susy, a story of the plains-第6章

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interior　a　number　of　pots；　pans；　and　culinary　utensils；　which　he

proceeded　to　hang　upon　certain　hooks　that　were　placed　on　the　outer

ribs　of　the　board　and　the　sides　of　the　vehicle。　　To　this　he　added　a

roll　of　rag　carpet；　the　end　of　which　hung　from　the　tailboard；　and　a

roll　of　pink　calico　temptingly　displayed　on　the　seat。　　The

mystification　and　curiosity　of　the　young　girl　grew　more　intense　at

these　proceedings。　　It　looked　like　the　ordinary　exhibition　of　a

traveling　peddler；　but　the　gloomy　and　embattled　appearance　of　the

man　himself　scouted　so　peaceful　and　commonplace　a　suggestion。　　Under

the　pretense　of　chasing　away　a　marauding　hen；　she　sallied　out　upon

the　waste　near　the　wagon。　　It　then　became　evident　that　the　traveler

had　seen　her；　and　was　not　averse　to　her　interest　in　his　movements；

although　he　had　not　changed　his　attitude　of　savage　retrospection。

An　occasional　ejaculation　of　suppressed　passion；　as　if　the　memory　of

some　past　conflict　was　too　much　for　him；　escaped　him　even　in　this

peaceful　occupation。　　As　this　possibly　caused　the　young　girl　to

still　hover　timidly　in　the　distance；　he　suddenly　entered　the　wagon

and　reappeared　carrying　a　tin　bucket；　with　which　he　somewhat

ostentatiously　crossed　her　path；　his　eyes　darkly　wandering　as　if

seeking　something。



〃If　you're　lookin'　for　the　spring；　it's　a　spell　furder　onby　the

willows。〃



It　was　a　pleasant　voice；　the　teamster　thought；　albeit　with　a　dry；

crisp；　New　England　accent　unfamiliar　to　his　ears。　　He　looked　into

the　depths　of　an　unlovely　blue…check　sunbonnet；　and　saw　certain

small；　irregular　features　and　a　sallow　check；　lit　up　by　a　pair　of

perfectly　innocent；　trustful；　and　wondering　brown　eyes。　　Their　timid

possessor　seemed　to　be　a　girl　of　seventeen；　whose　figure；　although

apparently　clad　in　one　of　her　mother's　gowns；　was　still　undeveloped

and　repressed　by　rustic　hardship　and　innutrition。　　As　her　eyes　met

his　she　saw　that　the　face　of　this　gloomy　stranger　was　still

youthful；　by　no　means　implacable；　and；　even　at　that　moment；　was

actually　suffused　by　a　brick…colored　blush！　　In　matters　of　mere

intuition；　the　sex；　even　in　its　most　rustic　phase；　is　still　our

superior；　and　this　unsophisticated　girl；　as　the　trespasser

stammered；　〃Thank　ye；　miss；〃　was　instinctively　emboldened　to　greater

freedom。



〃Dad　ain't　tu　hum；　but　ye　kin　have　a　drink　o'　milk　if　ye　keer　for

it。〃



She　motioned　shyly　towards　the　cabin；　and　then　led　the　way。　　The

stranger；　with　an　inarticulate　murmur；　afterwards　disguised　as　a

cough；　followed　her　meekly。　　Nevertheless；　by　the　time　they　had

reached　the　cabin　he　had　shaken　his　long　hair　over　his　eyes　again；

and　a　dark　abstraction　gathered　chiefly　in　his　eyebrows。　　But　it　did

not　efface　from　the　girl's　mind　the　previous　concession　of　a　blush；

and；　although　it　added　to　her　curiosity；　did　not　alarm　her。　　He

drank　the　milk　awkwardly。　　But　by　the　laws　of　courtesy；　even　among

the　most　savage　tribes；　she　felt　he　was；　at　that　moment　at　least；

harmless。　　A　timid　smile　fluttered　around　her　mouth　as　she　said：



〃When　ye　hung　up　them　things　I　thought　ye　might　be　havin'　suthing　to

swap　or　sell。　　That　is；〃with　tactful　politeness；〃mother　was

wantin'　a　new　skillet；　and　it　would　have　been　handy　if　you'd　had

one。　　But〃with　an　apologetic　glance　at　his　equipments〃if　it

ain't　your　business；　it's　all　right；　and　no　offense。〃



〃I've　got　a　lot　o'　skillets；〃　said　the　strange　teamster；　with　marked

condescension；　〃and　she　can　have　one。　　They're　all　that's　left　outer

a　heap　o'　trader's　stuff　captured　by　Injuns　t'other　side　of　Laramie。

We　had　a　big　fight　to　get　'em　back。　　Lost　two　of　our　best　men；

scalped　at　Bloody　Creek；and　had　to　drop　a　dozen　redskins　in　their

tracks；me　and　another　man；lyin'　flat　in　er　wagon　and　firin'

