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！
〃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
40
… Page 41…
A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
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〃
41
… Page 42…
A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
〃Kla'uns；〃 said Susy calmly； making a little pleat in the skirt of her
dress with her small thumb and fingers； 〃don't you talk to me。 I was there。
I'se a SERIVER！ The men at the fort said so！ The SERIVERS is allus；
allus there； and allus allus knows everythin'。〃
Clarence was too dumfounded to reply。 He had a vague recollection
of having noticed before that Susy was very much fascinated by the
reputation given to her at Fort Ridge as a 〃survivor；〃 and was trying in an
infantile way to live up to it。 This the wicked Jim had evidently
encouraged。 For a day or two Clarence felt a little afraid of her； and
more lonely than ever。
It was in this state； and while he was doggedly conscious that his
association with Jim did not prepossess Mrs。 Peyton or her brother in his
favor； and that the former even believed him responsible for Susy's
unhallowed acquaintance with Jim； that he drifted into one of those
youthful escapades on which elders are apt to sit in severe but not always
considerate judgment。 Believing； like many other children； that nobody
cared particularly for him； except to RESTRAIN him； discovering； as
children do； much sooner than we complacently imagine； that love and
preference have no logical connection with desert or character； Clarence
became boyishly reckless。 But when； one day； it was rumored that a herd
of buffalo was in the vicinity； and that the train would be delayed the next
morning in order that a hunt might be organized； by Gildersleeve； Benham；
and a few others； Clarence listened willingly to Jim's proposition that they
should secretly follow it。
To effect their unhallowed purpose required boldness and duplicity。 It
was arranged that shortly after the departure of the hunting party Clarence
should ask permission to mount and exercise one of the team horsesa
favor that had been frequently granted him； that in the outskirts of the
camp he should pretend that the horse ran away with him； and Jim would
start in pursuit。 The absence of the shooting party with so large a
contingent of horses and men would preclude any further detachment from
the camp to assist them。 Once clear； they would follow the track of the
hunters； and； if discovered by them； would offer the same excuse； with the
addition that they had lost their way to the camp。 The plan was
42
… Page 43…
A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
successful。 The details were carried out with almost too perfect effect； as it
appeared that Jim； in order to give dramatic intensity to the fractiousness
of Clarence's horse； had inserted a thorn apple under the neck of his saddle；
which Clarence only discovered in time to prevent himself from being
unseated。 Urged forward by ostentatious 〃Whoas！〃 and surreptitious cuts
in the rear from Jim； pursuer and pursued presently found themselves
safely beyond the half…dry stream and fringe of alder bushes that skirted
the camp。 They were not followed。 Whether the teamsters suspected
and winked at this design； or believed that the boys could take care of
themselves； and ran no risk of being lost in the proximity of the hunting
party； there was no general alarm。
Thus reassured； and having a general idea of the direction of the hunt；
the boys pushed hilariously forward。 Before them opened a vast expanse
of bottom land； slightly sloping on the right to a distant half…filled lagoon；
formed by the main river overflow； on whose tributary they had encamped。
The lagoon was partly hidden by straggling timber and 〃brush；〃 and
beyond that again stretched the unlimitable plainsthe pasture of their
mighty game。 Hither； Jim hoarsely informed his companion； the
buffaloes came to water。 A few rods further on； he started dramatically；
and； alighting； proceeded to slowly examine the ground。 It seemed to be
scattered over with half…circular patches； which he pointed out
mysteriously as 〃buffalo chip。〃 To Clarence's inexperienced perception
the plain bore a singular resemblance to the surface of an ordinary
unromantic cattle pasture that somewhat chilled his heroic fancy。 However；
the two companions halted and professionally examined their arms and
equipments。
These； I grieve to say； though varied； were scarcely full or satisfactory。
The necessities of their flight had restricted Jim to an old double…barreled
fowling…piece； which he usually carried slung across his shoulders； an old…
fashioned 〃six…shooter；〃 whose barrels revolved occasionally and
unexpectedly； known as 〃Allen's Pepper Box〃 on account of its culinary
resemblance； and a bowie… knife。 Clarence carried an Indian bow and
arrow with which he had been exercising； and a hatchet which he had
concealed under the flanks of his saddle。 To this Jim generously added
43
… Page 44…