the heritage of the sioux-第35节

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statement　in　Spanish。　The　old　man's　eyes　went　to　luck　understandingly；　while

he　asked　Juan　a　question　in　the　Navajo　tongue；　and　afterwards　gave　a　command。

He　turned　his　eyes　upon　the　Native　Son　and　spoke　in　Spanish。　〃The　men　you　want

did　not　come　this　way；〃　he　said　gravely。　〃Juan　will　tell。〃



〃Yes；　I　know　dat　Ramon　Chavez。　I　seen　him　；dat　day。　I'm　start　for　home；　an'　I

seen　Ramon　Chavez　an'　dat　Luis　Rojas　an'　one　white　feller　I'm　don't　know　dat

feller。　They　don't　got　red　car。　They　got　big；　black　car。　They　come　outa

corralscare　my　horse。　They　go　'cross　railroad。　I　go　'cross　rio。　One　red　car

pass　me。　I　go　along；　bimeby　I　pass　red　car　in　sand。　Ramon　Chavez；　he　don't　go

in　dat　car。　I　don't　know　them　feller。　Ramon　Chavez　he　go　'cross　railroad　in

big　black　car。〃



〃Then　who　was　it　we've　been　trailing　out　this　way？〃　Luck　asked　the　question　in

Spanish　and　glanced　from　one　brown　face　to　the　other。



The　older　Indian　shifted　his　moccasined　feet　in　the　sand　and　looked　away。

〃Indians；〃　he　said　in　Mexican。　〃You　follow；　Indians　think　you　maybe　take　them

awayput　'm　in　jail。　All　friends　of　them　Indians　pretty　mad。　They　come　fight

you。　I　hear；　I　come　to　find　out　what's　fighting　about。〃



Luck　gazed　at　him　stupidly　for　a　moment　until。　the　full　meaning　of　the

statement　seeped　through。　the　ache　into　his　brain。　He　heaved　a　great　sigh　of

relief；　looked　at　the　Native　Son　and　laughed。



〃The　joke's　on　us；　I　guess；〃　he　said。　〃Go；　back　and　tell　that　to　the　boys。

I'll　be　along　in　a　minute。〃



Juan；　grinning　broadly　at　what　he　considered　a　very　good　joke　on　the　nine

white　men　who　had　traveled　all　this　way　for　nothing；　went　back　to　explain　the

mistake　to　his　fellows　on　the　ledge。　The　old　Indian　took　it　upon　himself　to

disperse　the　Navajos　in　the　grove；　and　just　as　suddenly　as　the　trouble　started

it　was　stoppedand　the　Happy　Family；　if　they　had　been　at　all　inclined　to

belittle　the　danger　of　their　position；　were　made　to　realize　it　when　thirty　or

more　Navajos　came　flocking　in　from　all　quarters。　Many　of　them　couldand

didtalk　English　understandably；　and　most　of　them　seemed　inclined　to

appreciate　the　joke。　All　save　those　whom　Lite　had　〃nipped　and　nicked〃　in　the

course　of　their　flight　from　the　rock　ridge　to　the　Frying…Pan。　These　were

inclined　to　be　peevish　over　their　hurts　and　to　nurse　them　in　sullen　silence

while　Luck；　having　a　rudimentary　knowledge　of　medicine　and　surgery；　gave　them

what　firstaid　treatment　was　possible。



Applehead；　having　plenty　of　reasons　for　avoiding　publicity；　had　gone　into

retirement　in　the　shade　of　a　clump　of　brush；　with　Lite　to　keep　him　company

while　he　smoked　a　meditative　pipe　or　two　and　studied　the　puzzle　of　Ramon's

probable　whereabouts。



〃Can't　trust　a　Navvy；〃　he　muttered　in　a　discreet　undertone　to　Lite。　〃I've　fit

'em　b'fore　now；　'n'　I　KNOW。　'N'　you　kin　be　dang　sure　they　ain't　fergot　the

times　I've　fit　'em；　neither！　There's　bucks　millin'　around　here　that's　jes'