under　the　flaps　o'　the　canvas。　　I　don't　know　ez　they　waz　wuth　it；〃

he　added　in　gloomy　retrospect；　〃but　I've　got　to　get　rid　of　'em；　I

reckon；　somehow；　afore　I　work　over　to　Deadman's　Gulch　again。〃



The　young　girl's　eyes　brightened　timidly　with　a　feminine　mingling　of

imaginative　awe　and　personal；　pitying　interest。　　He　was；　after　all；

so　young　and　amiable　looking　for　such　hardships　and　adventures。　　And

with　all　this；　hethis　Indian　fighterwas　a　little　afraid　of　HER！



〃Then　that's　why　you　carry　that　knife　and　six…shooter？〃　she　said。

〃But　you　won't　want　'em　now；　here　in　the　settlement。〃



〃That's　ez　mebbe；〃　said　the　stranger　darkly。　　He　paused；　and　then

suddenly；　as　if　recklessly　accepting　a　dangerous　risk；　unbuckled　his

revolver　and　handed　it　abstractedly　to　the　young　girl。　　But　the

sheath　of　the　bowie…knife　was　a　fixture　in　his　body…belt；　and　he　was

obliged　to　withdraw　the　glittering　blade　by　itself；　and　to　hand　it

to　her　in　all　its　naked　terrors。　　The　young　girl　received　the

weapons　with　a　smiling　complacency。　　Upon　such　altars　as　these　the

skeptical　reader　will　remember　that　Mars　had　once　hung　his　〃battered

shield；〃　his　lance；　and　〃uncontrolled　crest。〃



Nevertheless；　the　warlike　teamster　was　not　without　embarrassment。

Muttering　something　about　the　necessity　of　〃looking　after　his

stock；〃　he　achieved　a　hesitating　bow；　backed　awkwardly　out　of　the

door；　and　receiving　from　the　conquering　hands　of　the　young　girl　his

weapons　again；　was　obliged　to　carry　them　somewhat　ingloriously　in

his　hands　across　the　road；　and　put　them　on　the　wagon　seat；　where；　in

company　with　the　culinary　articles；　they　seemed　to　lose　their

distinctively　aggressive　character。　　Here；　although　his　cheek　was

still　flushed　from　his　peaceful　encounter；　his　voice　regained　some

of　its　hoarse　severity　as　he　drove　the　oxen　from　the　muddy　pool　into

which　they　had　luxuriantly　wandered；　and　brought　their　fodder　from

the　wagon。　　Later；　as　the　sun　was　setting；　he　lit　a　corn…cob　pipe；

and　somewhat　ostentatiously　strolled　down　the　road；　with　a　furtive

eye　lingering　upon　the　still　open　door　of　the　farmhouse。　　Presently

two　angular　figures　appeared　from　it；　the　farmer　and　his　wife；

intent　on　barter。



These　he　received　with　his　previous　gloomy　preoccupation；　and　a

slight　variation　of　the　story　he　had　told　their　daughter。　　It　is

possible　that　his　suggestive　indifference　piqued　and　heightened　the

bargaining　instincts　of　the　woman；　for　she　not　only　bought　the

skillet；　but　purchased　a　clock　and　a　roll　of　carpeting。　　Still　more；

in　some　effusion　of　rustic　courtesy；　she　extended　an　invitation　to

him　to　sup　with　them；　which　he　declined　and　accepted　in　the　same

embarrassed　breath；　returning　the　proffered　hospitality　by

confidentially　showing　them　a　couple　of　dried　scalps；　presumably　of

Indian　origin。　　It　was　in　the　same　moment　of　human　weakness　that　he

answered　their　polite　query　as　to　〃what　they　might　call　him；〃　by

intimating　that　his　name　was　〃Red　Jim；〃a　title　of　achievement　by

which　he　was　generally　known；　which　for　the　present　must　suffice

them。　　But　during　the　repast　that　followed　this　was　shortened　to

〃Mister　Jim；〃　and　even　familiarly　by　the　elders　to　plain　〃Jim。〃

Only　the　young　girl　habitually　used　the　formal　prefix　in　return　for

the　〃Miss　Phoebe〃　that　he　called　her。



With　three　such　sympathetic　and　unexperienced　auditors　the　gloomy

embarrassment　of　Red　Jim　was　soon　dissipated；　although　it　could

hardly　be　said　that　he　was　generally　communicative。　　Dark　tales　of

Indian　warfare；　of　night　attacks　and　wild　stampedes；　in　which　he　had

always　taken　a　prominent　part；　flowed　freely　from　his　lips；　but

little　else　of　his　past　history　or　present　prospects。　　And　even　his

narratives　of　adventure　were　more　or　less　fragmentary　and　imperfect

in　detail。



〃You　woz　saying；〃　said　the　farmer；　with　slow；　matter　of　fact；　New

England　deliberation；　〃ez　how　you　guessed　you　woz　beguiled　amongst

the　Injins　by　your　Mexican　partner；　a　pow'ful　influential　man；　and

yet　you　woz　the　only　one　escaped　the　gen'ral　slarterin'。　　How　came

the　Injins　to　kill　HIM；their　friend？〃



〃They　didn't；〃　returned　Jim；　with　ominously　averted　eyes。



〃What　became　of　him？〃　continued　the　farmer。