the heritage of the sioux-第16部分

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！



disgustedly。



〃Pete　and　Tommy；　you　can　drive　the　wagon　back　all　right；　can't　you？　We'll　go

on　ahead　and　see　what　there　is　at　the　bottom　of　this　yarn。〃







CHAPTER　X。　DEPUTIES　ALL



At　the　ranch；　whither　they　rode　in　haste；　Luck　meant　to　leave　his　boys　and　go

on　with　the　sheriff　to　town。　But　the　Happy　Family　flatly　refused　to　be　left

behind。　Even　old　Aleck　Douglaswhom　years　and　trouble　had　enfeebled　until　his

very　presence　here　with　Jean　and　Lite　was　a　health…seekiing　mission　in　the

wonderful　air　of　New　Mexicoeven　old　Aleck　Douglas　stamped　his　foot　at　Jean

and　declared　that　he　was　going；　along　to　see　that　〃the　boy〃　got　a　square　deal。

There　wouldn't　be　any　railroading　Luck　to　the　pew　for　something　he　didn't　do；

he　asserted　with　a　tragic　meaning　that　wrung　the　heart　of　Jean。　It　took　Lite's

arguments　and　Luck's　optimism　and；　finally；　the　assurance　of　the　sheriff　that

Luck　was　not　under　arrest　and　was　in　no　danger　of　it；　to　keep　the　old　man　at

the　ranch。　Also；　they　promised　to　return　with　all　speed　and　not　to　keep　supper

waiting；　before　the　two　women　were　satisfied　to　let　them　go。



〃Oh；　Luck　Lindsay；〃　Rosemary　bethought　her　to　announce　just　as　they　were

leaving；　〃you　better　keep　an　eye　out　for　Annie；　while　you're　in　town。　She's

goneand　the　dog　and　all　her　clothes　and　everything。　Maybe　she　took　the　train

back　to　the　reservation。　I　just　wanted　you　to　know；　so　if　you　feel　you　ought

to　bother〃



〃Annie　gone？〃　Even　in　his　preoccupation　the　mews　came　with　a　stab。　〃When　did

she　go？〃



〃We　don't　know。　She　set　up　an　awful　yowling　when　you　boys　went　to　work。　And

the　dog　commenced　howling；　till　it　was　simply　awful。　So　we　rode　in　to　town

after　the　mail；　and　when　we　came　back　she　was　gone；　bag　and　baggage。　We　didn't

see　anything　of　her　on　the　trail；　but　she　could　dodge　us　if　she　wanted　to

she's　Injun　enough　for　that。〃



So　Luck　carried　a　double　load　of　anxiety　with　him　to　town；　and　the　first　thing

he　did　when　he　reached　it　was　to　seek；　not　the　beaten　cashier　who　had　accused

him；　but　the　ticket　agent　at　the　depot；　and　the　baggage　menanyone　who　would

be　apt　to　remember　Annie…Many…Ponies　if　she　took　a　train　out　of　town。



You　might　think　that；　with　so　many　Indians　coming　and　going　at　the　depot；

selling　their　wares　and　making　picturesque　setting　for　the　curios　which　are

purveyed　there；　that　Luck　stood　a　very　slight　chance　of　gaining　any

information　whatever。　But　a　Sioux　squaw　in　Albuquerque　would　be　as　noticeable

as　a　Hindoo。　Pueblos；　Navajosthey　may　come　and　go　unnoticed　because　of　their

numbers。　But　an　Indian　of　another　tribe　and　style　of　dress　would　be

conspicuous　enough　to　be　remembered。　So；　when　no　one　remembered　seeing

Annie…Many…Ponies；　Luck　dismissed　the　conjecture　that　she　had　taken　the　train；

and　turned　his　attention　to　picking　up　the　trail　of　the　bank…　robbers。



Here　the　Happy　Family；　with　Applehead　and　Lite　Avery；　had　managed　to

accomplish　a　good　deal　in　a　very　short　time。　The　Native　Son；　for　instance；　had

ridden　straight　out　from　the　bank　into　the　Mexican　quarter；　as　soon　as　he

learned　that　the　red　automobile　had　gone　up　Silver　Street　and　turned　south　on

Fourth。　By　the　time　Luck　reached　the　bank　Miguel　came　loping　back　with　the

news　that　the　red　machine　had　crossed　the　lower　bridge　and　had　turned　up

toward　Atrisco；　that　little　Mexican　hamlet　which　lies　between　the　river　and

