the last of the plainsmen-第9章

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ld　neither　coax　nor　hire　any　one　to　undertake　it　with　me。　Sometimes　I　would　be　weeks　getting　one　calf。　One　day　I　captured　eighteight　little　buffalo　calves！　Never　will　I　forget　that　day　as　long　as　I　live！〃

〃Tell　us　about　it；〃　I　suggested；　in　a　matter　of　fact；　round…the…campfire　voice。　Had　the　silent　plainsman　ever　told　a　complete　and　full　story　of　his　adventures？　I　doubted　it。　He　was　not　the　man　to　eulogize　himself。

A　short　silence　ensued。　The　cabin　was　snug　and　warm；　the　ruddy　embers　glowed；　one　of　Jim's　pots　steamed　musically　and　fragrantly。　The　hounds　lay　curled　in　the　cozy　chimney　corner。

Jones　began　to　talk　again；　simply　and　unaffectedly；　of　his　famous　exploit；　and　as　he　went　on　so　modestly；　passing　lightly　over　features　we　recognized　as　wonderful；　I　allowed　the　fire　of　my　imagination　to　fuse　for　myself　all　the　toil；　patience；　endurance；　skill；　herculean　strength　and　marvelous　courage　and　unfathomable　passion　which　he　slighted　in　his　narrative。



CHAPTER　3。　THE　LAST　HERD

Over　gray　No…Man's…Land　stole　down　the　shadows　of　night。　The　undulating　prairie　shaded　dark　to　the　western　horizon；　rimmed　with　a　fading　streak　of　light。　Tall　figures；　silhouetted　sharply　against　the　last　golden　glow　of　sunset；　marked　the　rounded　crest　of　a　grassy　knoll。

〃Wild　hunter！〃　cried　a　voice　in　sullen　rage；　〃buffalo　or　no；　we　halt　here。　Did　Adams　and　I　hire　to　cross　the　Staked　Plains？　Two　weeks　in　No…Man's…Land；　and　now　we're　facing　the　sand！　We've　one　keg　of　water；　yet　you　want　to　keep　on。　Why；　man；　you're　crazy！　You　didn't　tell　us　you　wanted　buffalo　alive。　And　here　you've　got　us　looking　death　in　the　eye！〃

In　the　grim　silence　that　ensued　the　two　men　unhitched　the　team　from　the　long；　light　wagon；　while　the　buffalo　hunter　staked　out　his　wiry；　lithe…limbed　racehorses。　Soon　a　fluttering　blaze　threw　a　circle　of　light；　which　shone　on　the　agitated　face　of　Rude　and　Adams；　and　the　cold；　iron…set　visage　of　their　brawny　leader。

〃It's　this　way；〃　began　Jones；　in　slow；　cool　voice；　〃I　engaged　you　fellows；　and　you　promised　to　stick　by　me。　We've　had　no　luck。　But　I've　finally　found　signold　sign；　I'll　admit　the　buffalo　I'm　looking　forthe　last　herd　on　the　plains。　For　two　years　I've　been　hunting　this　herd。　So　have　other　hunters。　Millions　of　buffalo　have　been　killed　and　left　to　rot。　Soon　this　herd　will　be　gone；　and　then　the　only　buffalo　in　the　world　will　be　those　I　have　given　ten　years　of　the　hardest　work　in　capturing。　This　is　the　last　herd；　I　say；　and　my　last　chance　to　capture　a　calf　or　two。　Do　you　imagine　I'd　quit？　You　fellows　go　back　if　you　want；　but　I　keep　on。〃

〃We　can't　go　back。　We're　lost。　We'll　have　to　go　with　you。　But；　man；　thirst　is　not　the　only　risk　we　run。　This　is　Comanche　country。　And　if　that　herd　is　in　here　the　Indians　have　it　spotted。〃

〃That　worries　me　some；〃　replied　the　plainsman；　〃but　we'll　keep　on　it。〃

They　slept。　The　night　wind　swished　the　grasses；　dark　storm　clouds　blotted　out　the　northern　stars；　the　prairie　wolves　mourned　dismally。

Day　broke　cold；　wan；　threatening；　under　a　leaden　sky。　The　hunters　traveled　thirty　miles　by　noon；　and　halted　in　a　hollow　where　a　stream　flowed　in　wet　season。　Cottonwood　trees　were　bursting　into　green；　thickets　of　prickly　thorn；　dense　and　matted；　showed　bright　spring　buds。

〃What　is　it？〃　suddenly　whispered　Rude。

The　plainsman　lay　in　strained　posture；　his　ear　against　the　ground。

〃Hide　the　wagon　and　horses　in　the　clump　of　cottonwoods；〃　he　ordered；　tersely。　Springing　to　his　feet；　he　ran　to　the　top　of　the　knoll　above　the　hollow；　where　he　again　placed　his　ear　to　the　ground。

Jones's　practiced　ear　had　detected　the　quavering　rumble　of　far…away；　thundering　hoofs。　He　searched　the　wide　waste　of　plain　with　his　powerful　glass。　To　the　southwest；　miles　distant；　a　cloud　of　dust　mushroomed　skyward。　〃Not　buffalo；〃　he　muttered；　〃maybe　wild　horses。〃　He　watched　and　waited。　The　yellow　cloud　rolled　forward；　enlarging；　spreading　out；　and　drove　before　it　a　darkly　indistinct；　moving　mass。　As　soon　as　he　had　one　good　look　at　this　he　ran　back　to　his　comrades。

