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！
drinking； smoking； chewing； and card…playing this overgrown youth added
a strong tendency to exaggeration of statement。 Indeed； he was known as
〃Lying Jim Hooker；〃 and his various qualities presented a problem to
Clarence that was attractive and inspiring； doubtful； but always fascinating。
With the hoarse voice of early wickedness and a contempt for ordinary
courtesy； he had a round； perfectly good…humored face； and a disposition
that when not called upon to act up to his self…imposed role of reckless
wickedness； was not unkindly。
It was only a few days after the massacre； and while the children were
still wrapped in the gloomy interest and frightened reticence 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
37
… Page 38…
A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
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
38
… Page 39…
A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
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 before
and〃
〃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
39
… Page 40…
A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
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 art
heavily 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
an