cabin fever-第22节
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The baby was smiling at him delightedly； with a quirk of the lips and a twinkle lodged deep somewhere in its eyes。 It worked one hand free of its odorous wrappings； spread four fat fingers wide apart over one eye； and chirped； 〃Pik…k？〃 and chuckled infectiously deep in its throat。
Bud gulped and stared and felt a warm rush of blood from his heart up into his head。 A white baby； with eyes that laughed； and quirky red lips that laughed with the eyes； and a chuckling voice like that； riding on the back of that old squaw； struck him dumb with astonishment。
〃Good glory！〃 he blurted； as though the words had been jolted from him by the shock。 Where…upon the baby reached out its hand to him and said haltingly； as though its lips had not yet grown really familiar with the words：
〃TakeUvinChal！〃
The squaw tried to jerk away； and Bud gave her a jerk to let her know who was boss。 〃Say； where'd you git that kid？〃 he demanded aggressively。
She moved her wrapped feet uneasily in the snow； flickered a filmy； black eyed glance at Bud's uncompromising face； and waved a dirty paw vaguely in a wide sweep that would have kept a compass needle revolving if it tried to follow and was not calculated to be particularly enlightening。
〃Lo…ong ways；〃 she crooned； and her voice was the first attractive thing Bud had discovered about her。 It was pure melody； soft and pensive as the cooing of a wood dove。
〃Who belongs to it？〃 Bud was plainly suspicious。 The shake of the squaw's bandannaed head was more artfully vague than her gesture。 〃Don' knowmodder diefadder dieketchum long waysoff。〃
〃Well； what's its name？〃 Bud's voice harshened with his growing interest and bewilderment。 The baby was again covering one twinkling eye with its spread； pink palm； and was saying 〃Pik…k？〃 and laughing with the funniest little squint to its nose that Bud had ever seen。 It was so absolutely demoralizing that to relieve himself Bud gave the squaw a shake。 This tickled the baby so much that the chuckle burst into a rollicking laugh； with a catch of the breath after each crescendo tone that made it absolutely individual and like none othersave one。
〃What's his name？〃 Bud bullied the squaw； though his eyes were on the baby。
〃Don't know ？〃
〃TakeUvinChal；〃 the baby demanded imperiously。
〃Uhuhuh？ Take！〃
〃Uvin Chal？ Now what'd yuh mean by that； oletimer？〃 Bud obeyed an overpowering impulse to reach out and touch the baby's cheek with a mittened thumb。 The baby responded instantly by again demanding that Bud should take。
〃Pik…k？〃 said Bud； a mitten over one eye。
〃Pik…k？〃 said the baby； spreading his fat hand again and twinkling at Bud between his fingers。 But immediately afterwards it gave a little； piteous whimper。 〃TakeUvin Chal！〃 it beseeched Bud with voice and starlike blue eyes together。 〃Take！〃
There was that in the baby's tone； in the unbaby…like insistence of its bright eyes； which compelled obedience。 Bud had never taken a baby of that age in his arms。 He was always in fear of dropping it； or crushing it with his man's strength； or something。 He liked themat a safe distance。 He would chuck one under the chin； or feel diffidently the soft little cheek； but a closer familiarity scared him。 Yet when this baby wriggled its other arm loose and demanded him to take； Bud reached out and grasped its plump little red…sweatered body firmly under the armpits and drew it forth； squirming with eagerness。
〃Well； I'll tell the world I don't blame yuh for wanting to git outa that hog's nest；〃 said Bud； answering the baby's gleeful chuckle。
Freed from his detaining grip on her shoulder； the squaw ducked unexpectedly and scuttled away down the trail as fast as her old legs would carry her； which was surprisingly speedy for one of her bulk。 Bud had opened his mouth to ask her again where she had gotten that baby。 He left it open while he stared after her astonished until the baby put up a hand over one of Bud's eyes and said 〃Pik…k？〃 with that distracting little quirk at the corners of its lips。
〃You son of a gun！〃 grinned Bud； in the tone that turned the epithet in to a caress。 〃You dog gone little devil； you！ Pik…k！ then； if that's what you want。〃
The squaw had disappeared into the thick under growth； leaving a track like a hippo in the snow。 Bud could have overtaken her； of course； and he could have made her take the baby back again。 But he could not face the thought of it。 He made no move at all toward pursuit； but instead he turned his face toward Alpine； with some vague intention of turning the baby over to the hotel woman there and getting the authorities to hunt up its parents。 It was plain enough that the squaw had no right to it； else she would not have run off like that。
