按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The two talked； low…voiced and earnest； Bill was telling all that he knew of
Luck Lindsay's plansand that was not much。
〃He don't talk；〃 Bill complained。 〃He just tells the bunch a day aheadjust
far enough to get their makeup and costumes on； generally。 But he won't stay
around here much longer； he's taken enough spring roundup stuff now for half a
dozen pictures。 He'll be moving in to the ranch again pretty quick。 And I know
this picture calls for a lot of town business that he'll have to take。 I saw
the script the other day。〃 This； of course；； being a free translation of the
meaningless jumble of strange words which Annie heard。
〃What town business is that？ Where will he work？〃 Ramon was plainly impatient
of so much vagueness。
〃Well； there's a bank robberyI paid particular attention； Ramon； so I know
for certain。 But when he'll do it； or what bank he'll use； I don't know any
more than you do。 And there's a running fight down the street and through the
Mexican quarter。 The rest is just street stuffthat and a fiesta that I think
he'll probably me the old plaza for location。 He'll need a lot of Mexicans for
that stuff。 He'll want you； of course。〃
〃That bankwho will do that？〃 Ramon's fingers trembled so that he could
scarcely roll a cigarette。 〃Andy； perhaps？〃
〃Nothat's the Mexican bunch。 Iwhy； I guess that will maybe be you； Ramon。
I wasn't paying much attention to the partsI was after locations； and I only
had about two minutes at the script。 But he's been giving you some good bits
right along where he needed a Mexican type； and those scenes in the rocks the
other day was bandit stuff with you for lead。 It'll be you or Miguelthe
Native Son； as they call himand so far he's cast for another part。 That's
the worst of Luck。 He won't talk about what he's going to do till he's all
ready to do it。〃
There was a little further discussion。 Ramon muttered a few sentencesrapid
instructions； Annie…Many…Ponies believed from the tone he used。
〃All right； I'll keep you posted；〃 Bill Holmes replied in English。 And he
added as he started off； 〃You can send word by the squaw。〃
He went carefully back down the arroyo； keeping as much as possible in the
shade。 Behind him stole Annie…Many…Ponies； noiseless as the shadow of a cloud。
Bill Holmes； she reflected angrily； had seen the day； not so far in the past；
when he was happy if the 〃squaw〃 but smiled upon him。 It was because she had
repelled his sly lovemaking that he had come to speak of her slightingly like
that； she knew it。 She could have named the very day when his manner toward
her had changed。 Mingled with her hate and dread of him was a new contempt and
a new little anxiety over this clandestine intimacy between Ramon and him。 Why
should Bill Holmes keep Ramon posted？ Surely not about a silver bridle！
Shunka Chistala was whining in her little tent when she came into the camp。
She heard Bill Holmes stumble over the end of the chuck…wagon tongue and
mutter the customary profanity with which the average man meets an incident of
that kind。 She whispered a fierce command to the little black dog and stood
very still for a minute； listening。 She did not hear anything further； either
from Bill Holmes or the dog； and finally reassured by the silence； she crept
into her tent and tied the flaps together on the inside； and lay down in her
blankets with the little black dog contentedly curled at her feet with his
nose between his front paws。
CHAPTER V。 FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMPANY
All through breakfast Applehead seemed to have something weighty on his mind。
He kept pulling at his streaked； reddish…gray mustache when his fingers should
have been wholly occupied with his food； and he stared abstractedly at the
ground after he had finished his first cup of coffee and before he took his
second。 Once Bill Holmes caught him glaring with an intensity which
circumstances in no wise justifiedand it was Bill Holmes who first shifted
his gaze in vague uneasiness when he tried to stare Applehead down。
Annie…Many…Ponies did not glance at him at all； so far as one could discover；
yet she was the first to sense trouble in the air； and withdrew herself from
the company and sat apart； wrapped closely in her crimson shawl that matched
well the crimson bows on her two shiny braids。
Luck； keenly alive to the moods of his people； looked at her inquiringly。
〃Come on up by the fire； Annie；〃 he commanded gently。 〃What you sitting away
off there for？ Come and eatI want you to work today。〃
Annie…Many…Ponies did not reply； but she rose obediently and came forward in
the silent way she had； stepping lightly； straight and slim and darkly
beautiful。 Applehead glanced at her sourly； and her lashes drooped to hide the
venom in her eyes as she passed him to stand before Luck
〃I not hungry；〃 she told Luck tranquilly； yet with a hardness in her voice
which did not escape him； who knew her so well。 〃I go put on makeup。〃
〃Wear that striped blanket you used last Saturday when we worked up there in
Tijeras Canon。 Same young squaw makeup you wore then； Annie。〃 He eyed her
sharply as she turned away to her own tent； and he observed that when she
passed Applehead she took two steps to one side； widening the distance between
them。 He watched her until she lifted her tent flap； stooped and disappeared
within。 Then he looked at Applehead。
〃What's wrong between you two？〃 he asked the old man quizzically。 〃Her dog
been licking your cat again； or what？〃
〃You're danged right he ain't！〃 Applehead testified boastfully。 〃Compadre's
got that there dawg's goat； now I'm tellin' yuh！ He don't take nothin' off him
ner her neither。〃
〃What you been doing to her； then？〃 Luck set his empty plate on the ground
beside him and began feeling for the makings of a cigarette。 〃Way she
side…stepped you； I know there must be SOMETHING。〃
〃Well； now； I ain't done a danged thing to that there squaw！ She ain't got any
call to go around givin' me the bad eye。〃 He looked at the breakfasting
company and then again at Luck； and gave an almost imperceptible backward jerk
of his head as he got awkwardly to his feet and strolled away toward the
milling horses in the remuda。
So when Luck had lighted his fresh…rolled cigarette he followed Applehead
unobtrusively。 〃Well； what's on your mind？〃 he wanted to know when he came up
with him。
〃Well； now； I don't want you to think I'm buttin' in on your affairs； Luck；〃
Applehead began after a minute； 〃but seein' as you ast me what's wrong； I'm
goin' to tell yuh straight out。 We got a couple of danged fine women in this
here bunch； and I shore do hate to see things goin' on around here that'd
shame 'em if they was to find it out。 And fur's I can see they will find it
out； sooner or later。 Murder ain't the only kinda wickedness that's hard to
cover up。 I know you feel about as I do on some subjects； you never did like
dirt around you； no better'n〃
〃Get to