a waif of the plains-第4节

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returned　with　some　one；　how　would　he　ever　find　her　again　in　this
desolate　expanse？

He　watched　the　train　slowly　passstill　mechanically；　almost
hopelessly；　waving　his　hat　as　he　ran　up　and　down　before　the
mesquite；　as　if　he　were　waving　a　last　farewell　to　his　departing
hope。　　Suddenly　it　appeared　to　him　that　three　of　the　outriders　who
were　preceding　the　first　wagon　had　changed　their　shape。　　They　were
no　longer　sharp；　oblong；　black　blocks　against　the　horizon　but　had
become　at　first　blurred　and　indistinct；　then　taller　and　narrower；
until　at　last　they　stood　out　like　exclamation　points　against　the
sky。　　He　continued　to　wave　his　hat；　they　continued　to　grow　taller
and　narrower。　　He　understood　it　nowthe　three　transformed　blocks
were　the　outriders　coming　towards　him。

This　is　what　he　had　seen

＇Drawing　of　three　black　blocks＇

This　is　what　he　saw　now

！　　！　　！

He　ran　back　to　Susy　to　see　if　she　still　slept；　for　his　foolish
desire　to　have　her　saved　unconsciously　was　stronger　than　ever　now
that　safety　seemed　so　near。　　She　was　still　sleeping；　although　she
had　moved　slightly。　　He　ran　to　the　front　again。

The　outriders　had　apparently　halted。　　What　were　they　doing？　　Why
wouldn't　they　come　on？

Suddenly　a　blinding　flash　of　light　seemed　to　burst　from　one　of
them。　　Away　over　his　head　something　whistled　like　a　rushing　bird；
and　sped　off　invisible。　　They　had　fired　a　gun；　they　were　signaling
to　himClarencelike　a　grown…up　man。　　He　would　have　given　his
life　at　that　moment　to　have　had　a　gun。　　But　he　could　only　wave　his
hat　frantically。

One　of　the　figures　here　bore　away　and　impetuously　darted　forward
again。　　He　was　coming　nearer；　powerful；　gigantic；　formidable；　as　he
loomed　through　the　darkness。　　All　at　once　he　threw　up　his　arm　with
a　wild　gesture　to　the　others；　and　his　voice；　manly；　frank；　and
assuring；　came　ringing　before　him。

〃Hold　up！　　Good　God！　　It's　no　Injunit's　a　child！〃

In　another　moment　he　had　reined　up　beside　Clarence　and　leaned　over
him；　bearded；　handsome；　powerful　and　protecting。

〃Hallo！　　What's　all　this？　　What　are　you　doing　here？〃

〃Lost　from　Mr。　Silsbee's　train；〃　said　Clarence；　pointing　to　the
darkened　west。

〃Lost？how　long？〃

〃About　three　hours。　　I　thought　they'd　come　back　for　us；〃　said
Clarence　apologetically　to　this　big；　kindly　man。

〃And　you　kalkilated　to　wait　here　for　'em？〃

〃Yes；　yesI　didtill　I　saw　you。〃

〃Then　why　in　thunder　didn't　you　light　out　straight　for　us；　instead
of　hanging　round　here　and　drawing　us　out？〃

The　boy　hung　his　head。　　He　knew　his　reasons　were　unchanged；　but　all
at　once　they　seemed　very　foolish　and　unmanly　to　speak　out。

〃Only　that　we　were　on　the　keen　jump　for　Injins；〃　continued　the
stranger；　〃we　wouldn't　have　seen　you　at　all；　and　might　hev　shot　you
when　we　did。　　What　possessed　you　to　stay　here？〃

The　boy　was　still　silent。　　〃Kla'uns；〃　said　a　faint；　sleepy　voice
from　the　mesquite；　〃take　me。〃　　The　rifle…shot　had　awakened　Susy。

