hr.thecarpetbaggers-第13章

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ossed　to　the　fireplace　and　set　a　match　to　the　kindling。　She　came　up　behind　him　and　he　looked　up。　
　〃You　go　on　to　bed；〃　he　said。
　Silently　she　walked　into　the　bedroom　and　he　fanned　the　kindling。　The　wood　caught　and　leaped　into　flame。　He　put　a　few　logs　over　it　and　got　up　and　crossed　the　room　to　a　cupboard。　He　took　down　a　bottle　of　bourbon　and　a　glass　and　sat　down　in　front　of　the　fire。
　He　poured　a　drink　and　looked　at　the　whisky　in　the　glass。　The　fire　behind　it　gave　it　a　glowing　heat。　He　drank　the　whisky　slowly。
　When　he　had　finished；　he　put　the　empty　glass　down　and　began　to　strip　off　his　boots。　He　left　them　beside　the　chair　and　walked　over　to　the　couch　and　stretched　out。　He　had　just　lighted　a　cigarette　when　her　voice　came　from　the　bedroom　door。　
　〃Nevada？〃
　He　sat　up　and　turned　toward　her。　〃Yeah？〃　
　〃Did　Jonas　say　anything　about　me？〃　
　〃No。〃
　〃He　gave　me　a　hundred　thousand　dollars　for　the　stock　and　the　house。〃
　〃I　know；〃　he　replied。
　She　hesitated　a　moment；　then　came　farther　into　the　room。　〃I　don't　need　all　that　money。　If　you　need　any…　〃　
　He　laughed　soundlessly。　〃I'm　O。K。　Thanks；　anyway。〃　
　〃Sure？〃
　He　chuckled　again；　wondering　what　she　would　say　if　she　knew　about　the　six…thousand…acre　ranch　he　had　in　Texas；　about　the　half　interest　in　the　Wild…West　show。　He；　too；　had　learned　a　great　deal　from　the　old　man。　Money　was　only　good　when　it　was　working　for　you。
　〃Sure；〃　he　said。　He　got　to　his　feet　and　walked　toward　her。　〃Now　go　to　bed；　Rina。　You're　out　on　your　feet。〃
　He　followed　her　into　the　bedroom　and　took　a　blanket　from　the　closet　as　she　got　into　bed。　She　caught　his　hands　as　he　walked　by　the　bed。　〃Talk　to　me　while　I　fall　asleep。〃
　He　sat　down　on　the　side　of　the　bed。　〃What　about？〃　he　asked。
　She　still　held　onto　his　hand。　〃About　yourself。　Where　you　were　born；　where　you　came　from　…　anything。〃　
　He　smiled　into　the　dark。　〃Ain't　very　much　to　tell；〃　he　said。　〃As　far　as　I　know；　I　was　born　in　West　Texas。　My　father　was　a　buffalo…hunter　named　John　Smith　and　my　mother　was　a　Kiowa　princess　named…　〃
　〃Don't　tell　me；〃　she　interrupted　sleepily。　〃I　know　her　name。　Pocahontas。〃
　He　laughed　softly。　〃Somebody　told　you；〃　he　said　in　mock　reproach。　〃Pocahontas。　That　was　her　name。〃
　〃Nobody　told　me；〃　she　whispered　faintly。　〃I　read　it　someplace。〃
　Her　hand　slipped　slowly　from　his　and　he　looked　down。　Her　eyes　were　closed　and　she　was　fast　asleep。
　Quietly　he　got　up　and　straightened　the　blanket　around　her；　then　turned　and　walked　into　the　other　room。　He　spread　a　blanket　on　the　couch　and　undressed　quickly。　He　stretched　out　and　wrapped　the　blanket　around　him。
　John　Smith　and　Pocahontas。　He　wondered　how　many　times　he　had　mockingly　told　that　story。　But　the　truth　was　stranger　still。　And　probably；　no　one　would　believe　it。
　It　was　so　long　ago　that　there　were　times　he　didn't　believe　it　himself　any　more。　His　name　wasn't　Nevada　Smith　then；　it　was　Max　Sand。
　And　he　was　wanted　for　armed　robbery　and　murder　in　three　different　states。
　
　2
　
　IT　WAS　IN　MAY　OF　1882　THAT　Samuel　Sand　came　into　the　small　cabin　that　he　called　home　and　sat　down　heavily　on　a　box　that　served　him　for　a　chair。　Silently　his　squaw　woman　heated　some　coffee　and　placed　it　before　him。　She　moved　heavily；　being　swollen　with　child。
　He　sat　there　for　a　long　time；　his　coffee　growing　cold　before　him。　Occasionally；　he　would　look　out　the　door　toward　the　prairie；　with　its　faint　remnant　patches　of　snow　still　hidden　in　the　corners　of　rises。
　The　squaw　began　to　cook　the　evening　meal。　Beans　and　salt　buffalo　meat。　It　was　still　early　in　the　day　to　cook　the　meal；　because　the　sun　had　not　yet　reached　the　noon；　but　she　felt　vaguely　disturbed　and　had　to　do　something。　Now　and　then；　she　would　glance　at　Sam　out　of　the　corners　of　her　eyes　but　he　was　lost　in　a　troubled　world　that　women　were　not　allowed　to　enter。　So　she　kept　stirring　the　beans　and　meat　in　the　pot　and　waited　for　his　mood　and　the　day　to　pass。
　Kaneha　was　sixteen　that　spring　and　it　was　only　the　summer　before　that　the　buffalo…hunter　had　e　to　the　tepees　of　her　tribe　to　purchase　a　wife。　He　had　e　on　a　black　horse；　leading　a　mule　that　was　burdened　heavily　with　pack。
