a waif of the plains-第2节

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until　both　themselves　and　the　excitement　were　exhausted；　and　they
again　plodded　on　hand　in　hand。　　Presently　Clarence　uttered　a　cry。

〃My！　　Susylook　there！〃

The　rear　wagon　had　once　more　slipped　away　from　them　a　considerable
distance。　　Between　it　and　them；　crossing　its　track；　a　most
extraordinary　creature　had　halted。

At　first　glance　it　seemed　a　doga　discomfited；　shameless；
ownerless　outcast　of　streets　and　byways；　rather　than　an　honest
stray　of　some　drover's　train。　　It　was　so　gaunt；　so　dusty；　so
greasy；　so　slouching；　and　so　lazy！　　But　as　they　looked　at　it　more
intently　they　saw　that　the　grayish　hair　of　its　back　had　a　bristly
ridge；　and　there　were　great　poisonous…looking　dark　blotches　on　its
flanks；　and　that　the　slouch　of　its　haunches　was　a　peculiarity　of
its　figure；　and　not　the　cowering　of　fear。　　As　it　lifted　its
suspicious　head　towards　them　they　could　see　that　its　thin　lips；　too
short　to　cover　its　white　teeth；　were　curled　in　a　perpetual　sneer。

〃Here；　doggie！〃　said　Clarence　excitedly。　　〃Good　dog！　　Come。〃

Susy　burst　into　a　triumphant　laugh。　　〃Et　tain't　no　dog；　silly；　it's
er　coyote。〃

Clarence　blushed。　　It　wasn't　the　first　time　the　pioneer's　daughter
had　shown　her　superior　knowledge。　　He　said　quickly；　to　hide　his
discomfiture；　〃I'll　ketch　him；　any　way；　he's　nothin'　mor'n　a　ki　yi。〃

〃Ye　can't；　tho；〃　said　Susy；　shaking　her　sun…bonnet。　　〃He's　faster
nor　a　hoss！〃

Nevertheless；　Clarence　ran　towards　him；　followed　by　Susy。　　When
they　had　come　within　twenty　feet　of　him；　the　lazy　creature；　without
apparently　the　least　effort；　took　two　or　three　limping　bounds　to
one　side；　and　remained　at　the　same　distance　as　before。　　They
repeated　this　onset　three　or　four　times　with　more　or　less
excitement　and　hilarity；　the　animal　evading　them　to　one　side；　but
never　actually　retreating　before　them。　　Finally；　it　occurred　to
them　both　that　although　they　were　not　catching　him　they　were　not
driving　him　away。　　The　consequences　of　that　thought　were　put　into
shape　by　Susy　with　round…eyed　significance。

〃Kla'uns；　he　bites。〃

Clarence　picked　up　a　hard　sun…baked　clod；　and；　running　forward；
threw　it　at　the　coyote。　　It　was　a　clever　shot；　and　struck　him　on
his　slouching　haunches。　　He　snapped　and　gave　a　short　snarling　yelp；
and　vanished。　　Clarence　returned　with　a　victorious　air　to　his
companion。　　But　she　was　gazing　intently　in　the　opposite　direction；
and　for　the　first　time　he　discovered　that　the　coyote　had　been
leading　them　half　round　a　circle。

〃Kla'uns；〃　said　Susy；　with　a　hysterical　little　laugh。

〃Well？〃

〃The　wagon's　gone。〃

Clarence　started。　　It　was　true。　　Not　only　their　wagon；　but　the
whole　train　of　oxen　and　teamsters　had　utterly　disappeared；
vanishing　as　completely　as　if　they　had　been　caught　up　in　a
whirlwind　or　engulfed　in　the　earth！　　Even　the　low　cloud　of　dust
that　usually　marked　their　distant　course　by　day　was　nowhere　to　be
seen。　　The　long　level　plain　stretched　before　them　to　the　setting
sun；　without　a　sign　or　trace　of　moving　life　or　animation。　　That
great　blue　crystal　bowl；　filled　with　dust　and　fire　by　day；　with
stars　and　darkness　by　night；　which　had　always　seemed　to　drop　its
rim　round　them　everywhere　and　shut　them　in；　seemed　to　them　now　to
have　been　lifted　to　let　the　train　pass　out；　and　then　closed　down
upon　them　forever。