The　stranger　turned　quickly　towards　the　sound。　　Clarence　started
and　recalled　himself。　　〃There；〃　he　said　bitterly；　〃you've　done　it
now；　you've　wakened　her！　　THAT'S　why　I　stayed。　　I　couldn't　carry
her　over　there　to　you。　　I　couldn't　let　her　walk；　for　she'd　be
frightened。　　I　wouldn't　wake　her　up；　for　she'd　be　frightened；　and　I
mightn't　find　her　again。　　There！〃　　He　had　made　up　his　mind　to　be
abused；　but　he　was　reckless　now　that　she　was　safe。

The　men　glanced　at　each　other。　　〃Then；〃　said　the　spokesman　quietly；
〃you　didn't　strike　out　for　us　on　account　of　your　sister？〃

〃She　ain't　my　sister；〃　said　Clarence　quickly。　　〃She's　a　little
girl。　　She's　Mrs。　Silsbee's　little　girl。　　We　were　in　the　wagon　and
got　down。　　It's　my　fault。　　I　helped　her　down。〃

The　three　men　reined　their　horses　closely　round　him；　leaning
forward　from　their　saddles；　with　their　hands　on　their　knees　and
their　heads　on　one　side。　　〃Then；〃　said　the　spokesman　gravely；　〃you
just　reckoned　to　stay　here；　old　man；　and　take　your　chances　with　her
rather　than　run　the　risk　of　frightening　or　leaving　herthough　it
was　your　one　chance　of　life！〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　boy；　scornful　of　this　feeble；　grown…up　repetition。

〃Come　here。〃

The　boy　came　doggedly　forward。　　The　man　pushed　back　the　well…worn
straw　hat　from　Clarence's　forehead　and　looked　into　his　lowering
face。　　With　his　hand　still　on　the　boy's　head　he　turned　him　round　to
the　others；　and　said　quietly；

〃Suthin　of　a　pup；　eh？〃

〃You　bet；〃　they　responded。

The　voice　was　not　unkindly；　although　the　speaker　had　thrown　his
lower　jaw　forward　as　if　to　pronounce　the　word　〃pup〃　with　a　humorous
suggestion　of　a　mastiff。　　Before　Clarence　could　make　up　his　mind　if
the　epithet　was　insulting　or　not；　the　man　put　out　his　stirruped
foot；　and；　with　a　gesture　of　invitation；　said；　〃Jump　up。〃

〃But　Susy；〃　said　Clarence；　drawing　back。

〃Look；　she's　making　up　to　Phil　already。〃

Clarence　looked。　　Susy　had　crawled　out　of　the　mesquite；　and　with
her　sun…bonnet　hanging　down　her　back；　her　curls　tossed　around　her
face；　still　flushed　with　sleep；　and　Clarence's　jacket　over　her
shoulders；　was　gazing　up　with　grave　satisfaction　in　the　laughing
eyes　of　one　of　the　men　who　was　with　outstretched　hands　bending　over
her。　　Could　he　believe　his　senses？　　The　terror…stricken；　willful；
unmanageable　Susy；　whom　he　would　have　translated　unconsciously　to
safety　without　this　terrible　ordeal　of　being　awakened　to　the　loss
of　her　home　and　parents　at　any　sacrifice　to　himselfthis　ingenuous
infant　was　absolutely　throwing　herself　with　every　appearance　of
forgetfulness　into　the　arms　of　the　first　new…comer！　　Yet　his
perception　of　this　fact　was　accompanied　by　no　sense　of　ingratitude。
For　her　sake　he　felt　relieved；　and　with　a　boyish　smile　of
satisfaction　and　encouragement　vaulted　into　the　saddle　before　the
stranger。


