a waif of the plains-第9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！


which　followed　it；　that　〃Jim　Hooker〃　first　characteristically
flashed　upon　Clarence's　perceptions。　　Hanging　half　on　and　half　off
the　saddle　of　an　Indian　pony；　the　lank　Jim　suddenly　made　his
appearance；　dashing　violently　up　and　down　the　track；　and　around　the
wagon　in　which　Clarence　was　sitting；　tugging　desperately　at　the
reins；　with　every　indication　of　being　furiously　run　away　with；　and
retaining　his　seat　only　with　the　most　dauntless　courage　and　skill。
Round　and　round　they　went；　the　helpless　rider　at　times　hanging　by　a
single　stirrup　near　the　ground；　and　again　recovering　himself　byas
it　seemed　to　Clarencealmost　superhuman　effort。　　Clarence　sat
open…mouthed　with　anxiety　and　excitement；　and　yet　a　few　of　the
other　teamsters　laughed。　　Then　the　voice　of　Mr。　Peyton；　from　the
window　of　his　car；　said　quietly；

〃There；　that　will　do；　Jim。　　Quit　it！〃

The　furious　horse　and　rider　instantly　disappeared。　　A　few　moments
after；　the　bewildered　Clarence　saw　the　redoubted　horseman　trotting
along　quietly　in　the　dust　of　the　rear；　on　the　same　fiery　steed；　who
in　that　prosaic　light　bore　an　astounding　resemblance　to　an　ordinary
team　horse。　　Later　in　the　day　he　sought　an　explanation　from　the
rider。

〃You　see；〃　answered　Jim　gloomily；　〃thar　ain't　a　galoot　in　this　yer
crowd　ez　knows　jist　WHAT'S　in　that　hoss！　　And　them　ez　suspecks
daren't　say！　　It　wouldn't　do　for　to　hev　it　let　out　that　the　Judge
hez　a　Morgan…Mexican　plug　that's　killed　two　men　afore　he　got　him；
and　is　bound　to　kill　another　afore　he　gets　through！　　Why；　on'y　the
week　afore　we　kem　up　to　you；　that　thar　hoss　bolted　with　me　at
camping！　　Bucked　and　throwed　me；　but　I　kept　my　holt　o'　the　stirrups
with　my　footso！　　Dragged　me　a　matter　of　two　miles；　head　down；　and
me　keepin'　away　rocks　with　my　handso！〃

〃Why　didn't　you　loose　your　foot　and　let　go？〃　asked　Clarence
breathlessly。

〃YOU　might；〃　said　Jim；　with　deep　scorn；　〃that　ain't　MY　style。　　I
just　laid　low　till　we　kem　to　a　steep　pitched　hill；　and　goin'　down
when　the　hoss　was；　so　to　speak；　kinder　BELOW　me；　I　just　turned　a
hand　spring；　so；　and　that　landed　me　onter　his　back　again。〃

This　action；　though　vividly　illustrated　by　Jim's　throwing　his　hands
down　like　feet　beneath　him；　and　indicating　the　parabola　of　a　spring
in　the　air；　proving　altogether　too　much　for　Clarence's　mind　to
grasp；　he　timidly　turned　to　a　less　difficult　detail。

〃What　made　the　horse　bolt　first；　Mr。　Hooker？〃

〃Smelt　Injins！〃　said　Jim；　carelessly　expectorating　tobacco　juice　in
a　curving　jet　from　the　side　of　his　moutha　singularly　fascinating
accomplishment；　peculiarly　his　own；　〃'n'　likely　YOUR　Injins。〃

〃But；〃　argued　Clarence　hesitatingly；　〃you　said　it　was　a　week
beforeand〃

〃Er　Mexican　plug　kin　smell　Injins　fifty；　yes；　a　hundred　miles
away；〃　said　Jim；　with　scornful　deliberation；　〃'n'　if　Judge　Peyton
had　took　my　advice；　and　hadn't　been　so　mighty　feared　about　the
character　of　his　hoss　gettin'　out　he'd　hev　played　roots　on　them
Injins　afore　they　tetched　ye。　　But；〃　he　added；　with　gloomy
dejection；　〃there　ain't　no　sand　in　this　yer　crowd；　thar　ain't　no
vim；　thar　ain't　nothin'；　and　thar　kan't　be　ez　long　ez　thar's　women
and　babies；　and　women　and　baby　fixin's；　mixed　up　with　it。　　I'd　hev
cut　the　whole　blamed　gang　ef　it　weren't　for　one　or　two　things；〃　he
added　darkly。

