the heritage of the sioux-第36节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



until　the　pattern　was　almost　complete。



Ramon　and　Billwhat　Bill；　save　Bill　Holmes；　would　be　with　Ramon？　Ramon　and

Bill　Holmesmemory　pictured　them　again　by　the　rock　in　the　moonlight；

muttering　in　Spanish　mostly；　muttering　mystery　always。　Ramon　and　Bill　Holmes

she　remembered　the　sly；　knowing　glances　between　these　two　at　〃location〃　though

they　scarcely　seemed　on　speaking　terms。　Ramon　and　Bill　and　this　mysterious

night…travelling；　when　there　should　be　no　trouble　and　no　mystery　at　all　beyond

the　house　of　the　priest！　So　much　trouble　over　the　marriage　of　an　Indian　girl

and　a　young　Mexican　cattle　king？　Annie…Many…Ponies　was　not　so　stupid　as　to

believe　that；　she　had　seen　too　much　of　civilization　in　her　wanderings　with　the

show；　and　her　work　in　pictures。　She　had　seen　man　and　maid　〃make　marriage；〃　in

pictures　and　in　reality。　There　should　be　no　trouble；　no　mysterious　following

of　Ramon　by　night。



Something　evil　there　was；　since　Bill　Holmes　was　with　Ramon。　Annie…Many…Ponies

knew　that　it　was　so。　Perhapsperhaps　the　evil　was　against　Wagalexa　Conka！

Perhapsher　heart　forgot　to　beat　when　the　thought　stabbed　her　brainperhaps

they　had　killed　Wagalexa　Conka！　It　might　be　so；　if　he　had　suspected　her　flight

and　had　followed　Ramon；　and　they　had　fought。



In　the　thick　shade　of　a　pinon　Luis　slept　with　his　face　to　the　ground；　his

forehead　pressed　upon　his　folded　arms。　Annie…Many…Ponies　got　up　silently　and

went　and　stood　beside　him；　looking　down　at　him　as　though　she　meant　to　wrest

the　truth　from　his　brain。　And　Luis；　feeling　in　his　sleep　the　intensity　of　her

gaze；　stirred　uneasily；　yawned　and　sat　up；　looking　about　him　bewilderedly。　His

glance　rested　on　the　girl；　and　he　sprang　to　his　feet　and　faced　her。



Annie…Many…Ponies　smiled　her　little；　tantalizing；　wistfully　inviting

smilethe　smile　which　luck　bad　whimsically　called　heart…twisting。　〃I　awful

lonesome；〃　she　murmured；　and　sat　down　with　her　back　nestling　comfortably

against　a　grassy　bank。　〃You　talk。　I　not　lets　you　sleep　all　time。　You　think　I

not　good　for　talk　to？〃



〃Me；　I　not　tell　w'at　I'm　theenk；〃　Luis　retorted　with　a　crooning　note；　and　sat

down　facing　her。　〃Ramon　be　mad　me。〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　looked　at　him；　her　eyes　soft　and　heavy　with　that　languorous

