a waif of the plains-第3章

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horizon；　and　was　level　with　his　dazzled　and　straining　eyes。　　At
times　it　seemed　to　impede　his　eager　search　and　task　his　vision。
Haze　and　black　spots　floated　across　the　horizon；　and　round　wafers；
like　duplicates　of　the　sun；　glittered　back　from　the　dull　surface　of
the　plains。　　Then　he　resolved　to　look　no　more　until　he　had　counted
fifty；　a　hundred；　but　always　with　the　same　result；　the　return　of
the　empty；　unending　plainsthe　disk　growing　redder　as　it　neared
the　horizon；　the　fire　it　seemed　to　kindle　as　it　sank；　but　nothing
more。

Staggering　under　his　burden；　he　tried　to　distract　himself　by
fancying　how　the　discovery　of　their　absence　would　be　made。　　He
heard　the　listless；　half…querulous　discussion　about　the　locality
that　regularly　pervaded　the　nightly　camp。　　He　heard　the
discontented　voice　of　Jake　Silsbee　as　he　halted　beside　the　wagon；
and　said；　〃Come　out　o'　that　now；　you　two；　and　mighty　quick　about
it。〃　　He　heard　the　command　harshly　repeated。　　He　saw　the　look　of
irritation　on　Silsbee's　dusty；　bearded　face；　that　followed　his
hurried　glance　into　the　empty　wagon。　　He　heard　the　query；　〃What's
gone　o'　them　limbs　now？〃　handed　from　wagon　to　wagon。　　He　heard　a
few　oaths；　Mrs。　Silsbee's　high　rasping　voice；　abuse　of　himself；　the
hurried　and　discontented　detachment　of　a　search　party；　Silsbee　and
one　of　the　hired　men；　and　vociferation　and　blame。　　Blame　always　for
himself；　the　elder；　who　might　have　〃known　better！〃　　A　little　fear；
perhaps；　but　he　could　not　fancy　either　pity　or　commiseration。
Perhaps　the　thought　upheld　his　pride；　under　the　prospect　of
sympathy　he　might　have　broken　down。

At　last　he　stumbled；　and　stopped　to　keep　himself　from　falling
forward　on　his　face。　　He　could　go　no　further；　his　breath　was　spent；
he　was　dripping　with　perspiration；　his　legs　were　trembling　under
him；　there　was　a　roaring　in　his　ears；　round　red　disks　of　the　sun
were　scattered　everywhere　around　him　like　spots　of　blood。　　To　the
right　of　the　trail　there　seemed　to　be　a　slight　mound　where　he　could
rest　awhile；　and　yet　keep　his　watchful　survey　of　the　horizon。　　But
on　reaching　it　he　found　that　it　was　only　a　tangle　of　taller
mesquite　grass；　into　which　he　sank　with　his　burden。　　Nevertheless；
if　useless　as　a　point　of　vantage；　it　offered　a　soft　couch　for　Susy；
who　seemed　to　have　fallen　quite　naturally　into　her　usual　afternoon
siesta；　and　in　a　measure　it　shielded　her　from　a　cold　breeze　that
had　sprung　up　from　the　west。　　Utterly　exhausted　himself；　but　not
daring　to　yield　to　the　torpor　that　seemed　to　be　creeping　over　him；
Clarence　half　sat；　half　knelt　down　beside　her；　supporting　himself
with　one　hand；　and；　partly　hidden　in　the　long　grass；　kept　his
straining　eyes　fixed　on　the　lonely　track。

The　red　disk　was　sinking　lower。　　It　seemed　to　have　already　crumbled
away　a　part　of　the　distance　with　its　eating　fires。　　As　it　sank
still　lower；　it　shot　out　long；　luminous　rays；　diverging　fan…like
across　the　plain；　as　if；　in　the　boy's　excited　fancy；　it　too　were
searching　for　the　lost　estrays。　　And　as　one　long　beam　seemed　to
linger　over　his　hiding…place；　he　even　thought　that　it　might　serve
as　a　guide　to　Silsbee　and　the　other　seekers；　and　was　constrained　to
stagger　to　his　feet；　erect　in　its　light。　　But　it　soon　sank；　and
with　it　Clarence　dropped　back　again　to　his　crouching　watch。　　Yet　he
knew　that　the　daylight　was　still　good　for　an　hour；　and　with　the
withdrawal　of　that　mystic　sunset　glory　objects　became　even　more
distinct　and　sharply　defined　than　at　any　other　time。　　And　with　the
merciful　sheathing　of　that　flaming　sword　which　seemed　to　have
swayed　between　him　and　the　vanished　train；　his　eyes　already　felt　a
blessed　relief。