Clarence；　impressed　by　Jim's　mysterious　manner；　for　the　moment
forgot　his　contemptuous　allusion　to　Mr。　Peyton；　and　the　evident
implication　of　Susy　and　himself；　and　asked　hurriedly；　〃What
things？〃

Jim；　as　if　forgetful　of　the　boy's　presence　in　his　fitful　mood；
abstractedly　half　drew　a　glittering　bowie　knife　from　his　bootleg；
and　then　slowly　put　it　back　again。　　〃Thar's　one　or　two　old　scores；〃
he　continued；　in　a　low　voice；　although　no　one　was　in　hearing
distance　of　them；　〃one　or　two　private　accounts；〃　he　went　on
tragically；　averting　his　eyes　as　if　watched　by　some　one；　〃thet　hev
to　be　wiped　out　with　blood　afore　I　leave。　　Thar's　one　or　two　men
TOO　MANY　alive　and　breathin'　in　this　yer　crowd。　　Mebbee　it's　Gus
Gildersleeve；　mebbee　it's　Harry　Benham；　mebbee；〃　he　added；　with　a
dark　yet　noble　disinterestedness；　〃it's　ME。〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Clarence；　with　polite　deprecation。

Far　from　placating　the　gloomy　Jim；　this　seemed　only　to　awake　his
suspicions。　　〃Mebbee；〃　he　said；　dancing　suddenly　away　from
Clarence；　〃mebbee　you　think　I'm　lyin'。　　Mebbee　you　think；　because
you're　Colonel　Brant's　son；　yer　kin　run　ME　with　this　yer　train。
Mebbee；〃　he　continued；　dancing　violently　back　again；　〃ye　kalkilate；
because　ye　run　off'n'　stampeded　a　baby；　ye　kin　tote　me　round　too；
sonny。　　Mebbee；〃　he　went　on；　executing　a　double　shuffle　in　the　dust
and　alternately　striking　his　hands　on　the　sides　of　his　boots；
〃mebbee　you're　spyin'　round　and　reportin'　to　the　Judge。〃

Firmly　convinced　that　Jim　was　working　himself　up　by　an　Indian　war…
dance　to　some　desperate　assault　on　himself；　but　resenting　the　last
unjust　accusation；　Clarence　had　recourse　to　one　of　his　old　dogged
silences。　　Happily　at　this　moment　an　authoritative　voice　called
out；　〃Now；　then；　you　Jim　Hooker！〃　and　the　desperate　Hooker；　as
usual；　vanished　instantly。　　Nevertheless；　he　appeared　an　hour　or
two　later　beside　the　wagon　in　which　Susy　and　Clarence　were　seated；
with　an　expression　of　satiated　vengeance　and　remorseful
bloodguiltiness　in　his　face；　and　his　hair　combed　Indian　fashion
over　his　eyes。　　As　he　generously　contented　himself　with　only
passing　a　gloomy　and　disparaging　criticism　on　the　game　of　cards
that　the　children　were　playing；　it　struck　Clarence　for　the　first
time　that　a　great　deal　of　his　real　wickedness　resided　in　his　hair。
This　set　him　to　thinking　that　it　was　strange　that　Mr。　Peyton　did
not　try　to　reform　him　with　a　pair　of　scissors；　but　not　until
Clarence　himself　had　for　at　least　four　days　attempted　to　imitate
Jim　by　combing　his　own　hair　in　that　fashion。

A　few　days　later；　Jim　again　casually　favored　him　with　a
confidential　interview。　　Clarence　had　been　allowed　to　bestride　one
of　the　team　leaders　postillionwise；　and　was　correspondingly
elevated；　when　Jim　joined　him；　on　the　Mexican　plug；　which　appeared
no　doubt　a　part　of　its　wicked　artheavily　docile；　and　even
slightly　lame。

〃How　much；〃　said　Jim；　in　a　tone　of　gloomy　confidence；〃how　much
did　you　reckon　to　make　by　stealin'　that　gal…baby；　sonny？〃

