the heritage of the sioux-第4节

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〃Well；　wellmy　gorry　I　I　should　say　I　do！　Howdy；　Aleck？〃　He　shook　the　hand　of

the　old　man　Jean　called　dad；　and　his　lips　trembled　uncertainly；　seeking　speech

that　would　not　hurt　a　very；　very　sore　spot　in　the　heart　of　big　Aleck　Douglas。

〃I'm　shore　glad　to　meet　yuh　again；〃　he　stuttered　finally；　and　let　it　go　at

that　〃And　how　are　yuh；　Lite？　Just　as　long　and　lanky　as　evermarriage　shore

ain't　fattened　you　up　none。　My　gorry！　I　shore　never　expected　to　see　you　folks

away　down　here！〃



〃Thought　you　heard　me　say　when　I　left　that　the　Great　Western　had　offered　to

get　me　Jean　Douglas　for　leading　lady；〃　Luck　put　in；　looking　around

distractedly　for　a　place　to　deposit　his　armload　of　packages。　〃That's　one　thing

that　kept　mewaiting　for　her　to　show　up。　Of　course　a　man　naturally　expects　a

woman　to　take　her　own　time　about　starting〃



〃I　like　that！〃　Jean　drawled。　〃We　broke　up　housekeeping　and　wound　up　a　ranch

and　traveled　a　couple　of　thousand　miles　in　just　a　week's　time。　Wewe　ALMOST

hit　the　same　gait　you　did　from　town　out　here　today！〃



Rosemary　Green　came　out　then；　and　Luck　turned　to　greet　her　and　to　present　Jean

to　her；　and　was　pleased　when　he　saw　from　their　eyes　that　they　liked　each　other

at　first　sight。　He　introduced　the　Happy　Family　and　Applehead　to　her　and　to　her

husband；　Lite　Avery；　and　her　father。　He　pulled　a　skinny　individual　forward　and

announced　that　this　was　Pete　Lowry；　one　of　the　Great　Western's　crack

cameramen；　and　another　chubby；　smooth…cheeked　young　man　he　presented　as　Tommy

Johnson；　scenic　artist　and　stage　carpenter。　And　he　added　with　a　smile　for　the

whole　bunch；　〃We're　going　to　produce　some　real　stuff　from　now　on　believe　me；

folks！〃



In　the　confusion　and　the　mild　clamor　of　the　absence…bridging　questions　and

hasty　answers；　two　persons　had　no　part。　Old　Applehead；　hard…ridden　by　the

uneasy　consciousness　of　his　treason　to　Luck；　leaned　against　a　porch　post　and

sucked　hard　at　the　stem　of　an　empty　pipe。　And　just　beyond　the　corner　out　of

sight　but　well　within　hearing；　Annie…Many…Ponies　stood　flattened　against　the

wall　and　listened　with　fast…beating　pulse　for　the　sound　of　her　name；　spoken　in

the　loved　voice　of　Wagalexa　Conka。　She；　the　daughter　of　a　chief　and　Luck's

sister　by　tribal　adoptionwould　he　not　miss　her：　from　among　those　others　who

welcomed　him？　Would　he　not　presently　ask：　〃Where　is　Annie…Many…Ponies？〃　She

knew　just　how　he　would　turn　and　search　for　her　with　his　eyes。



She　knew　just　how　his　voice　would　sound　when　he　asked　for　her。　Then；　after　a

minutewhen　he　had　missed　her　and　had　asked　for　hershe　would　come　and　stand

before　him。　And　he　would　take　her　hand　and　say　to　that　white　woman；　〃This　is

my　Indian　sister；　Annie…Many…Ponies；　who　played　the　part　of　the　beautiful

Indian　girl　who　died　so　grandly　in　The　Phantom　Herd。　This　is　the　girl　who

plays　my　character　leads。〃　Then　the　white　girl；　who　was　to　be　his　leading

woman；　would　not　feel　that　she　was　the　only　woman　in　the　company　who　could　do