the　bluffs　where　the　white　sand　of　the　desert　spills　over　into　the　nearest

corrals　and　little　pastures。



The　others　had　learned　definitely　that　Bill　Holmes　had　manipulated　the　fake

camera　while　the　bank　was　being　robbed；　and　that　the　man　with　him；　who　bad

also　driven　the　machine；　was　a　certain　chauffeur　of　colorless　personality　and

an　unsavory　reputation　among　other　drivers；　and　that　the　number　of　the

automobile　was　a　matter　of　conjecture；　since　three　different　men　who　were

positive　they　remembered　it　gave　three　different　numbers。



In　company　with　the　sheriff　they　called　upon　the　cashier；　who　was　in　bed　with

his　head　bandaged　and　his　nerves　very　much　unstrung。　He　was　much　calmer；

however；　than　when　he　had　hysterically　accused　Luck　of　betraying　him　　into

putting　the　money　out　to　be　stolen。　He　admitted　now　that　he　was　not　at　all

sure　of　the　voice　which　talked　with　　him　over　the　phone；　indeed；　now　when　he

heard　luck　speak；　he　felt　extremely　doubtful　of　the　similarity　of　that　other　

voice。　He　protested　against　being　blamed　for　being　too　confiding。　He　had　never

dreamed；　he　said；　that　anyone　　could　be　so　bold　as　to　plan　a　thing　like　that。

It　all　sounded　straight；　about　the　spoiled　negative　and　so　forth。　He　was　　very

sorry　that　he　had　caused　Luck　Lindsay　any　inconvenience　or　annoyance；　and　he

begged　Luck's　pardon　several　times　in　the　course　of　his　explanation　of　the

details。



They　left　him　still　protesting　and　apologizing　and　explaining　and　touching　his

bandaged　head　with　self…pitying　tenderness。　In　the　street　Luck　turned　to　the

sheriff　as　though　his　mind　was　made　up　to　something　which　argument　could　not

alter　in　the　slightest　degree。



〃I　realize　that　in　a　way　I'm　partly　responsible　for　this；〃　he　said　crisply。　

〃The　scenes　I　took　the　other　day　made　this　play　possible　for　Ramon　and　his

bunch。　What　you'd　better　do　right　now　is　to　swear　Applehead　and　me　in　as

deputiesand　any　of　the　boys　that　want　to　come　along　and　help　round　up　that

bunch。　We'll　do　it；　if　it's　to　be　done　at　all。　I　feel　I　kind　of　owe　it　to　that

poor　simp　in　there　to　get　the　money　backsabe？　And　I　owe　it　to　myself　to

bring　in　Ramon　and　Bill　Holmes；　and　whoever　else　is　with　'em　on　this；　young

Rojas　we　know　is　for　one。〃



〃Where　do　you　aim　to　look　for　'em；　if　you　don't　mind　telling？〃　Hank　Miller　was

staring　doubtfully　down　at　Luck。



〃Where？　Miguel　here　says　they　went　toward　Atrisco。　That　means　they're　hitting

for　the　Navajo　reservation。　There's　three　hundred　miles　of　country　straight

west；　and　not　so　much　as　a　telegraph　pole！　Mighty　few　service　stations　for　the

machine；　too；　when　you　think　of　itand　rough　country　to　travel　over。　If　they

try　to　go　by　automobile；　we'll　overhaul　them；　most　likely；　before　they　get

far。　Also；　we　can　trace　'em　easy　enough。〃



The　sheriff　pulled　at　his　stubby　mustache　and　looked　the　bunch　over。　〃You　know

that　country？〃　he　asked；　still　doubtfully。　〃Them　Navvies　are　plumb　snaky；

lemme　tell　yuh。　Ain't　like　the　Pueblosyou're　taking　a　risk　when　yuh　ride

into　the　Navvy　country。　They'll　get　yuh　if　they　get　a　chancet；　run　off　your

horses；　head　yuh　away　from　waterthey're　plumb　MEAN！〃



〃Well；　now；　I　calc'late　I　know　them　Navvies　putty　tol'ble　well；〃　Applehead　cut

in。　〃I've　fit　'em　comin'　and　goin'。　Why；　my　shucks！　Ef　I　notched　my　gun　for

the　Navvies　I've　got　off　an'　on　in　the　course　uh　my　travels；　she'd　shore　look

like　a　saw…blade；　now　I'm　tellin'　yuh！〃



〃Yes；　an'　yuh　got　a　couple　too　many　fer　to　go　monkeyin'　around　on　their　groun'