〃Nothing；〃　replied　Clarence　with　a　smile。　　Perhaps　it　was　an
evidence　of　the　marked　influence　that　Jim　was　beginning　to　exert
over　him　that　he　already　did　not　attempt　to　resent　this　fascinating
implication　of　grownup　guilt。

〃It　orter　bin　a　good　job；　if　it　warn't　revenge；〃　continued　Jim
moodily。

〃No；　it　wasn't　revenge；〃　said　Clarence　hurriedly。

〃Then　ye　kalkilated　ter　get　er　hundred　dollars　reward　ef　the　old
man　and　old　woman　hadn't　bin　scelped　afore　yet　got　up　to　'em？〃　said
Jim。　　〃That's　your　blamed　dodgasted　luck；　eh！　　Enyhow；　you'll　make
Mrs。　Peyton　plank　down　suthin'　if　she　adopts　the　babby。　　Look　yer；
young　feller；〃　he　said；　starting　suddenly　and　throwing　his　face
forward；　glaring　fiendishly　through　his　matted　side…locks；　〃d'ye
mean　ter　tell　me　it　wasn't　a　planta　skin　gamethe　hull　thing？〃

〃A　what？〃　said　Clarence。

〃D'ye　mean　to　say〃it　was　wonderful　how　gratuitously　husky　his
voice　became　at　this　moment〃d'ye　mean　ter　tell　me　ye　didn't　set
on　them　Injins　to　wipe　out　the　Silsbees；　so　that　ye　could　hev　an
out…an'…out　gal　ORFEN　on　hand　fer　Mrs。　Peyton　ter　adopteh？〃

But　here　Clarence　was　forced　to　protest；　and　strongly；　although　Jim
contemptuously　ignored　it。　　〃Don't　lie　ter　me；〃　he　repeated
mysteriously；　〃I'm　fly。　　I'm　dark；　young　fel。　　We're　cahoots　in
this　thing？〃　　And　with　this　artful　suggestion　of　being　in
possession　of　Clarence's　guilty　secret　he　departed　in　time　to　elude
the　usual　objurgation　of　his　superior；　〃Phil；〃　the　head　teamster。

Nor　was　his　baleful　fascination　exercised　entirely　on　Clarence。　　In
spite　of　Mrs。　Peyton's　jealously　affectionate　care；　Clarence's
frequent　companionship；　and　the　little　circle　of　admiring　courtiers
that　always　surrounded　Susy；　it　became　evident　that　this　small　Eve
had　been　secretly　approached　and　tempted　by　the　Satanic　Jim。　　She
was　found　one　day　to　have　a　few　heron's　feathers　in　her　possession
with　which　she　adorned　her　curls；　and　at　another　time　was
discovered　to　have　rubbed　her　face　and　arms　with　yellow　and　red
ochre；　confessedly　the　free　gift　of　Jim　Hooker。　　It　was　to　Clarence
alone　that　she　admitted　the　significance　and　purport　of　these
offerings。　　〃Jim　gived　'em　to　me；〃　she　said；　〃and　Jim's　a　kind　of
Injin　hisself　that　won't　hurt　me；　and　when　bad　Injins　come；　they'll
think　I'm　his　Injin　baby　and　run　away。　　And　Jim　said　if　I'd　just
told　the　Injins　when　they　came　to　kill　papa　and　mamma；　that　I
b'longed　to　him；　they'd　hev　runned　away。〃

〃But；〃　said　the　practical　Clarence；　〃you　could　not；　you　know　you
were　with　Mrs。　Peyton　all　the　time。〃

〃Kla'uns；〃　said　Susy；　shaking　her　head　and　fixing　her　round　blue
eyes　with　calm　mendacity　on　the　boy；　〃don't　you　tell　me。　　I　WAS
THERE！〃

Clarence　started　back；　and　nearly　fell　over　the　wagon　in　hopeless
dismay　at　this　dreadful　revelation　of　Susy's　powers　of
exaggeration。　　〃But；〃　he　gasped；　〃you　know；　Susy；　you　and　me　left
before〃

〃Kla'uns；〃　said　Susy　calmly；　making　a　little　ple