the heritage of the sioux-第5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！





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

rolled　into　view；　the　nucleus　of　a　little　dust　cloud。　Her　face　brightened　a

little；　she　turned　abruptly　and　sought　easy　footing　down　that　ridge；　and

climbed　hurriedly　the　longer　rise　beyond。　Once　or　twice；　when　she　was　on　high

ground；　she　glanced　behind　her　uneasily；　as　does　one　whose　mind　holds　a

certain　consciousness　of　wrongdoing。　She　did　not　pause；　even　then；　but　hurried

on　toward　the　dust　cloud。　



On　the　rim　of　a　shallow；　saucer…like　basin　that　lay　cunningly　concealed　until

one　stood　upon　the　very　edge　of　it；　Annie…Many…Ponies　stopped　again　and　stood

looking　out　from　under　her　spread　palm。　Presently　the　dust　cloud　moved　over

the　crest　of　a　ridge；　and　now　that　it　was　so　much　closer　she　saw　clearly　the

horseman　loping　abreast　of　the　dust。　Annie…Many…Ponies　stood　for　another

moment　watching；　with　that　inscrutable　half　smile　on　her　lips。　She　untied　the

cerise　silk　kerchief　which　she　wore　knotted　loosely　around　her　slim　neck；

waited　until　the　horseman　showed　plainly　in　the　distance　and　then；　raising　her

right　hand　high　above　her　head；　waved　the　scarf　three　times　in　slow；　sweeping

half　circles　from　right　to　left。　She　waited；　her　eyes　fixed　expectantly　upon

the　horseman。　Like　a　startled　rabbit　he　darted　to　the　left；　pulled　in　his

horse；　turned　and　rode　for　three　or　four　jumps　sharply　to　the　right；　stopped

short　for　ten　seconds　and　then　came　straight　on；　spurring　his　horse　to　a

swifter　pace。



Annie…Many…Ponies　smiled　and　went　down　into　the　shallow　basin　and　seated

herself　upon　the　wide；　adobe　curbing　of　an　old　well　that　marked；　with　the

nearby　ruins　of　an　adobe　house；　the　site；　of　an　old　habitation　of　tragic

history。　She　waited　with　the　absolute　patience　of　her　race　for　the　horseman

had　yet　a　good　two　miles　to　cover。　While　she　waited　she　smiled　dreamily　to

herself　and　with　dainty　little　pats　and　pulls　she　widened　the　flaring　red　bows

on　her　hair　and　retied　the　cerise　scarf　in　its　picturesque；　loose　knot　about

her　throat。　As　a　final　tribute　to　that　feminine　instinct　which　knows　no　race

she　drew　from　some　cunningly　devised　hiding　place　a　small；　cheap　〃vanity　box；〃

and　proceeded　very　gravely　to　powder　her　nose。　　







CHAPTER　III。　TO　THE　VICTORS　THE　SPOILS



〃Hey；　boys！〃　Luck　Lindsay　shouted　to　Applehead　and　one　or　two　of　the　Happy

Family　who　were　down　at　the　chuckwagon　engaged　in　uneasy　discussion　as　to

what　Luck　would　say　when　he　found　out　about　their　intention　to　leave。　〃Come　on

up　herethis　is　going　to　be　a　wiping　out　of　old　scores　and　I　want　to　get　it

over　with！〃



〃Well；　now；　I　calc'late　the　fur's　about　to　fly；〃　Applehead　made　dismal

prophecy；　as　they　started　to　obey　the　summons。　〃All　't　su'prises　me　is　't　he's

held　off　this　long。　Two　hours　is　a　dang　long　time　fer　Luck　to　git　in　action；

now　I'm　tellin'　yuh！〃　He　took　off　his　hat　and　polished　his　shiny　pate；　as　was