CHAPTER　II


Their　first　sensation　was　one　of　purely　animal　freedom。

They　looked　at　each　other　with　sparkling　eyes　and　long　silent
breaths。　　But　this　spontaneous　outburst　of　savage　nature　soon
passed。　　Susy's　little　hand　presently　reached　forward　and　clutched
Clarence's　jacket。　　The　boy　understood　it；　and　said　quickly；

〃They　ain't　gone　far；　and　they'll　stop　as　soon　as　they　find　us
gone。〃

They　trotted　on　a　little　faster；　the　sun　they　had　followed　every
day　and　the　fresh　wagon　tracks　being　their　unfailing　guides；　the
keen；　cool　air　of　the　plains；　taking　the　place　of　that　all…
pervading　dust　and　smell　of　the　perspiring　oxen；　invigorating　them
with　its　breath。

〃We　ain't　skeered　a　bit；　are　we？〃　said　Susy。

〃What's　there　to　be　afraid　of？〃　said　Clarence　scornfully。　　He　said
this　none　the　less　strongly　because　he　suddenly　remembered　that
they　had　been　often　left　alone　in　the　wagon　for　hours　without　being
looked　after；　and　that　their　absence　might　not　be　noticed　until　the
train　stopped　to　encamp　at　dusk；　two　hours　later。　　They　were　not
running　very　fast；　yet　either　they　were　more　tired　than　they　knew；
or　the　air　was　thinner；　for　they　both　seemed　to　breathe　quickly。
Suddenly　Clarence　stopped。

〃There　they　are　now。〃

He　was　pointing　to　a　light　cloud　of　dust　in　the　far…off　horizon；
from　which　the　black　hulk　of　a　wagon　emerged　for　a　moment　and　was
lost。　　But　even　as　they　gazed　the　cloud　seemed　to　sink　like　a　fairy
mirage　to　the　earth　again；　the　whole　train　disappeared；　and　only
the　empty　stretching　track　returned。　　They　did　not　know　that　this
seemingly　flat　and　level　plain　was　really　undulatory；　and　that　the
vanished　train　had　simply　dipped　below　their　view　on　some　further
slope　even　as　it　had　once　before。　　But　they　knew　they　were
disappointed；　and　that　disappointment　revealed　to　them　the　fact
that　they　had　concealed　it　from　each　other。　　The　girl　was　the　first
to　succumb；　and　burst　into　a　quick　spasm　of　angry　tears。　　That
single　act　of　weakness　called　out　the　boy's　pride　and　strength。
There　was　no　longer　an　equality　of　suffering；　he　had　become　her
protector；　he　felt　himself　responsible　for　both。　　Considering　her
no　longer　his　equal；　he　was　no　longer　frank　with　her。

〃There's　nothin'　to　boo…boo　for；〃　he　said；　with　a　half…affected
brusqueness。　　〃So　quit；　now！　　They'll　stop　in　a　minit；　and　send
some　one　back　for　us。　　Shouldn't　wonder　if　they're　doin'　it　now。〃

But　Susy；　with　feminine　discrimination　detecting　the　hollow　ring　in
his　voice；　here　threw　herself　upon　him　and　began　to　beat　him
violently　with　her　little　fists。　　〃They　ain't！　　They　ain't！　　They
ain't。　　You　know　it！　　How　dare　you？〃　　Then；　exhausted　with　her
struggles；　she　suddenly　threw　herself　flat　on　the　dry　grass；　shut
her　eyes　tightly；　and　clutched　at　the　stubble。

〃Get　up；〃　said　the　boy；　with　a　pale；　determined　face　that　seemed　to
have　got　much　older。