look　which　will　quickest　befuddle　the　sense　of　a　man。　〃You　tell；　Ramon　not

hear；〃　she　hinted。　〃Ramon；　he　got　plenty　trobles　for　thinking　about。〃　She

smiled　again。　〃Ramon　plenty　long　ways　off。　He　got　Bill　Holmes　for　talking　to。

You　talk　to　me。〃



How　he　did　it；　why　he　did　it；　Luis　Rojas　could　never　explain　afterwards。

Something　there　was　in　her　smile；　in　her　voice；　that　bewitched　him。　Something

there　was　that　made　him　think　she　knew　and　approved　of　the　thing　Ramon　had

planned。　He　made　swift；　Spanish　love　to　Annie…Many…Ponies；　who　smiled　upon　him

but　would　not　let　him　touch　her　handand　so　bewitched　him　the　more。　He　made

lovebut　also　he　talked。　He　told　Annie…Many…Ponies　all　that　she　wished　him　to

tell；　and　some　things　that　she　had　never　dreamed　and　that　she　shrank　from

hearing。



For　he　told　her　of　the　gold　they　had　stolen；　and　how　they　had　made　it　look　as

though　Luck　Lindsay　had　planned　the　theft。　He　told　her　that　he　loved

herwhich　did　not　interest　her　greatlyand　he　told　her　that　Ramon　would

never　marry　herwhich　was　like　a　knife　thrust　to　her　soul。　Ramon　had　many

loves；　said　Luis；　and　he　was　true　to　none；　never　would　he　marry　a　woman　to

rule　his　life　and　make　him　troubleit　were　easier　to　make　love　and　then　laugh

and　ride　away。　Luis　was　〃muy　s'prised〃　that　Annie…Many…Ponies　had　ever

believed　that　Ramon　would　marry　her；　beautiful　though　she　was；　charming　though

she　was；　altogether　irresistible　though　she　wasLuis　became　slightly

incoherent　here　and　lasped　into　swift　rolling　Spanish　words　which　she　did　not

understand。



Luis；　before　the　sun　went　down　and　it　was　time　to　eat　supper　and　go　on；　became

so　thoroughly　bewitched　that　he　professed　himself　eager　to　let　his　share　of

the　gold　go；　and　to　take　Annie…Many…Ponies　to　a　priest　and　marry　herif　she

wished　very　much　to　be　married　by　a　priest。　In　the　middle　of　his　exaltation；

Annie…Many…Ponies　chilled　him　with　the　look　she　gave　him。



〃You　big　fool；〃　she　told　him　bluntly。　〃I　not　so　fool　like　that。　I　go　to

Ramonand　plenty　gold！　I　think　you　awful　fool。　You　make　me　tired！〃



Luis　was　furious　enough　for　a　minute　to　do　her　violencebut　Annie…Many…Ponies

killed　that　impulse　also　with　the　cold　contempt　in　her　eyes。　She　was　not

afraid　of　him；　and　like　an　animal　he　dared　not　strike　where　he　could　not

inspire　fear。　He　muttered　a　Mexican　oath　or　two　and　went　mortifiedly　away　to

lead　the　horses　down　to　the　little　stream　where　they　might　drink。　The　girl　was

righthe　was　a　fool；　he　told　himself　angrily；　and　sulked　for　hours。



Fool　or　not；　he　had　told　Annie…Many…Ponies　what　she　wanted　to　know。　He　had

given　food　to　her　brooding　thoughtsfood　that　revived　swiftly　and　nourished

certain　traits　lying　dormant　in　her　nature；　buried　alive　under　the　veneer　of

white　man's　civilizationas　we　are　proud　to　call　it。



The　two　ate　in　silence；　and　in　silence　they　saddled　the　horses　and　fared　forth

again　in　their　quest　of　Ramonwho　had　the　gold　which　Annie…Many…Ponies　boldly

asserted　was　an　added　lure。　〃The　moneealways　the　man　wins　that　has　muchos

monee。〃　Luis　muttered　often　to　himself　as　he　rode　into　the　dusk。　Behind　him

Annie…Many…Ponies　walked　and　led　the　black　horse　that　bore　all　her　worldly

possessions　bound　to　the　saddle。　The　little　black　dog　padded　patiently　along

at　his　heels。







CHAPTER　XXI。　〃WAGALEXA　CONKACOLA！〃



〃So　good　little　girl　yoh　are　to　true'　Ramon！　　Now　I　knows　for　sure　yoh　lov'　me