CHAPTER　IV


The　dash　forward　to　the　train；　securely　held　in　the　saddle　by　the
arms　of　their　deliverers；　was　a　secret　joy　to　the　children　that
seemed　only　too　quickly　over。　　The　resistless　gallop　of　the　fiery
mustangs；　the　rush　of　the　night　wind；　the　gathering　darkness　in
which　the　distant　wagons；　now　halted　and　facing　them；　looked　like
domed　huts　in　the　horizonall　these　seemed　but　a　delightful　and
fitting　climax　to　the　events　of　the　day。　　In　the　sublime
forgetfulness　of　youth；　all　they　had　gone　through　had　left　no
embarrassing　record　behind　it；　they　were　willing　to　repeat　their
experiences　on　the　morrow；　confident　of　some　equally　happy　end。
And　when　Clarence；　timidly　reaching　his　hand　towards　the　horse…hair
reins　lightly　held　by　his　companion；　had　them　playfully　yielded　up
to　him　by　that　hold　and　confident　rider；　the　boy　felt　himself
indeed　a　man。

But　a　greater　surprise　was　in　store　for　them。　　As　they　neared　the
wagons；　now　formed　into　a　circle　with　a　certain　degree　of　military
formality；　they　could　see　that　the　appointments　of　the　strange
party　were　larger　and　more　liberal　than　their　own；　or　indeed
anything　they　had　ever　known　of　the　kind。　　Forty　or　fifty　horses
were　tethered　within　the　circle；　and　the　camp　fires　were　already
blazing。　　Before　one　of　them　a　large　tent　was　erected；　and　through
the　parted　flaps　could　be　seen　a　table　actually　spread　with　a　white
cloth。　　Was　it　a　school　feast；　or　was　this　their　ordinary　household
arrangement？　　Clarence　and　Susy　thought　of　their　own　dinners；
usually　laid　on　bare　boards　beneath　the　sky；　or　under　the　low　hood
of　the　wagon　in　rainy　weather；　and　marveled。　　And　when　they　finally
halted；　and　were　lifted　from　their　horses；　and　passed　one　wagon
fitted　up　as　a　bedroom　and　another　as　a　kitchen；　they　could　only
nudge　each　other　with　silent　appreciation。　　But　here　again　the
difference　already　noted　in　the　quality　of　the　sensations　of　the
two　children　was　observable。　　Both　were　equally　and　agreeably
surprised。　　But　Susy's　wonder　was　merely　the　sense　of　novelty　and
inexperience；　and　a　slight　disbelief　in　the　actual　necessity　of
what　she　saw；　while　Clarence；　whether　from　some　previous　general
experience　or　peculiar　temperament；　had　the　conviction　that　what　he
saw　here　was　the　usual　custom；　and　what　he　had　known　with　the
Silsbees　was　the　novelty。　　The　feeling　was　attended　with　a　slight
sense　of　wounded　pride　for　Susy；　as　if　her　enthusiasm　had　exposed
her　to　ridicule。

The　man　who　had　carried　him；　and　seemed　to　be　the　head　of　the
party；　had　already　preceded　them　to　the　tent；　and　presently
reappeared　with　a　lady　with　whom　he　had　exchanged　a　dozen　hurried
words。　　They　seemed　to　refer　to　him　and　Susy；　but　Clarence　was　too
much　preoccupied　with　the　fact　that　the　lady　was　pretty；　that　her
clothes　were　neat　and　thoroughly　clean；　that　her　hair　was　tidy　and
not　rumpled；　and　that；　although　she　wore　an　apron；　it　was　as　clean
as　her　gown；　and　even　had　ribbons　on　it；　to　listen　to　what　was
said。　　And　when　she　ran　eagerly　forward；　and　with　a　fascinating
smile　lifted　the　astonished　Susy　in　her　arms；　Clarence；　in　his
delight　for　his　young　charge；　quite　forgot　that　she　had　not　noticed
him。　　The　bearded　man；　who　seemed　to　be　the　lady's　husband；
evidently　pointed　out　the　omission；　with　some　additions　that
Clarence　could　not　catch；　for　after　saying；　with　a　pretty　pout；
〃Well；　why　shouldn't　he？〃　she　came　forward　with　the　same　dazzling
smile；　and　laid　her　small　a