Bud walked at least a rod toward Alpine before he swung short around in his tracks and started the other way。 〃No； I'll be doggoned if I will！〃 he said。 〃You can't tell about women； no time。 She might spank the kid； or something。 Or maybe she wouldn't feed it enough。 Anyway； it's too cold； and it's going to storm pretty pronto。 Hey！ Yuh cold。 old…timer？〃
The baby whimpered a little and snuggled its face down against Bud's chest。 So Bud lifted his foot and scraped some snow off a nearby log； and set the baby down there while he took off his coat and wrapped it around him； buttoning it like a bag over arms and all。 The baby watched him knowingly； its eyes round and dark blue and shining； and gave a contented little wriggle when Bud picked it up again in his arms。
〃Now you're all right till we get to where it's warm；〃 Bud assured it gravely。 〃And we'll do some steppin'； believe me。 I guess maybe you ain't any more crazy over that Injun smell on yuh； than what I amand that ain't any at all。〃 He walked a few steps farther before he added grimly； 〃It'll be some jolt for Cash； doggone his skin。 He'll about bust； I reckon。 But we don't give a darn。 Let him bust if he wants tohalf the cabin's mine； anyway。〃
So； talking a few of his thoughts aloud to the baby； that presently went to sleep with its face against his shoulder； Bud tramped steadily through the snow； carrying Lovin Child in his arms。 No remote glimmer of the wonderful thing Fate had done for him seeped into his consciousness； but there was a new； warm glow in his heartthe warmth that came from a child's unquestioning faith in his protecting tenderness。
CHAPTER FOURTEEN。 CASH GETS A SHOCK
It happened that Cash was just returning to the cabin from the Blind Ledge claim。 He met Bud almost at the doorstep； just as Bud was fumbling with the latch； trying to open the door without moving Lovin Child in his arms。 Cash may or may not have been astonished。 Certainly he did not betray by more than one quick glance that he was interested in Bud's return or in the mysterious burden he bore。 He stepped ahead of Bud and opened the door without a word； as if he always did it just in that way； and went inside。
Bud followed him in silence； stepped across the black line to his own side of the room and laid Lovin Child carefully down so as not to waken him。 He unbuttoned the coat he had wrapped around him； pulled off the concealing red cap and stared down at the pale gold； silky hair and the adorable curve of the soft cheek and the lips with the dimples tricked in at the corners； the lashes lying like the delicate strokes of an artist's pencil under the closed eyes。 For at least five minutes he stood without moving； his whole face softened into a boyish wistfulness。 By the stove Cash stood and stared from Bud to the sleeping baby； his bushy eyebrows lifted； his gray eyes a study of incredulous bewilderment。
Then Bud drew a long breath and seemed about to move away from the bank； and Cash turned abruptly to the stove and lifted a rusty lid and peered into the cold firebox； frowning as though he was expecting to see fire and warmth where only a sprinkle of warm ashes remained。 Stubbornness held him mute and outwardly indifferent。 He whittled shavings and started a fire in the cook stove； filled the teakettle and set it on to boil； got out the side of bacon and cut three slices； and never once looked toward the bunk。 Bud might have brought home a winged angel； or a rainbow； or a casket of jewels； and Cash would not have permitted himself to show any human interest。
But when Bud went teetering from the cabin on his toes to bring in some pine cones they had saved for quick kindling； Cash craned his neck toward the little bundle on the bunk。 He saw a fat； warm little hand stir with some baby dream。 He listened and heard soft breathing that stopped just short of being an infantile snore。 He made an errand to his own bunk and from there inspected the mystery at closer range。 He saw a nose and a little； knobby chin and a bit of pinkish forehead with the pale yellow of hair above。 He leaned and cocked his head to one aide to see morebut at that moment he heard Bud stamping off the snow from his feet on the doorstep； and he took two long； noiseless strides to the dish cupboard and was fumbling there with his back to the bunk when Bud came tiptoeing in。
Bud started a fire in the fireplace and heaped the dry limbs high。 Cash fried his bacon； made his tea； and set the table for his midday meal。 Bud waited for the ba