　The　chief　and　the　council　of　braves　came　out　to　greet　him。　They　sat　down　in　a　circle　of　peace　around　the　fire　with　the　pot　of　stew　cooking　over　it。　The　chief　took　out　the　pipe　and　Sam　took　out　a　bottle　of　whisky。　Silently　the　chief　held　the　pipe　to　the　glowing　coals　and　then；　when　it　was　lit；　held　it　to　his　mouth　and　puffed　deeply。　He　passed　it　to　Sam；　who　puffed　and　in　turn　passed　it　to　the　brave　seated　next　to　him　in　the　circle。
　When　the　pipe　came　back　to　the　chief；　Sam　opened　the　bottle　of　whisky。　He　wiped　the　rim　of　it　carefully　and　tilted　it　to　his　lips；　then　offered　it　to　the　chief。　The　chief　did　the　same　and　took　a　large　swallow　of　the　whisky。　It　burned　his　throat　and　his　eyes　watered　and　he　wanted　to　cough；　but　he　choked　back　the　cough　and　passed　the　bottle　to　the　brave　seated　next　to　him。
　When　the　bottle　came　back　to　Sam；　he　placed　it　on　the　ground　in　front　of　the　chief。　He　leaned　forward　and　took　a　piece　of　meat　out　of　the　pot。　He　chewed　elaborately　on　the　fatty　morsel　with　much　smacking　of　his　lips　and　then　swallowed　it。
　He　looked　at　the　chief。　〃Good　dog。〃　
　The　chief　nodded。　〃We　cut　out　its　tongue　and　kept　it　tied　to　a　stake　that　it　would　be　properly　fat。〃
　They　were　silent　for　a　moment　and　the　chief　reached　again　for　the　bottle　of　whisky。　Sam　knew　it　was　then　time　for　him　to　speak。
　〃I　am　a　mighty　hunter；〃　he　boasted。　〃My　gun　has　slain　thousands　of　buffalo。　My　prowess　is　known　all　across　the　plains。　There　is　no　brave　who　can　feed　as　many　as　I。〃
　The　chief　nodded　solemnly。　〃The　deeds　of　Red　Beard　are　known　to　us。　It　is　an　honor　to　wele　him　to　our　tribe。〃
　〃I　have　e　to　my　brothers　for　the　maiden　known　as　Kaneha；〃　Sam　said。　〃I　want　her　for　my　squaw。〃
　The　chief　sighed　slowly　in　relief。　Kaneha　was　the　youngest　of　his　daughters　and　the　least　favored。　For　she　was　tall　for　a　maiden；　almost　as　tall　as　the　tallest　brave；　and　thin；　her　waist　so　thin　that　two　hands　could　span　it。　There　was　not　enough　room　inside　her　for　a　child　to　grow；　and　her　face　and　features　were　straight　and　flat；　not　round　and　fat；　as　a　maiden's　should　be。　The　chief　sighed　again　in　relief。　Kaneha　would　be　no　problem　now。
　〃It　is　a　wise　choice；〃　he　said　aloud。　〃The　maiden　Kaneha　is　ripe　for　child…bearing。　Already　her　blood　floods　thickly　to　the　ground　when　the　moon　is　high。〃
　Sam　got　to　his　feet　and　walked　over　to　the　mule。　He　opened　one　of　the　packs　and　took　out　six　bottles　of　whisky　and　a　small　wooden　box。　He　carried　them　back　to　the　circle　and　placed　them　on　the　ground　before　him。　He　sat　down　again。
　〃I　have　brought　gifts　to　my　brothers；　the　Kiowa；〃　he　said。　〃In　appreciation　of　the　honor　they　show　me　when　they　allow　me　to　sit　in　their　council。〃
　He　placed　the　whisky　bottles　in　front　of　the　chief　and　opened　the　little　box。　It　was　filled　with　gaily　colored　beads　and　trinkets。　He　held　the　box　so　that　all　could　see　and　then　placed　it；　too；　before　the　chief。
　The　chief　nodded　again。　〃The　Kiowa　is　grateful　for　the　gifts　of　Red　Beard。　But　the　loss　of　the　maiden　Kaneha　will　be　a　difficult　one　for　her　tribe　to　bear。　Already　she　has　won　her　place　among　us　by　her　skills　in　her　womanly　crafts。　Her　cooking　and　sewing；　her　artistry　in　leather…making。〃
　〃I　am　aware　of　the　high　regard　in　which　the　Kiowa　hold　their　daughter　Kaneha；〃　Sam　said　formally。　〃And　I　came　prepared　to　pensate　them　for　their　loss。〃
　He　got　to　his　feet　again。　〃For　the　loss　of　her　aid　in　feeding　the　tribe；　I　pledge　the　meat　of　two　buffalo；〃　he　said；　looking　down　at　them。　〃For　the　loss　of　her　labor；　I　give　to　my　brothers　this　mule　which　I　have　brought　with　me。　And　to　pensate　them　for　the　loss　of　her　beauty；　I　bring　them…　〃
　He　paused　dramatically　and　walked　back　to　his　mule。　Silently　he　untied　the　heavy　rolled　pack　on　its　back。　He　carried　the　pack　back　to　the　seated　council　and　laid　it　on　the　ground　before　them。　Slowly　he　unrolled　it。
　A　sigh　of　awe　came　unbidden　from　the　circle。　The　chief's　eyes　glittered。
　〃。　。　。　the　hide　of　the　sacred　white　buffalo；〃　Sam　said。　He　looked　around　the　circle。　Their　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　beautiful　white　skin　that　shone　before　them　like　snow　on　the　g