moch　as　I　lov'　yoh！　Now　we　go　little　ride　more　to　my　house　high　up　in　the

pinonsthen　we　be　so　happy　like　two　birds　in　nes'。　Firs'　we　rest　ourselves；

querida　mia。　This　good　place　for　res'；　my　sweetheart　that　comes　so　far　to　be

with　Ramon。　To…morrow　we　go　to　my　houseto　nes'　of　my　loved　one。　Thees　cabin；

she's　very　good　little　nes'　ontil　tomorrowyoh　theenk　so？〃



Annie…Many…Ponies；　sitting　beside　the　doorway　of　the　primitive　little　log

cabin　where　the　night…journeys　with　Luis　had　ended；　looked　up　into　Ramon's

flushed　face　with　her　slow　smile。　But　her　eyes　were　two　deep；　black　wells

whose　depths　he　could　not　fathom。



〃Where　them　priest　you　promise？〃　she　asked；　her　voice　lowered　to　its　softest

Indian　tone。　〃Now　I　think　we　make　plenty　marriage；　then　we　go　for　live　in　your

house。〃



Ramon　turned　and　caught　her　unexpectedly　in　his　arms。　〃Ah；　now　you　spik

foolish　talk。　Yoh　not　trus'　Ramon！　Why　yoh　talk　pries'；　pries'　all　time？　Lov'；

she's　plenty　pries'　for　us。　Pries'　she　don'　make　us　more　lov'　each　other

pries'　don'　make　us　happywe　like　birds　that　make　nes'　in　tree…tops。　Yoh

think　they　mus'　have　pries'　for　help　them　be　happy？　Lov'that's　plenty　for

me。〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　drew　herself　away　from　his　embrace；　but　she　did　it　gently。

Bill　Holmes；　coming　up　from　the　spring；　furnished　excuse　enough；　and　Ramon　let

her　go。



〃You　promise　me　priest　for　making　us　marriage；〃　she　persisted　in　her　soft

voice。



Ramon　twisted　the　points　of　his　black　mustache　and　regarded　her　askance；

smiling　crookedly。　〃Yoh　'fraid　for　trus'　me；　that's　why　I　promise；〃　he　said　at

last。　〃Me；　I　don'　need　padre　to　mumble…mumble　foolish　words　before　I　can　be

happy。　Yoh　'fraid　of　Luck　Leen'sey；　that's　why　I　promise。　Now　yoh　come　way　up

here；　so　luck　don'　matter　no　more。　Yoh　be　happy　weeth　me。〃



〃You　promise；〃　Annie…Many…Ponies　repeated；　a　sullen　note　creeping　into　her

voice。



Bill　Holmes；　lounging　up　to　the　doorway；　glanced　from　one　to　the　other　and

laughed。　〃What's　the　matter；　Ramon？〃　he　bantered。　〃Can't　you　square　it　with

your　squaw？　Go　after　her　with　a　club；　why　don't　you？　That's　what　they're　used

to。〃



Ramon　did　not　make　any　reply　whatever；　and　Bill　gave　another　chuckling　laugh

and　joined　Luis；　who　was　going　to　take　the　gaunt　horses　to　a　tiny　meadow

beyond　the　bill。　As　be　went　he　said　something　that　made　Luis　look　back　over

his　shoulder　and　laugh。



Annie…Many…Ponies　lifted　her　head　and　stared　straight　at　Ramon。　He　did　not

meet　her　eyes；　nor　did　he　show　any　resentment　of　Bill　Holmes'　speech；　yet　he

had　sworn　that　he　loved　her；　that　he　would　be　proud　to　have　her　for　his　wife。

She；　the　daughter　of　a　chief；　had　been　insulted　in　his　presence；　and　he　had

made　no　protest；　shown　no　indignation。



〃You　promise　priest　for　making　us　marriage；〃　she　reiterated　coldly；　as　if　she

meant　to　force　his　real　self　into　the　open。　〃You　promise　you　put　ring　of　gold

for　wedding　on　my　finger；　like　white　woman's　got。〃



Ramon's　laugh　was　not　pleasant。　〃Yoh　theenk　marry　squaw？〃　he　sneered。　〃Luck

Leen'sey；　he　don't　marry　yoh。　Why　yoh　theenk　I　marry　yoh？　You　be　good；　Ramon

lov'　yoh。　Buy　yoh　lots　pretty　theengs；　me　treat　yoh　fine。　Yoh　lucky　girl；　yoh

bet。　Yoh　don't　be　foolish　no　more。　Yoh　run　away；　be　my　womans。　W'at　yoh

theenk？　Go　back；　perhaps？　Yoh　theenk　Luck　Leen'sey　take　yoh　back