a waif of the plains-第11章

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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〃

〃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　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　the　six…
shooter；　taking　the　hatchet　in　exchangea　transfer　that　at　first
delighted　Clarence；　until；　seeing　the　warlike　and　picturesque
effect　of　the　hatchet　in　Jim's　belt；　he　regretted　the　transfer。
The　gun；　Jim　meantime　explained　〃extry　charged；〃　〃chuck　up〃　to　the
middle　with　slugs　and　revolver　bullets；　could　only　be　fired　by
himself；　and　even　then　he　darkly　added；　not　without　danger。　　This
poverty　of　equipment　was；　however；　compensated　by　opposite
statements　from　Jim　of　the　extraordinary　results　obtained　by　these
simple　weapons　from　〃fellers　I　knew：〃　how　HE　himself　had　once
brought　down　a　〃bull〃　by　a　bold　shot　with　a　revolver　through　its
open　bellowing　mouth　that　pierced　his　〃innards；〃　how　a　friend　of
hisan　intimate　in　factnow　in　jail　at　Louisville　for　killing　a
sheriff's　deputy；　had　once　found　himself　alone　and　dismounted　with
a　simple　clasp…knife　and　a　lariat　among　a　herd　of　buffaloes；　how；
leaping　calmly　upon　the　shaggy　shoulders　of　the　biggest　bull；　he
lashed　himself　with　the　lariat　firmly　to　its　horns；　goading　it
onward　with　his　clasp…knife；　and　subsisting　for　days　upon　the　flesh
cut　from　its　living　body；　until；　abandoned　by　its　fellows　and
exhausted　by　the　loss　of　blood；　it　finally　succumbed　to　its　victor
at　the　very　outskirts　of　the　camp　to　which　he　had　artfully　driven
it！　　It　must　be　confessed　that　this　recital　somewhat　took　away
Clarence's　breath；　and　he　would　have　liked　to　ask　a　few　questions。
But　they　were　alone　on　the　prairie；　and　linked　by　a　common
transgression；　the　glorious　sun　was　coming　up　victoriously；　the
pure；　crisp　air　was　intoxicating　their　nerves；　in　the　bright
forecast　of　youth　everything　WAS　possible！

The　surface　of　the　bottom　land　that　they　were　crossing　was　here　and
there　broken　up　by　fissures　and　〃potholes；〃　and　some　circumspection
in　their　progress　became　necessary。　　In　one　of　these　halts；
Clarence　was　struck　by　a　dull；　monotonous　jarring　that　sounded　like
the　heavy　regular　fall　of　water　over　a　dam。　　Each　time　that　they
slackened　their　pace　the　sound　would　become　more　audible；　and　was
at　last　accompanied　by　that　slight　but　unmistakable　tremor　of　the
earth　that　betrayed　the　vicinity　of　a　waterfall。　　Hesitating　over
the　phenomenon；　which　seemed　to　imply　that　their　topography　was
wrong　and　that　they　had　blundered　from　the　track；　they　were
presently　startled　by　the　fact　that　the　sound　was　actually
APPROACHING　them！　　With　a　sudden　instinct　they　both　galloped
t