CHAPTER　III


With　the　setting　of　the　sun　an　ominous　silence　fell。　　He　could　hear
the　low　breathing　of　Susy；　and　even　fancied　he　could　hear　the
beating　of　his　own　heart　in　that　oppressive　hush　of　all　nature。
For　the　day's　march　had　always　been　accompanied　by　the　monotonous
creaking　of　wheels　and　axles；　and　even　the　quiet　of　the　night
encampment　had　been　always　more　or　less　broken　by　the　movement　of
unquiet　sleepers　on　the　wagon　beds；　or　the　breathing　of　the　cattle。
But　here　there　was　neither　sound　nor　motion。　　Susy's　prattle；　and
even　the　sound　of　his　own　voice；　would　have　broken　the　benumbing
spell；　but　it　was　a　part　of　his　growing　self…denial　now　that　he
refrained　from　waking　her　even　by　a　whisper。　　She　would　awaken　soon
enough　to　thirst　and　hunger；　perhaps；　and　then　what　was　he　to　do？
If　that　looked…for　help　would　only　come　nowwhile　she　still　slept。
For　it　was　part　of　his　boyish　fancy　that　if　he　could　deliver　her
asleep　and　undemonstrative　of　fear　and　suffering；　he　would　be　less
blameful；　and　she　less　mindful　of　her　trouble。　　If　it　did　not　come
but　he　would　not　think　of　that　yet！　　If　she　was　thirsty　meantime
well；　it　might　rain；　and　there　was　always　the　dew　which　they　used
to　brush　off　the　morning　grass；　he　would　take　off　his　shirt　and
catch　it　in　that；　like　a　shipwrecked　mariner。　　It　would　be　funny；
and　make　her　laugh。　　For　himself　he　would　not　laugh；　he　felt　he　was
getting　very　old　and　grown　up　in　this　loneliness。

It　was　getting　darkerthey　should　be　looking　into　the　wagons　now。
A　new　doubt　began　to　assail　him。　　Ought　he　not；　now　that　he　was
rested；　make　the　most　of　the　remaining　moments　of　daylight；　and
before　the　glow　faded　from　the　west；　when　he　would　no　longer　have
any　bearings　to　guide　him？　　But　there　was　always　the　risk　of　waking
her！to　what？　　The　fear　of　being　confronted　again　with　HER　fear
and　of　being　unable　to　pacify　her；　at　last　decided　him　to　remain。
But　he　crept　softly　through　the　grass；　and　in　the　dust　of　the　track
traced　the　four　points　of　the　compass；　as　he　could　still　determine
them　by　the　sunset　light；　with　a　large　printed　W　to　indicate　the
west！　　This　boyish　contrivance　particularly　pleased　him。　　If　he　had
only　had　a　pole；　a　stick；　or　even　a　twig；　on　which　to　tie　his
handkerchief　and　erect　it　above　the　clump　of　mesquite　as　a　signal
to　the　searchers　in　case　they　should　be　overcome　by　fatigue　or
sleep；　he　would　have　been　happy。　　But　the　plain　was　barren　of　brush
or　timber；　he　did　not　dream　that　this　omission　and　the　very
unobtrusiveness　of　his　hiding…place　would　be　his　salvation　from　a
greater　danger。

With　the　coming　darkness　the　wind　arose　and　swept　the　plain　with　a
long…drawn　sigh。　　This　increased　to　a　murmur；　till　presently　the
whole　expansebefore　sunk　in　awful　silenceseemed　to　awake　with
vague　complaints；　incessant　sounds；　and　low　moanings。　　At　times　he
thought　he　heard　the　halloaing　of　distant　voices；　at　times　it
seemed　as　a　whisper　in　his　own　ear。　　In　the　silence　that　followed
each　blast　he　fancied　he　could　detect　the　creaking　of　the　wagon；
the　dull　thud　of　the　oxen's　hoofs；　or　broken　fragments　of　speech；
blown　and　scattered　even　as　he　strained　his　ears　to　listen　by　the
next　gust。　　This　tension　of　the　ear　began　to　confuse　his　brain；　as
his　eyes　had　been　previously　dazzled　by　the　sunlight；　and　a　strange
torpor　began　to　steal　over　his　faculties。　　Once　or　twice　his　head
dropped。

He　awoke　with　a　start。　　A　moving　figure　had　suddenly　uplifted
itself　between　him　and　the　horizon！　　It　was　not　twenty　yards　away；
so　clearly　outlined　against　the　still　luminous　sky　that　it　seemed
even　nearer。　　A　human　figure；　but　so　disheveled；　so　fantastic；　and
yet　so　mean　and　puerile　in　its　extravagance；　that　it　seemed　the
outcome　of　a　childish　dream。　　It　was　a　mounted　figure；　but　so
ludicrously　disproportionate　to　the　pony　it　bestrode；　whose　slim
legs　were　stiffly　buried　in　the　dust　in　a　breathless　halt；　that　it
might　have　been　a　straggler　from　some　vulgar　wandering　circus。　　A
tall　hat；　crownless　and　rimless；　a　castaway　of　civilization；
surmounted　by　a　turkey's　feather；　was　on　its　head；　over　its
shoulders　hung　a　dirty　tattered　blanket　that　scarcely　covered　the
two　painted　legs　which　seemed　clothed　in　soiled　yellow　hose。　　In
one　hand　it　held　a　gun；　the　other　was　bent　above　its　eyes　in　eager
scrutiny　of　some　distant　point　beyond　and　east　of　the　spot　where
the　children　lay　concealed。　　Presently；　with　a　dozen　quick
noiseless　strides　of　the　pony's　legs；　the　apparition　moved　to　the
right；　its　gaze　still　fixed　on　that　mysterious　part　of　the　horizon。
The