his　habit　when　perturbed。　〃I'm　shore　glad　we　had　t'　wait　and　set　them　wagon…

tires；〃　he　added。　〃We'd　bin　started　this　mornin'　only　fer　that。〃



〃Aw；　we　ain't　done　nothing；〃　Happy　Jack　protested　in　premature　self　defense。

〃We　ain't　left　the　ranch　yet。　I　guess　a　feller's　got　a　right　to　THINK！〃



〃He　has；　if　he's　got　anything　to　do　it　with；〃　Pink　could　not　forbear　to　remark

pointedly。



〃Well；　if　a　feller　didn't　have；　he'd　have　a　fat　chance　borrying　from　YOU；〃

Happy　Jack　retorted。　



〃Well；　by　cripes；　I　ain't　perpared　to　bet　very　high　that　there's　a　teacupful

uh　brains　in　this　hull　outfit；〃　Big　Medicine　asserted。　〃We　might　a　knowed

Luck'd　come　back　loaded　fer　bear；　we　WOULD　a　knowed　it　if　we　had　any　brains　in

our　heads。　I'm　plumb　sore　at　myself。　By　cripes；　I　need　kickin'！〃



〃You'll　get　it；　chances　are；〃　Pink　assured　him　grimly。



Luck　was　in　the　living　room；　sitting　at　a　table　on　which　were　scattered　many

papers　Scribbled　with　figures。　He　had　a　cigarette　in　his　lips；　his　hat　on　the

back　of　his　head　and　a　twinkle　in　his　eyes。　He　looked　up　and　grinned　as　they

came　reluctantly　into　the　room。



〃Time's　money　from　now　on；　so　this　is　going　to　　be　cut　short　as　possible；〃　he

began　with　his　usual　dynamic　energy　showing　in　his　tone　and　in　the　movements

of　his　hands　as　he　gathered　up　the　papers　and　evened　their　edges　on　the　table

top。　〃You　fellows　know　how　much　you　put　into　the　game　when　we　started　out　to

come　here　and　produce　The　Phantom　Herd；　don't　you？　If　you　don't；　I've　got　the

figures　here。　I　guess　the　returns　are　all　in　on　that　pictureand　so　far　She's

brought　us　twenty…three　thousand　and　four　hundred　dollars。　She　went　big；

believe　me！　I　sold　thirty　states。　Well；　cost　of　production　is…what　we　put　in

the　pool；　plus　the　cost　of　making　the　prints　I　got　in　Los。　We　pull　out　the

profits　according　to　what　we　put　insabe？　I　guess　that　suits　everybody；

doesn't　it？〃



〃Sure；〃　one　astonished　voice　gulped　faintly。　The　others　were　dumb。



〃Well；　I've　figured　it　out　that　wayand　to　make　sure　I　had　it　right　I　got

Billy　Wilders；　a　pal　of　mine　that　works　in　a　bank　there；　to　figure　it　himself

and　check　up　after　me。　We　all　put　in　our　servicesone　man's　work　against

every　other　man's　work；　mine　same　as　any　of　you。　Bill　Holmes；　here；　didn't

have　any　money　up；　and　he　was　an　apprenticebut　I'm　giving　him　twenty　a　week

besides　his　board。　That　suit　you；　Bill？〃



〃I　guess　it's　all　right；〃　Bill　answered　in　his　colorless　tone。



Luck；　being　extremely　sensitive　to　tones；　cocked　an　eye　up　at　Bill　before　he

deliberately　peeled；　from　the　roll　he　drew　from　his　pocket；　enough　twenty

dollar　notes　to　equal　the　number　of　weeks　Bill　had　worked　for　him。　〃And　that's

paying　you　darned　good　money　for　apprentice　work；〃　he　informed　him　drily；　a

little　hurt　by　Bill's　lack　of　appreciation。　For　when　you　take　a　man　from　the

streets　because　he　is　broke　and　hungry　and　homeless；　and　feed　him　and　give　him

work　and　clothes　and　three　meals　a　day　and　a　warm　bed　to　sleep　in；　if　yon　are

