a waif of the plains-第4章
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right； its gaze still fixed on that mysterious part of the horizon。
There was no mistaking it now！ The painted Hebraic face； the large
curved nose； the bony cheek； the broad mouth； the shadowed eyes；
the straight long matted locks！ It was an Indian！ Not the
picturesque creature of Clarence's imagination； but still an
Indian！ The boy was uneasy； suspicious； antagonistic； but not
afraid。 He looked at the heavy animal face with the superiority of
intelligence； at the half…naked figure with the conscious supremacy
of dress； at the lower individuality with the contempt of a higher
race。 Yet a moment after； when the figure wheeled and disappeared
towards the undulating west； a strange chill crept over him。 Yet
he did not know that in this puerile phantom and painted pigmy the
awful majesty of Death had passed him by。
〃Mamma！〃
It was Susy's voice； struggling into consciousness。 Perhaps she
had been instinctively conscious of the boy's sudden fears。
〃Hush！〃
He had just turned to the objective point of the Indian's gaze。
There WAS something！ A dark line was moving along with the
gathering darkness。 For a moment he hardly dared to voice his
thoughts even to himself。 It was a following train overtaking them
from the rear！ And from the rapidity of its movements a train with
horses； hurrying forward to evening camp。 He had never dreamt of
help from that quarter。 This was what the Indian's keen eyes had
been watching； and why he had so precipitately fled。
The strange train was now coming up at a round trot。 It was
evidently well appointed with five or six large wagons and several
outriders。 In half an hour it would be here。 Yet he refrained
from waking Susy； who had fallen asleep again； his old superstition
of securing her safety first being still uppermost。 He took off
his jacket to cover her shoulders； and rearranged her nest。 Then
he glanced again at the coming train。 But for some unaccountable
reason it had changed its direction； and instead of following the
track that should have brought it to his side it had turned off to
the left！ In ten minutes it would pass abreast of him a mile and a
half away！ If he woke Susy now； he knew she would be helpless in
her terror； and he could not carry her half that distance。 He
might rush to the train himself and return with help； but he would
never leave her alonein the darkness。 Never！ If she woke she
would die of fright； perhaps； or wander blindly and aimlessly away。
No！ The train would pass and with it that hope of rescue。
Something was in his throat； but he gulped it down and was quiet
again albeit he shivered in the night wind。
The train was nearly abreast of him now。 He ran out of the tall
grass； waving his straw hat above his head in the faint hope of
attracting attention。 But he did not go far； for he found to his
alarm that when he turned back again the clump of mesquite was
scarcely distinguishable from the rest of the plain。 This settled
all question of his going。 Even if he reached the train and
returned with some one； how would he ever find her again in this
desolate expanse？
He watched the train slowly passstill mechanically； almost
hopelessly； waving his hat as he ran up and down before the
mesquite； as if he were waving a last farewell to his departing
hope。 Suddenly it appeared to him that three of the outriders who
were preceding the first wagon had changed their shape。 They were
no longer sharp； oblong； black blocks against the horizon but had
become at first blurred and indistinct； then taller and narrower；
until at last they stood out like exclamation points against the
sky。 He continued to wave his hat； they continued to grow taller
and narrower。 He understood it nowthe three transformed blocks
were the outriders coming towards him。
This is what he had seen
＇Drawing of three black blocks＇
This is what he saw now
！ ！ ！
He ran back to Susy to see if she still slept； for his foolish
desire to have her saved unconsciously was stronger than ever now
that safety seemed so near。 She was still sleeping； although she
had moved slightly。 He ran to the front again。
The outriders had apparently halted。 What were they doing？ Why
wouldn't they come on？
Suddenly a blinding flash of light seemed to burst from one of
them。 Away over his head something whistled like a rushing bird；
and sped off invisible。 They had fired a gun； they were signaling
to himClarencelike a grown…up man。 He would have given his
life at that moment to have had a gun。 But he could only wave his
hat frantically。
One of the figures here bore away and impetuously darted forward
again。 He was coming nearer； powerful； gigantic； formidable； as he
loomed through the darkness。 All at once he threw up his arm with
a wild gesture to the others； and his voice； manly； frank； and
assuring； came ringing before him。
〃Hold up！ Good God！ It's no Injunit's a child！〃
In another moment he had reined up beside Clarence and leaned over
him； bearded； handsome； powerful and protecting。
〃Hallo！ What's all this？ What are you doing here？〃
〃Lost from Mr。 Silsbee's train；〃 said Clarence； pointing to the
darkened west。
〃Lost？how long？〃
〃About three hours。 I thought they'd come back for us；〃 said
Clarence apologetically to this big； kindly man。
〃And you kalkilated to wait here for 'em？〃
〃Yes； yesI didtill I saw you。〃
〃Then why in thunder didn't you light out straight for us； instead
of hanging round here and drawing us out？〃
The boy hung his head。 He knew his reasons were unchanged； but all
at once they seemed very foolish and unmanly to speak out。
〃Only that we were on the keen jump for Injins；〃 continued the
stranger； 〃we wouldn't have seen you at all； and might hev shot you
when we did。 What possessed you to stay here？〃
The boy was still silent。 〃Kla'uns；〃 said a faint； sleepy voice
from the mesquite； 〃take me。〃 The rifle…shot had awakened Susy。
The stranger turned quickly towards the sound。 Clarence started
and recalled himself。 〃There；〃 he said bitterly； 〃you've done it
now； you've wakened her！ THAT'S why I stayed。 I couldn't carry
her over there to you。 I couldn't let her walk； for she'd be
frightened。 I wouldn't wake her up； for she'd be frightened； and I
mightn't find her again。 There！〃 He had made up his mind to be
abused； but he was reckless now that she was safe。
The men glanced at each other。 〃Then；〃 said the spokesman quietly；
〃you didn't strike out for us on account of your sister？〃
〃She ain't my sister；〃 said Clarence quickly。 〃She's a little
girl。 She's Mrs。 Silsbee's little girl。 We were in the wagon and
got down。 It's my fault。 I helped her down。〃
The three men reined their horses closely round him； leaning
forward from their saddles； with their hands on their knees and
their heads on one side。 〃Then；〃 said the spokesman gravely； 〃you
just reckoned to stay here； old man； and take your chances with her
rather than run the risk of frightening or leaving herthough it
was your one chance of life！〃
〃Yes；〃 said the boy； scornful of this feeble； grown…up repetition。
〃Come here。〃
The boy came doggedly forward。 The man pushed back the well…worn
straw hat from Clarence's forehead and looked into his lowering
face。 With his hand still on the boy's head he turned him round to
the others； and said quietly；
〃Suthin of a pup； eh？〃
〃You bet；〃 they responded。
The voice was not unkindly； although the speaker had thrown his
lower jaw forward as if to pronounce the word 〃pup〃 with a humorous
suggestion of a mastiff。 Before Clarence could make up his mind if
the epithet was insulting or not； the man put out his stirruped
foot； and； with a gesture of invitation； said； 〃Jump up。〃
〃But Susy；〃 said Clarence； drawing back。
〃Look； she's making up to Phil already。〃
Clarence looked。 Susy had crawled out of the mesquite； and with
her sun…bonnet hanging down her back； her curls tossed around her
face； still flushed with sleep； and Clarence's jacket over her
shoulders； was gazing up with grave satisfaction in the laughing
eyes of one of the men who was with outstretched hands bending