agin；〃　the　sheriff　informed　him　bluntly。　〃They　ain't　forgot　the　trip　you　made

over　there　after　Jose　Martinez。　Best　fer　you　to　keep　off'n　that　reservation；

Appleheadand　I'm　speakin'　as　a　friend。〃



〃As　a　friend　you　kin　shet　up；〃　Applehead　retorted　pettishly。　〃Ef　Luck　hits　fer

the　Navvy　country　after　them　skunks；　I　calc'late　ole　Applehead'Il　be　somers

close　handy　by〃



〃Hurry　up　and　swear　us　in；〃　Luck　interrupted。　〃We've　got　to　get　to　the　ranch

and　back　with　an　outfit；　yet　tonight；　so　we　can　hit　the　trail　as　soon　as

possible。　No　use　for　you　to　take　the　oath；　Andywhat　you　better　do　is　to　stay

at　the　ranch　with　the　women　folks。〃



〃Aleck　will　be　there；　and　Pete　and　Tommy　and　the　cook；〃　Andy　rebelled

instantly。　His　hand　went　up　to　take　the　oath　with　the　others。



There　on　the　corner　of　the　street　where　the　shadows　lay　under　a　gently

whispering　box…elder　tree；　Hank　Miller　faced　the　group　that　stood　with　right

hands　uplifted　and　swore　them　as　he　had　swornwith　the　oath　that　made　deputy

sheriffs　of　them　all。　He　told　them　that　while　he　did　not　believe　the　thieves

had　gone　to　the　reservation；　and　would　look　for　them　elsewhere；　the　idea　was

worth　acting　uponseeing　they　wanted　to　do　it　anyway；　and　that　the　sheriff's

office　stood　ready　to　assist　them　in　any　way　possible。　He　wished　them　luck　and

hurried　away；　evidently　much　relieved　to　get　away　and　out　of　an　uncomfortable

position。



In　the　next　two　hours　Luck　managed　to　accomplish　a　good　deal；　which　was　one　of

the　reasons　why　he　was　manager　and　director　of　the　Flying　U　Feature　Films。

Just　for　example；　he　went　to　a　friend　who　was　also　something　of　a　detective；

and　put　him　on　the　job　of　find　Annie…Many…Poniesa　bigger　task　than　it　looked

to　Luck；　as　we　have　occasion　to　know。　He　sent　some　of　the　boys　back　to　the

ranch　in　a　machine；　and　told　them　just　what　to　bring　back　with　them　in　the　way

of　rifles；　bedding　rolls；　extra　horses　and　so　on。　The　horses　they　had　ridden

into　town　he　had　housed　in　a　livery　stable。　He　took　the　Native　Son　and　a

Mexican　driver　and　went　over　to　Atrisco；　routed　perfectly　polite　and　terribly

sleepy　individuals　out　of　their　beds　and　learned　beyond　all　question　that　a

red　automobile　with　several　men　in　it　had　passed　through　the　dusty　lanes　and

had　labored　up　the　hill　to　the　desert　mesa　beyond　and　that　no　one　had　seen　it

return。



He　sent　a　hundred…and…fifty…word　message　to　Dewitt　of　the　Great　Western

Company　in　Los　Angeles；　explaining　with　perfect　frankness　the　situation　and

his　determination　to　get　out　after　the　robbers；　and　made　it　plain　also　that　he

would　not　expect　salary　for　the　time　he　spent　in　the　chase。　He　ended　by　saying

tersely；　〃My　reputation　and　standing　of　company　here　at　stake；〃　and　signed　his

name　in　a　hasty　scrawl　that　made　the　operator　scratch　his　ear　reflectively

with　his　pencil　when　he　had　counted　the　words　down　to　the　signature。　After

that；　Luck　gave　every　ounce　of　his　energy　and　every　bit　of　his　brain　to　the

outfitting　of　the　expedition。



So　well　did　he　accomplish　the　task　that　by　one　O'clock　that　night　a　low…voiced

company　of　m