the heritage of the sioux-第23节

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and　Pink　were　holding　the　horses　on　the　shady　side　of　the　gorge；　and　the　smoke

of　their　cigarettes　floated　lazily　upward　with　the　jumbled　monotone　of　their

voices。



Andy；　glancing　across　at　Luck；　waved　his　hand　and　sat　down　on　a　rock　that　was

shaded　by　a　high　bowlder；　reached　mechanically　for　his　〃makings〃　and　with　his

feet　far　apart　and　his　elbows　on　his　thighs；　wearily　rolled　a　cigarette。



〃How　about　it；　boss？〃　he　asked；　scarcely　raising　his　voice　above　the　ordinary

conversational　tone；　though　a　hard　fifteen…minutes'　climb　up　and　down

separated　the　two；　〃they　never　came　up　the　arroyo；　if　you　ask　ME。　My　side

don't　show　a　hoof　track　from　where　we　left　the　boys　down　below。〃



〃Mine　either；〃　Luck　replied；　by　the　power　of　suggestion　seating　himself　and

reaching　for　his　own　tobacco　and　papers。　〃We　might　as　well　work　back　down　and

connect　with　Applehead。　Wish　there　was　some　sign　of　water　in　this　darn　gulch。

By　the　time　we　get　down　where　we　started　from；　it'll　be　sundown。〃　He　glanced

down　at　Bud　and　Pink。　〃Hey！　You　can　start　back　any；　time；〃　he　called。　〃Nothing

up　this　way。〃



〃Here's　the　grandfather　of　all　rattlers；〃　Miguel　called　across　to　Luck；　and

held　up　by　the　tail　a　great　snake　that　had　not　ceased　its　muscular　writhings。

〃Twelve　rattles　and　a　button。　Have　I　got　time　to　skin　him？　He　tried　to　bite　me

on　the　legbut　I　beard　him　and　got　outa　reach。〃



〃We've　got　to　be　moving；〃　Luck　answered。　〃It's　a　long　ways　back　where　we

started　from；　and　we've　got　to　locate　water；　if　we　can。〃　He　rose　with　the

deliberateness　that　indicated　tired　muscles；　and　started　back；　and　to　himself

be　muttered　exasperatedly：　〃A　good　three　hours　all　shot　to　piecesand　not　a

mile　gained　on　that　bunch！〃



The　Native　Son；　calmly　pinching　the　rattles　of　the　snake　he　had　not　time　to

skin；　climbed　down　into　the　Canon　and　took　his　horse　by　the　bridle　reins。

Behind　him　Andy　Green　came　scrambling；　but　Luck；　still　faintly　hoping　for　a

clue；　kept　to　the　upper　rim　of　the　arroyo；　scanning　every　bit　of　soft　ground

where　it　seemed　possible　for　a　horse　to　climb　up　from　below。　He　had　always

recognized　the　native　cunning　of　Ramon；　but　he　had　never　dreamed　him　as

cunning　as　this　latest　ruse　would　seem　to　prove　him。



As　for　Bill　Holmes；　Luck　dismissed　him　with　a　shrug　of　contempt。　Bill　Holmes

had　been　stranded　in　Albuquerque　when　the　cold　weather　was　coming　on；　he　had

been　hungry　and　shelterless　and　ill…cladone　of　those　bits　of　flotsam　which

drift　into　our　towns　and　stand　dejectedly　upon　our　street…corners　when　they　do

not　prowl　down　alleys　to　the　back　doors　of　our　restaurants　in　the　hope　of

being　permitted　to　wash　the　soiled　dishes　of　more　fortunate　men　for　the　food

which　diners　have　left　beside　their　plates。　Luck　had　fed　Bill　Holmes；　and　he

had　given　him　work　to　do　and　the　best　food　and　shelter　he　could　afford；　and

for　thanks；　Bill　had…　as　Luck　believed…made　sly；　dishonest　love　to

Annie…Many…Ponies；　for　whose　physical　and　moral　welfare　Luck　would　be　held

responsible。　Bill　had　deliberately　chosen　to　steal　rather　than　work　for　honest

wages；　and　had　preferred　the　unstable　friendship　of　Ramon　Chavez　to　the

cleaner　life　in　Luck's　company。　He　did　not　credit　Bill　Holmes　with　anything

stronger　than　a　weak…souled　treachery。　Ramon；　he　told　himself　while　he　made

his　way　down　the　arroyo　side；　was　at　least　working　out　a　clever　scheme　of　his

own；　and　it　rested　with　Luck　and　his　posse　to　see　that　Ramon　was　cheated　of

success。



So　deeply　was　he　engrossed　that　before　he　realized　it　he　was　down　where　they

had　left　Applehead's　party。　There　was　no　sign　of　them　anywhere；　so　Luck　went

down　and　mounted　his　horse　and　led　the　way　down　the　arroyo。



Already　the　heat　was　lessening　and　the　land　was　taking　on　those　translucent

opal　tints　which　make　of　New　Mexico　a　land　of　enchantment。　The　far　hills

enveloped　themselves　in　a　faint；　purplish　haze　through　which　they　seemed　to

blush　unwittingly。　The　mesa；　no　longer　showing　itself　an　and　waste　of　heat　and

untracked　wilderness；　lay　soft　under　a　thin　veil　of　many　ethereal　tints。　Away

off　to　the　northeast　they　heard　the　thin；　vague　clamor　of　a　band　of　sheep　and

the　staccato　barking　of　a　dog。



Luck　rode　for　some　distance；　his　uneasiness　growing　as　the　shadows　deepened

with　the　setting　of　the　sun。　They　had　gone　too　far　to　hear　any　whistled

signal；　but　it　seemed　to　him　reasonable　to　suppose　that　Applehead　would　return

to　their　starting　point；　whether　he　found　the　trail　or　not；　or　at　least　send　a