〃You　leave　me　be；〃　said　Susy。

〃Do　you　want　me　to　go　away　and　leave　you？〃　asked　the　boy。

Susy　opened　one　blue　eye　furtively　in　the　secure　depths　of　her　sun…
bonnet；　and　gazed　at　his　changed　face。

〃Ye…e…s。〃

He　pretended　to　turn　away；　but　really　to　look　at　the　height　of　the
sinking　sun。

〃Kla'uns！〃

〃Well？〃

〃Take　me。〃

She　was　holding　up　her　hands。　　He　lifted　her　gently　in　his　arms；
dropping　her　head　over　his　shoulder。　　〃Now；〃　he　said　cheerfully；
〃you　keep　a　good　lookout　that　way；　and　I　this；　and　we'll　soon　be
there。〃

The　idea　seemed　to　please　her。　　After　Clarence　had　stumbled　on　for
a　few　moments；　she　said；　〃Do　you　see　anything；　Kla'uns？〃

〃Not　yet。〃

〃No　more　don't　I。〃　　This　equality　of　perception　apparently
satisfied　her。　　Presently　she　lay　more　limp　in　his　arms。　　She　was
asleep。

The　sun　was　sinking　lower；　it　had　already　touched　the　edge　of　the
horizon；　and　was　level　with　his　dazzled　and　straining　eyes。　　At
times　it　seemed　to　impede　his　eager　search　and　task　his　vision。
Haze　and　black　spots　floated　across　the　horizon；　and　round　wafers；
like　duplicates　of　the　sun；　glittered　back　from　the　dull　surface　of
the　plains。　　Then　he　resolved　to　look　no　more　until　he　had　counted
fifty；　a　hundred；　but　always　with　the　same　result；　the　return　of
the　empty；　unending　plainsthe　disk　growing　redder　as　it　neared
the　horizon；　the　fire　it　seemed　to　kindle　as　it　sank；　but　nothing
more。

Staggering　under　his　burden；　he　tried　to　distract　himself　by
fancying　how　the　discovery　of　their　absence　would　be　made。　　He
heard　the　listless；　half…querulous　discussion　about　the　locality
that　regularly　pervaded　the　nightly　camp。　　He　heard　the
discontented　voice　of　Jake　Silsbee　as　he　halted　beside　the　wagon；
and　said；　〃Come　out　o'　that　now；　you　two；　and　mighty　quick　about
it。〃　　He　heard　the　command　harshly　repeated。　　He　saw　the　look　of
irritation　on　Silsbee's　dusty；　bearded　face；　that　followed　his
hurried　glance　into　the　empty　wagon。　　He　heard　the　query；　〃What's
gone　o'　them　limbs　now？〃　handed　from　wagon　to　wagon。　　He　heard　a
few　oaths；　Mrs。　Silsbee's　high　rasping　voice；　abuse　of　himself；　the
hurried　and　discontented　detachment　of　a　search　party；　Silsbee　and
one　of　the　hired　men；　and　vociferation　and　blame。　　Blame　always　for
himself；　the　elder；　who　might　have　〃known　better！〃　　A　little　fear；
perhaps；　but　he　could　not　fancy　either　pity　or　commiseration。
Perhaps　the　thought　upheld　his　pride；　under　the　prospect　of
sympathy　he　might　have　broken　down。

At　last　he　stumbled；　and　stopped　to　keep　himself　from　falling
forward　on　his　face。　　He　could　go　no　further；　his　breath　was　spent；
he　was　dripping　with　perspiration；　his　legs　were　trembling　under
him；　there　was　a　roaring　in　his　ears；　round　red　disks　of　the　sun
were　scattered　everywhere　around　him　like　spots　of　blood。　　To　the
right　of　the　trail　there　seemed　to　be　a　slight　mound　where　he　could
rest　awhile；　and　yet　keep　his　watchful　survey　of　the　horizon。　　But
on　reaching　it　he　found　that　it　was　only　a　tangle　of　taller
mesquite　grass；　into　wh