achin'　fer　a　chanst　at　me；　t'　pay　up　fer　some　I've　killed　off　when　I　was　shurf

'n'　b'fore。　So　you　keep　'n　；eye　peeled；　Lite；　whilst　I　think　out　this　yere

dang　move　uh　Ramon's。　'N'　if　you　see　anybody　sneakin'　up　on　me；　you　GIT　him。　I

cain't　watch　Navvyies　'n'　mill　things　over　in　m'　haid　at　the　same　time。〃



Lite　grinned　and　wriggled　over　so　that　his　back　was　against　a　rock。　He　laid

his　six…shooter　Ostentatiously　across　his　lap　and　got　out　his　tobacco　and

papers。　〃Go　ahead　and　think；　Applehead；〃　he　consented　placidly。　〃I'll　guard

your　scalp…lock。〃



Speaking　literally；　Applehead　had　no　scalplock　to　guard。　But　he　did　have　a

shrewd　understanding　of　the　mole…like　workings　of　the　criminal　mind；　and　with

his　own　mind　free　to　work　on　the　problem；　he　presently　declared　that　he　would

bet　he　could　land　Ramon　Chavez　in　jail　within　a　week；　and　sent　Lite　after

Luck。



〃I've　got　it　figgered　out；〃　he　announced　when　Luck　came　over　to　his　retreat。

〃If　Ramon　crossed　the　railroad　he　was　aimin'　t'　hit　out　across　the　mesa　to　the

mountains　'n'　beyond。　He　wouldn't　go　south；　'cause　he　could　be　traced　among

the　Injun　pueblosthey's　a　thousand　eyes　down；　that　way　b'fore　he'd　git　t'

wild　country。　He'd　keep　away　from　the　valley　countryer　I　would；　if　I　was

him。　I　know　dang　well　whar　I'D　hit　fer　if　I　was　makin'　a　gitaway　'n'　didn't

come　off　over　here'n'　I　shore　would　keep　outa　Navvy　country；　now　I'm　tellin'

yuh！　No；　sir；　I'd　take　out　t'other　way；　through　Hell　Canon　er　Tijeras；　'n'　I'd

make　fer　the　Jemes　country。　That　thar's　plenty　wild　'n'　rough'n'　come　t'

think　of　it；　the　Chavez　boys　owns　quite　a　big　grant；　up　in　there　som'ers；　'n'

have　got　men　in　their　pay　up　thar；　runnin'　their　cattle。　Ramon　could　lay　low

fer　a　dang　long　while　up　thar　'n'　be　safer'n　what　he　would　be　out　amongst

strangers。



〃'N'　another　thing；　I'd　plan　t'　have　some　hosses　stached　out　in　one　uh　them

canons；　'n'　I'd　mebby　use　a　autymobile　t'　git　to　'em；　'n'　send　the　car　back　t'

town　if　I　could　trust　the　feller　that　drove　itouta　my　sight。　'N'；　Luck；　if

you'll　take　my　advice；　you'll　hit　out　t'wards　the　Jemes　country。　I　know　every

foot　uh　the　way；　'n'　we　kin　make　it　in　a　coupla　days　by　pushin'　the　hosses。

'N'　I'll　bet　every　dang　hoof　I　own　't　we　round　up　that　bunch　over　thar

som'ers。〃



〃You　lead　out；　then；〃　Luck　told　him　promptly。　〃I'm　willing　to　admit　you're

better　qualified　to　take　charge　of　the　outfit　than　I　am。　You　know　the

countryand　you've　fit　Indians。〃



〃We…ell；　now；　you're　dang　right　I　have！　'N'　if　some　them　bucks　don't　go　off

'n'　mind　their　own　business；　I'll　likely　fight　a　few　morel　You　shoo　'em　outa

camp；　Luck；　'n'　start　'em　about　their　own　dang　business。　'N'　we'll　eat　a　bite

'n'　git　on　about　our　own。　If　we　show　up　any　grub　whilst　this　bunch　is　hangin'