man　back。　Luck　began　to　think　more　seriously　of　Applehead's　numerous　warnings

about　the　Indiansand　yet；　there　had　been　no　sound　of　shooting；　which　is　the

first　sign　of　trouble　in　this　country。　Rifle　shots　can　be　heard　a　long　way　in

this　clear　air；　so　Luck　presently　dismissed　that　worry　and　gave　his　mind　to

the　very　real　one　which　assailed　them　all；　which　was　water　for　their　horses。



The　boys　were　riding　along　in　silence；　sitting　over　to　one　side　with　a　foot

dangling　free　of　its　stirrup；　except　Andy；　who　had　hooked　one　leg　over　the

saddle…horn　and　was　riding　sidewise；　smoking　a　meditative　cigarette　and

staring　out　between　the　ears　of　his　horse。　They　were　tired；　horses　and　men；

they　were　tired　to　the　middle　of　their　bones。　But　they　went　ahead　without

making　any　complaints　whatever　or　rasping　oneanother's　tempers　with　ill…chosen

remarks；　and　for　that　Luck's　eyes　brightened　with　appreciation。



Presently；　when　they　had　ridden　at　least　a　mile　down　the　arroyo；　a　gray

hat…crown　came　bobbing　into　sight　over　a　low　tongue　of　rocky　ground　that　cut

the　channel　almost　in　two。　The　horses　threw　up　their　heads　and　perked　cars

forward　inquiringly；　and　in　a　moment　Happy　Tack　came　into　view；　his　gloomy；

sunburned　face　wearing　a　reluctant　grin。



〃Well；　we　got　on　the　trail；〃　he　announced　as　soon　as　he　was　close　enough。　〃And

we　follered　it　to　water。　Applehead　says　fer　you　to　come　on　and　make　camp。

Tracks　are　fresher　around　that'　water…hole'n　what　they　have　been；　an'

Applehead；　he's　all　enthused。　I　betche　we　land　them　fellers　t'morrow。〃



Out　of　the　arroyo　in　a　place　where　the　scant　grassland　lapped　down　over　the

edge；　Happy　Jack　led　the　way　and　the　rest　followed　eagerly。　Too　often　had　they

made　dry　camp　not　to　feel　jubilant　over　the　prospect　even　of　a　brackish

water…hole。　Even　the　horses　seemed　to　know　and　to　step　out　more　briskly。

Straight　across　the　mesa　with　its　deceptive　lights　that　concealed　distance

behind　a　glamor　of　intimate　nearness；　they　rode　into　the　deepening　dusk　that

had　a　glow　all　through　it。　After　a　while　they　dipped　into　a　grassy　draw　so

shallow　that　they　hardly　realized　the　descent　until　they　dismounted　at　the

bottom；　where　Applehead　was　already　starting　a　fire　and　the　others　were　laying

out　their　beds　and　doing　the　hundred　little　things　that　make　for　comfort　in

camp。



A　few　bushes　and　a　stunted　tree　or　two　marked　the　spring　that　seeped　down　and

fed　a　shallow　water…hole　where　the　horses　drank　thirstily。　Applehead　grinned

and　pointed　to　the　now　familiar　hoofprints　which　they　had　followed　so　far。



〃I　calc'late　Ramon　done　a　heap　uh　millin'　around　back　there　in　that　rocky

arroyo；〃　he　observed；　〃'fore　he　struck　off　over　here。　Er　else　they　was　held　up

fer　some　reason；　'cause　them　tracks　is　fresher　a　hull　lot　than　what　them　was

that　passed　the　Injun　ranch。　Musta　laid　over　here　las'　night；　by　the　looks。

But　I　figgered　that　we'd　best　camp　whilst　we　had　water；　'n'　take　up　the　trail

agin　at　daybreak。　Ain't　that　about　the　way　you　see　it；　Luck？〃



〃Why；　certainly；〃　Luck　assured　him　with　as　much　heartiness　as　his　utter

weariness　would　permit。　〃Men　and　horses；　we're　about　all　in。　If　Ramon　was　just

over　the　next　ridge；　I　don't　know　but　it　would　pay　to　take　our　rest　before　we

overhaul　them。〃



〃They's　grass　here；　yuh　notice；〃　Applehead　pointed　out。　〃I'll　put　the　bell　on

Johnny；　and　if　Pink'll　bobble　that　buckskin　that's　allus　wantin'　to　wander　off

by　hisself；　I　calc'late　we　kin　settle　down　an'　rest　our　bones　quite　awhile

b'fore　anybody　needs　to　go　on　guard。　Them　ponies　ain't　goin'　to　stray　fur　off

if　they　don't　have　to；　after　the　groun'　they　covered　t'daynow　I'm　tellin'

yuh！　They'll　save　their　steps。〃



There　is　a　superstition　about　prophesying　too　boastfully　that　a　certain　thing

will　or　will　not　happen；　you　will　remember　that　there　is　also　a　provision　that

the　rash　prophet　may　avert　disaster　by　knocking　wood。　Applehead　should；　if

there　is　any　grain　of　sense　in　the　rite；　have　knocked　wood　with　his　fingers

crossed　as　an　extra　precaution；　against　evil　fortune。



For　after　they　had　eaten　and　methodically　packed　away　the　food；　and　while　they

were　lying　around　the　cheerful　glow　of　their　little　campfire；　misfortune　stole

up　out　of　the　darkness　unaware。　They　talked　desultorily　as　tired　men　will；

their　alertness　dulled　by　the　contented　tinkle…tinkle　of　the　little　bell

strapped　around　the　neck　of　big；　bay　Johnny；　Applehead's　companion　of　many　a

desert　wandering。　That　brilliant　constellation　which　seem