a　normal　human　being　you　are　going　to　expect　a　little　gratitude　from　that　man；

Luck　had　a　flash　of　disappointment　when　he　saw　how　indifferently　Bill　Holmes

took　those　twenties　and　counted　them　before　shoving　them　into　his　pocket。　His

own　voice　was　more　crisply　businesslike　when　he　spoke　again。



〃Annie…Many…Ponies　back　yet？　She's　not　in　on　the　split　either。　I'm　paying　her

ten　a　week　besides　her　board。　That's　good　money　for　a　squaw。〃　He　counted　out

the　amount　in　ten　dollar　bills　and　snapped　a　rubber　band　around　them。



〃Now　here　is　the　profit；　boys；　on　your　winter's　work。　Applehead　comes　in　with

the　use　of　his　ranch　and　stock　and　wagons　and　so　on。　Here；　pardhow　does　this

look　to　you？〃　His　own　pleasure　in　what　he　was　doing　warmed　from　Luck's　voice

all　the　chill　that　Bill　Holmes　had　sent　into　it。　He　smiled　his　contagious

smile　and　peeled　off　fifty　dollar　banknotes　until　Applehead's　eyes　popped。　



〃Oh；　don't　give　me　so　dang　much！〃　he　gulped　nervously　when　Luck　had　counted

out　for　him　the　amount　he　had　jotted　down　opposite　his　name。　〃That　there's

moren　the　hul　dang　ranch　is　worth　if　I　was　t'　deed　it　over　to　yuh；　Luck！　I

ain't　goin'　to　take〃



〃You　shut　up；〃　Luck　commanded　him　affectionately。　〃That's　yoursnow；　close

your　face　and　let　me　get　this　thing　wound　up。　NowWILL　you　quit　your　arguing；

or　shall　I　throw　you　out　the　window？〃



〃Well；　now；　I　calc'late　you'd　have　a　right　busy　time　throwin'　ME　out　the

window；〃　Applehead　boasted；　and　backed　into　a　corner　to　digest　this

astonishing　turn　of　events。



One　by　one；　as　their　names　stood　upon　his　list；　Luck　called　the　boys　forward

and　with　exaggerated　deliberation　peeled　off　fifty…dollar　notes　and

one…hundred…dollar　notes　to　take　their　breath　and　speech　from　them。



With　Billy　Wilders；　his　friend　in　the　bank；　to　help　him；　he　had　boyishly　built

that　roll　for　just　this　heart…warming　little　ceremony。　He　might　have　written

checks　to　square　the　account　of　each；　but　he　wanted　to　make　their　eyes　stand

out；　just　as　he　was　doing。　He　had　looked　forward　to　this　half　hour　more

eagerly　than　any　of　them　guessed；　he　had；　with　his　eyes　closed；　visualized

this　scene　over　more　than　one　cigarette；　his　memory　picturing　vividly　another

scene　wherein　these　same　young　men　had　cheerfully　emptied　their　pockets　and

planned　many　small　personal　sacrifices　that　he；　Luck　Lindsay；　might　have　money

enough　to　come　here　to　New　Mexico　and　make　his　one　Big　Picture。　Luck　felt　that

nothing　less　than　a　display　　of　the　profits　in　real　money　could　ever　quite

balance　that　other　scene　when　all　the　Happy　Familyhad　in　the　world　went　in　the

pot　and　they　mourned　because　it　was　so　little。



〃Aw；　I　betche　Luck　robbed　a　bank　er　something！〃　Happy　Jack　stuttered　with　an

awkward　attempt　to　conceal　his　delight　when　his　name　was　called；　his

investment　was　read　and　the　little　sheaf　of　currency　that　represented　his

profit　was　laid　in　his　outstretched　palm。



〃It's　me　for　the　movies　if　this　is　the　way　they　pan　out；〃　Weary　declared

gleefully。　〃Mamma！　I　didn't　know　there　was　so