around　we'll　have　t'　feed　'em'n'　you　know　dang　well　we　ain't　got　enough

skurcely　fer　the　Jemes　trip　as　it　is。〃



〃I've　been　handing　out　money　as　it　is　till　I'm　about　broke；〃　Luck　confessed；

〃making　presents　to　those　fellows　that　came　in　with　bullets　in　their　legs　and

arms。　Funny　nobody　got　hit　in　the　bodyexcept　one　poor　devil　that　got　shot　in

the　shoulder。〃



〃We…ell；　now；　you　kin　blame　Lite's　dang　tender　heart　fer　that　there；〃

Applehead　accused；　pulling　at　his　sunbrowned　mustache。　〃We　was　all　comin'　on

the　jump；　'n'　so　was　the　Injuns；　'n'　it　was　purty　long　range　'n'　nobody　but

lite　could　hit　'n　Injun　t'　save　his　soul。　'N'　Lite；　he　wouldn't　shoot　t'

killhe　jes'　kep'　on　nippin'　an'　nickin'；　'n'　shootin'　a　boss　now　an'　then。　I

wisht　I　was　the　expert　shot　Lite　isI'd　shore　a　got　me　a　few　Navvies　back

there；　now　I'm　tellin'　yuh！〃



〃Bud's　got　a　bullet　in　his　arm；〃　Luck　said；　〃but　the　bone　wasn't　hit；　so　he'll

make　out；　and　one　of　the　pack…horses　was　shot　in　the　ear。　We　got　off　mighty

lucky；　and　I'm　certainly　glad　Lite　didn't　get　careless。　Cost　me　about　fifty

dollars　to　square　us　as　it　is。　You　stay　where　you　are；　Applehead；　till　I　get

rid　of　the　Indians。　The　old　fellow　acts　like　he　feels　he　ought　to　stick　along

till　we're　outa　here。　He's　kind　of　taken　a　notion　to　me　because　I　can　talk

sign；　and　he　seems　to　want　to　make　sure　we　don't　mix　it　again　with　the　tribe。

Some　of　them　are　kinda　peeved；　all　right。　You've　got　no　quarrel　with　this　old

fellow；　have　you？　He's　a　big…league　medicine　man　in　the　tribe；　and　his　Spanish

name　is　Mariano　Pablo　Montoya。　Know　him？〃



〃No　I　don't；　'n'　I　don't　keer　to　neither；〃　Applehead　retorted　crossly。　〃Shoo

'em　off；　Luck；　so's　we　kin　eat。　My　belly's　shore　a　floppin'　agin　m'　backbone；

'n'　I'm　tellin'　yuh　right！〃







CHAPTER　XX。　LUIS　ROJAS　TALKS



Three　days　of　hiding　by　day　in　sequestered　little　groves　or　deep；　hidden

canons；　with　only　Luis　Rojas　to　bear　her　companyLuis　Rojas　whom　she　did　not

trust　and　therefore　watched　always　from　under　her　long　straight　lashes；　with

oblique　glances　when　she　seemed　to　be　gazing　straight　before　her；　three　nights

of　tramping　through　rough　places　where　often　the　horses　must　pause　and　feel

carefully　for　space　to　set　their　feet。　Roads　there　were；　but　Luis　avoided

roads　as　though　they　carried　the　plague。　When　he　must　cross　one　he　invariably

turned　back　and　brushed　out　their　footprintsuntil　he　discovered　that

Annie…Many…Ponies　was　much　cleverer　at　this　than　he　was；　often　he　smoked　a

cigarette　while　Annie　covered　their　trail。　Three　days　and　three　nights；　and

Ramon　was　not　there　where　they　stopped　for　the　third　day。



〃We　go　slow；〃　Luis　explained　nervously　because　of　the　look　in　the　black；

unreadable　eyes　of　this　straight；　slim　Indian　girl　who　was　so　beautifuland

so　silent。　〃They　go　muy　fas'；　Ramon　an'　Beel。　Poco　tiemposure；　we　fin'　dem

little　soon。〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　did　not　betray　by　so　much　as　a　quiver　of　an　eyelash　that

Luis　had　mentioned　Bill　unwittingly。　But　she　hid　the　name　away　in　her　memory；

and　all　that　day　she　sat　and　pondered　over　the　meager　facts　that　had　come　her

way；　and　with　the　needle　of　her　suspicion　she　wove　them　together　patiently

until　the　pattern　was　almost　complete。



Ramon　and　Billwhat　Bill