop　your　wings　and

crow　like　a　danged　banty　rooster'n'　I　was　leadin'　burros　'fore　you　was　born！

I'd　like　to　know　who　yuh　think　you　BE？〃



Pete　Lowry；　standing　feet…apart　and　imperturbably　focussing　the　camera　while

the　two　yelled　insults　at　each　other；　looked　up　at　Luck。



〃Riders　in　the　background；〃　he　announced　laconically；　and　returned　to　his

squinting　and　fussing。　〃Maybe　you　can　make　'em　hear　with　the　megaphone；〃　he

hinted；　looking　again　at　Luck。　〃They're　riding　straight　up　the　canon；　in　the

middle　distance。　They'll　register　in　the　scene；　if　you　can't　turn　'em。〃



〃Applehead！〃　Luck　called　through　the　megaphone　to　his　irritated　prospector。

〃Get　those　riders　outa　the　canonthey're　in　the　scene！〃



Applehead　promptly　appeared；　glaring　up　at　luck。　〃Well；　now；　if　I've　got　to

haul　this　here　dang　jackass　up　this　dang　gulch；　I　cal'clate　that'll　be　about

job　enough　for　one　man；〃　he　yelled。　〃How　yuh　expect　me　t'　go　two　ways　't　once？

Hey？　Yuh　figured　that　out　yit？〃　He　turned　then　for　a　look　at　the　interrupting

strangers；　and　immediately　they　saw　his　manner　change。　He　straightened　up；　and

his　right　hand　crept　back　significantly　toward　his　hip。　Applehead；　I　may　here

explain；　was　an　ex…sheriff；　and　what　range　men　call　a　〃go…getter。〃　He　had

notches　on　the　ivory　handle　of　his　gunthree　of　them。　In　fair　fights　and　in

upholding　the　law　he　had　killed；　and　he　would　kill　again　if　the　need　ever

arose；　as　those　who　knew　him　never　doubted。



Luck；　seeing　that　backward　movement　of　the　hand；　unconsciously　hitched　his　own

gun　into　position　on　his　hip　and　came　down　off　his　rock　ledge　with　one　leap。

Just　as　instinctively　the　Happy　Family　scrambled　out　of　the　shade　and　followed

luck　down　the　gulch　to　where　Applehead　stood　facing　down　the　canon；

watchfulness　in　every　tense　line　of　his　lank　figure。　Tommy　Johnson；　who　never

seemed　to　be　greatly　interested　in　anything　save　his　work；　got　up　from　where

he　lay　close　beside　the　camera　tripod　and　went　over　to　the　other　side　of　the

gulch　where　he　could　see　plainer。



Like　a　hunter　poising　his　shotgun　and　making　ready　when　his　trained　bird…dog

points；　Luck　walked　guardedly　down　the　gulch　to　where　Applehead　stood　watching

the　horsemen　who　had　for　the　moment　passed　out　of　sight　of　those　above。



〃Now；　what's　that　danged　shurf　want；　prowlin'　up　HERE　with　a　couple　uh

depittys？〃　Applehead　grumbled　when　he　heard　Luck's　footsteps　crunching　behind

him。　〃Uh　course；〃　he　added　grimly；　〃he　MIGHT　be　viewin'　the　scenerybut　it's

dang　pore　weather　fur　pleasure…ridin'；　now　I'm　tellin'　ye！　Them　a　comin'　up

here　don't　look　good　to　ME；　Luck'n'　if　they　ain't〃



〃How　do　you　know　it's　the　sheriff？〃　Luck　for　no　reason　whatever　felt　a　sudden

heaviness　of　spirit。



〃Hey？　Think　my　eyes　is　failin'　me？〃　Applehead　gave　him　a　sidelong　glance　of

hasty　indignation。　〃I'd　know　ole　Hank　Miller　a　mile　off　with　m'　eyes　shet。〃



By　then　the　three　riders　rode　out　into　plain　view。　Perhaps　the　sight　of　Luck

and　Applehead　standing　there　awaiting　their　arrival；　with　the　whole　Happy

Family　and　Big　Aleck　Douglas　and　Lite　Avery　moving　down　in　a　close…bunched；

expectant　group　behind　the　two；　was　construed　as　hostility　rather　than

curiosity。　At　any　rate　the　sheriff　and　his　deputies　shifted　meaningly　in　their

saddles　and　came　up　sour…faced　and　grim；　and　with　their　guns　out　and　pointing

at　the　group。



〃Don't　go　making　any　foolish　play；　boys；〃　the　sheriff　warned。　〃We　don't　want

troublewe　aren't　looking　for　any。　But　we　ain't　taking　any　chances。〃



〃Well　now；　you're　takin'　a　dang　long　chance；　Hank　Miller；　when　yuh　come　ridin'

up　on　us　fellers　like　yuh　was　cornerin'　a　bunch　uh　outlaws；〃　Applehead

exploded。　But　Luck　pushed　him　aside　and　stepped　to　the　front。



〃Nobody's　making　any　foolish　play　but　you；〃　he　answered　the　sheriff　calmly。

〃You　may　not　know　it；　but　you're　blocking　my　scene　and　the　light's　going。　If

you've　got　any　business　with　me　or　my　company；　get　it　over　and　then　get　out　so

we　aim　make　this　scene。　What　d'yuh　want？〃



〃You；〃　snapped　the　sheriff。　〃You　and　your　bunch。〃



〃Me？〃　Luck　took　a　step　forward。　〃What　for？〃



〃For　pulling　off　that　robbery　at　the　bank　today。〃　The　sheriff　could　be　pretty

blunt；　and　he　shot　the　charge　straight；　without　any　quibbling。



Luck　looked　a　little　blank；　and　old　Applehead；　shaking　with　a　very　real　anger

now；　shoved　Luck　away　and　stepped　up　where　he　could　shake　his　fist　under　the

sheriff's　nose。



〃We　don't　know；　and　we　don't　give　a　cuss；　what　you're　aimin'　at；〃　he

thundered。　〃We　been　out　here　workin'　in　this　brilin'　sun　se