good　work　for　Luck。



Annie…Many…Ponies　had　worked　in　pictures　since　she　was　fifteen　and　did　only

〃atmosphere　stuff〃　in　the　Indian　camps　of　Luck's　arranging。　She　was　wise　in

the　ways　of　picture　jealousies。　Already　she　was　jealous　of　this　slim　woman

with　the　dark　hair　and　eyes　and　the　slow　smile　that　always　caught　one's

attention　and　held　it。　She　waited。　She　wanted　Wagalexa　Conka　to　call　her　in

that　kindly；　imperious　voice　of　histhe　voice　of　the　master。　This　leading

woman　would　see；　then；　that　here　was　a　girl　more　beautiful　for　whom　Luck

Lindsay　felt　the　affection　of　family　ties。



She　waited；　flattened　against　the　wall；　listening　to　every　word　that　was

spoken　in　that　buzzing　group。　She　saw　the　last　bundle　taken　from　the　machine；

and　she　saw　Luck's　head　and　shoulders　disappear　within　the　tonneau；　making

sure　that　it　was　the　last　bundle　and　that　nothing　had　been　overlooked。　She　saw

the　driver　climb　in；　slam　the　fore…door　shut　after　him　and　bend　above　the

starter。　She　saw　the　machine　slide　out　of　the　group　and　away　in　a　wide　circle

to　regain　the　trail。　She　saw　the　group　break　and　start　off　in　various

directions　as　duty　or　a　passing　interest　led。　But　Wagalexa　Conka　never　once

seemed　to　remember　that　she　was　not　there。　Never　once　did　he　speak　her　name。



Instead；　just　as　Rosemary　was　leading　the　way　into　the　house；　this　slim　young

woman　they　called　Jean　glanced　around　inquiringly。　〃I　thought　you　had　a　squaw

working　for　you；〃　she　said　in　that　soft；　humorous　voice　of　hers。　〃The　one　who

did　the　Indian　girl　in　The　Phantom　Herd。　Isn't　she　here　any　more？〃



〃Oh；　yes！〃　Luck　stopped　with　one　foot　on　the　porch。　〃Sure！　Where　is　Annie？

Anybody　know？〃



〃She　was　around　here　just　before　you　came；〃　said　Rosemary　carelessly。　〃I　don't

know　where　she　went。〃



〃Hid　out；　I　reckon；〃　Luck　commented。　〃Injuns　are　heap　shy　of　meeting

strangers。　She'll　show　up　after　a　little。〃



Annie…Many…Ponies　stooped　and　slid　safely　past　the　window　that　might　betray

her；　and　then　slipped　away　behind　the　house。　She　waited；　and　she　listened；　for

though　the　adobe　walls　were　thick；　there　were　open　windows　and　her　hearing　was

keen。　Within　was　animated　babel　and　much　laughter。　But　not　once　again　did

Annie…Many…Ponies　hear　her　name　spoken。　Not　once　again　did　Wagalexa　Conka

remember　her。　Save　when　she；　that　slim　woman　who　bad　come　to　play　his　leads；

asked　to　see　her；　she　had　been　wholly　forgotten。　Even　then　she　had　been　named

a　squaw。　It　was　as　though　they　had　been　speaking　of　a　horse。　They　did　not

count　her　worthy　of　a　place　in　their　company；　they　did　not　miss　her　voice　and

her　smile。



〃Hid　out；〃　Wagalexa　Conka　had　said。　Well；　she　would　hide　out；　thenshe；　the

daughter　of　a　chief　of　the　Sioux；　she；　whom　Wagalexa　Conka　had　been　glad　to

have　in　his　picture　when　he　was　poor　and　had　no　money　to　pay　white　leading

women。　But　now　he　had　much　money；　now　he　could　come　in　a　big　automobile；　with

a　slim；　white　leading　woman　and　a　camera　man　and　scenic　artist　and　much　money