〃Stampede！　Wild　horses！　Indians！　Look　to　your　rifles　and　hide！〃

Wordless　and　pale；　the　men　examined　their　Sharps；　and　made　ready　to　follow　Jones。　He　slipped　into　the　thorny　brake　and；　flat　on　his　stomach；　wormed　his　way　like　a　snake　far　into　the　thickly　interlaced　web　of　branches。　Rude　and　Adams　crawled　after　him。　Words　were　superfluous。　Quiet；　breathless；　with　beating　hearts；　the　hunters　pressed　close　to　the　dry　grass。　A　long；　low；　steady　rumble　filled　the　air；　and　increased　in　volume　till　it　became　a　roar。　Moments；　endless　moments；　passed。　The　roar　filled　out　like　a　flood　slowly　released　from　its　confines　to　sweep　down　with　the　sound　of　doom。　The　ground　began　to　tremble　and　quake：　the　light　faded；　the　smell　of　dust　pervaded　the　thicket；　then　a　continuous　streaming　roar；　deafening　as　persistent　roll　of　thunder；　pervaded　the　hiding　place。　The　stampeding　horses　had　split　round　the　hollow。　The　roar　lessened。　Swiftly　as　a　departing　snow…squall　rushing　on　through　the　pines；　the　thunderous　thud　and　tramp　of　hoofs　died　away。

The　trained　horses　hidden　in　the　cottonwoods　never　stirred。　〃Lie　low！　lie　low！〃　breathed　the　plainsman　to　his　companions。

Throb　of　hoofs　again　became　audible；　not　loud　and　madly　pounding　as　those　that　had　passed；　but　low；　muffled；　rhythmic。　Jones's　sharp　eye；　through　a　peephole　in　the　thicket；　saw　a　cream…colored　mustang　bob　over　the　knoll；　carrying　an　Indian。　Another　and　another；　then　a　swiftly　following；　close…packed　throng　appeared。　Bright　red　feathers　and　white　gleamed；　weapons　glinted；　gaunt；　bronzed　savage　leaned　forward　on　racy；　slender　mustangs。

The　plainsman　shrank　closer　to　the　ground。　〃Apache！〃　he　exclaimed　to　himself；　and　gripped　his　rifle。　The　band　galloped　down　to　the　hollow；　and　slowing　up；　piled　single　file　over　the　bank。　The　leader；　a　short；　squat　chief；　plunged　into　the　brake　not　twenty　yards　from　the　hidden　men。　Jones　recognized　the　cream　mustang；　he　knew　the　somber；　sinister；　broad　face。　It　belonged　to　the　Red　Chief　of　the　Apaches。

〃Geronimo！〃　murmured　the　plainsman　through　his　teeth。

Well　for　the　Apache　that　no　falcon　savage　eye　discovered　aught　strange　in　the　little　hollow！　One　look　at　the　sand　of　the　stream　bed　would　have　cost　him　his　life。　But　the　Indians　crossed　the　thicket　too　far　up；　they　cantered　up　the　slope　and　disappeared。　The　hoof…beats　softened　and　ceased。

〃Gone？〃　whispered　Rude。

〃Gone。　But　wait；〃　whispered　Jones。　He　knew　the　savage　nature；　and　he　knew　how　to　wait。　After　a　long　time；　he　cautiously　crawled　out　of　the　thicket　and　searched　the　surroundings　with　a　plainsman's　eye。　He　climbed　the　slope　and　saw　the　clouds　of　dust；　the　near　one　small；　the　far　one　large；　which　told　him　all　he　needed　to　know。

〃Comanches？〃　queried　Adams；　with　a　quaver　in　his　voice。　He　was　new　to　the　plains。

〃Likely；〃　said　Jones；　who　thought　it　best　not　to　tell　all　he　knew。　Then　he　added　to　himself：　〃We've　no　time　to　lose。　There's　water　back　here　somewhere。　The　Indians　have　spotted　the　buffalo；　and　were　running　the　horses　away　from　the　water。〃

The　three　got　under　way　again；　proceeding　carefully；　so　as　not　to　raise　the　dust；　and　headed　due　southwest。　Scantier　and　scantier　grew　the　grass；　the　hollows　were　washes　of　sand；　steely　gray　dunes；　like　long；　flat；　ocean　swells；　ribbed　the　prairie。　The　gray　day　declined。　Late　into　the　purple　night　they　traveled；　then　camped　without　fire。

In　the　gray　morning　Jones　climbed　a　high　ride　and　scanned　the　southwest。　Low　dun…colored　sandhills　waved　from　him　down　and　down；　in　slow；　deceptive　descent。　A　solitary　and　remote　waste　reached　out　into　gray　infinitude。　A　pale　lake；　gray　as　the　rest　of　that　gray　expanse；　glimmered　in　the　distance。

〃Mirage！〃　he　muttered；　focusing　his　glass；　which　only　magnified　all　under　the　dead　gray；　steely　sky。　〃Water　must　be　somewhere；　but　can　that　be　it？　It's　too　pale　and　elusive　to　be　real。　No　lifea　blasted；　staked　plain！　Hello！〃

A　thin；　black；　wavering　line　of　wild　fowl；　moving　in　beautiful；　rapid　flight；　crossed　the　line　of　his　vision。　〃Geese　flying　north；　and　low。　There's　water　here；〃　he　said。　He　followed　the　flock　with　his　glass；　saw　them　circle　over　the　lake；　and　vanish　in　the　gray　sheen。

〃It's　water。〃　He　hurried　back　to　camp