in　his　pocket；　and　sheshe　was　just　a　squaw　who　had　hid　out；　and　who　would

show　up　after　a　while　and　be　grateful　if　he　took　her　by　the　hand　and　said；

〃How！〃



With　so　many　persons　moving　eagerly　here　and　there；　none　but　an　Indian　could

have　slipped　away　from　that　house　and　from　the　ranch　without　being　seen。　But

though　the　place　was　bald　and　open　to　the　four　winds　save　for　a　few　detached

outbuildings；　Annie…Many…Ponies　went　away　upon　the　mesa　and　no　one　saw　her　go。



She　did　not　dare　go　to　the　corral　for　her　horse。　The　corral　was　in　plain　sight

of　the　house；　and　the　eyes　of　Wagalexa　Conka　were　keen　as　the　eye　of　the

Sioux；　his　foster　brothers。　He　would　see　her　there。　He　would　call：　〃Annie；

come　here！〃　and　she　would　go；　and　would　stand　submissive　before　him；　and　would

be　glad　that　he　noticed　her；　for　she　was　born　of　the　tribe　where　women　obey

their　masters；　and　the　heritage　of　centuries　may　not　be　lightly　lain　aside

like　an　outgrown　garment。　She　felt　that　this　was　so；　that　although　her　heart

might　burn　with　resentment　because　he　had　forgotten　and　must　be　reminded　by　a

strange　white　woman　that　the　〃squaw〃　was　not　present；　still；　if　he　called　her

she　must　go；　because　Wagalexa　Conka　was　master　there　and　the　master　must　be

obeyed。



Down　the　dry　wash　where　Applehead　had　hunted　for　baling　wire　she　went　swiftly；

with　the　straight…backed；　free　stride　of　the　plainswoman　who　knows　not　the

muscle…bondage　of　boned　girdle。　In　moccasins　she　walked；　for　a　certain　pride

of　race；　a　certain　sense　of　the　picture…value　of　beaded　buckskin　and　bright

cloth；　held　her　fast　to　the　gala　dress　of　her　people；　modified　and　touched

here　and　there　with　the　gay　ornaments　of　civilization。　So　much　had　her　work　in

the　silent　drama　taught　her。　Bareheaded；　her　hair　in　two　glossy　braids　each

tied　with　a　big　red　bow；　she　strode　on　and　on　in　the　clear　sunlight　of　spring。



Not　until　she　was　more　than　two　miles　from　the　ranch　did　she　show　herself　upon

one　of　the　numberless　small　ridges　which；　blended　together　in　the　disance；

give　that　deceptive　look　of　flatness　to　the　mesa。　Even　two　miles　away；　in　that

clear　air　that　dwarfs　distance　so　amazingly；　Wagalexa　Conka　might　recognize

her　if　he　looked　at　her　with　sufficient　attention。　But　Wagalexa　Conka；　she

told　herself　with　a　flash　of　her　black　eyes；　would　not　look。　Wagalexa　Conka

was　too　busy　looking　at　that　slim　woman　he　had　brought　with　him。



That　ridge　she　crossed；　and　two　others。　On　the　last　one　she　stopped　and　stood；

straight　and　still；　and　stared　away　towards　the　mountains；　shading　her　eyes

with　one　spread　palm。　On　a　distant　slope　a　small　herd　of　cattle　fed；　scattered

and　at　peace。　Nearer；　a　great　hawk　circled　slowly　on　widespread　wings；　his

neck　craned　downward　as　if　he　were　watching　his　own　shadow　move　ghostlike　over

the　grass。　Annie…Many…Ponies；　turning　her　eyes　disappointedly　from　the　empty

mesa；　envied　the　hawk　his　swift…winged　freedom。



When　she　looked　again　toward　the　far　slopes　next　the　mountains；　a　black　speck

rolled　into