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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 the point； man。 What's wrong？〃
So Applehead； turning a darker shade of red than was his usual hue； cleared
his throat and blurted out what he had to say。 He had heard Shunka Chistala
whinnying at midnight in the tent of Annie…Many…Ponies； and had gone outside
to see what was the matter。 He didn't know； he explained； but what his cat
Compadre was somehow involved。 He had stood in the shadow of his tent for a
few minutes； and had seen Bill Holmes sneak into camp； coming from up the
arroyo somewhere。
For some reason he waited a little longer； and he had seen a woman's shadow
move stealthily up to the front of Annie's tent； and had seen Annie slip
inside and had heard her whisper a command of some sort to the dog； which had
immediately hushed its whining。 He hated to be telling tales on anybody； but
he knew how keenly Luck felt his responsibility toward the Indian girl； and he
thought he ought to know。 This night…prowling； he declared； had shore got to
be stopped； or he'd be danged if he didn't run 'em both outa camp himself。
〃Bill Holmes might have been out of camp；〃 Luck said calmly； 〃but you sure
must be mistaken about Annie。 She's straight。〃
〃You think she is；〃 Applehead corrected him。 〃But you don't know a danged
thing about it。 A girl that's behavin' herself don't go chasin' all over the
mesa alone； the way she's been doin' all spring。 I never said nothin' 'cause
it wa'n't none of my put…in。 But that Injun had a heap of business off away
from the ranch whilst you was in Los Angeles； Luck。 Sneaked off every day；
just aboutand 'd be gone fer hours at a time。 You kin ast any of the boys；
if yuh don't want to take my word。 Or you kin ast Mis' Green； she kin tell ye；
if she's a mind to。〃
〃Did Bill Holmes go with her？〃 Luck's eyes were growing hard and gray。
〃As to that I won't say； fer I don't know and I'm tellin' yuh what I seen
myself。 Bill Holmes done a lot uh walkin' in to town； fur as that goes； and he
didn't always git back the same day neither。 He never went off with Annie； and
he never came back with her； fur as I ever seen。 But；〃 he added grimly； 〃they
didn't come back together las' night； neither。 They come about three or four
minutes apart。〃
Luck thought a minute； scowling off across the arroyo。 Not even to Applehead；
bound to him by closer ties than anyone there； did he ever reveal his thoughts
completely。
〃All rightI'll attend to them；〃 he said finally。 〃Don't say anything to the
bunch； these things aren't helped by talk。 Get into your old cowman costume
and use that big gray you rode in that drive we made the other day。 I'm going
to pick up the action where we left off when it turned cloudy。 Tomorrow or
next day I want to move the outfit back to the ranch。 There's quite a lot of
town stuff I want to get for this picture。〃
Applehead looked at him uncertainly； tempted to impress further upon him the
importance of safeguarding the morals of his company。 But he knew Luck pretty
wellhaving lived with him for months at a time when Luck was younger and
even more peppery than now。 So he wisely condensed his reply to a nod； and
went back to the breakfast fire polishing his bald bead with the flat of his
palm。 He met Annie…Many…Ponies coming to ask Luck which of the two pairs of
beaded moccasins she carried in her hands he would like to have her wear。 She
did not look at Applehead at all as she passed； but he nevertheless became
keenly aware of her animosity and turned half around to glare after her
resentfully。 You'd think； he told himself aggrievedly； that he was the one
that had been acting up！ Let her go to Luckshe'd danged soon be made to know
her place in camp。
Annie…Many…Ponies went confidently on her way； carrying the two pairs of
beaded moccasins in her hands。 Her face was more inscrutable than ever。 She
was pondering deeply the problem of Bill Holmes' business with Ramon； and she
was half tempted to tell Wagalexa Conka of that secret intimacy which must
carry on its converse under cover of night。 She did not trust Bill Holmes。 Why
must he keep Ramon posted？ She glanced ahead to where Luck stood thinking
deeply about something； and her eyes softened in a shy sympathy with his
trouble。 Wagalexa Conka worked hard and thought much and worried more than was
good for him。 Bill Holmes； she decided fiercely； should not add to those
worries。 She would warn Ramon when next she talked with him。 She would tell
Ramon that he must not be friends with Bill Holmes； in the meantime； she would
watch。
Ten feet from Luck she stopped short； sensing trouble in the hardness that was
in his eyes。 She stood there and waited in meek subjection。
〃Annie； come here！〃 Luck's voice was no less stern because it was lowered so
that a couple of the boys fussing with the horses inside the rope corral could
not overhear what he had to say。
Annie…Many…Ponies； pulling one of the shiny black braids into the correct
position over her shoulder and breast； stepped soft…footedly up to him and
stopped。 She did not ask him what he wanted。 She waited until it was his
pleasure to speak。
〃Annie； I want you to keep away from Bill Holmes。〃 Luck was not one to mince
his words when he had occasion to speak of disagreeable things。 〃It isn't
right for you to let him make love to you on the sly。 You know that。 You know
you must not leave camp with him after dark。 You make me ashamed of you when
you do those things。 You keep away from Bill Holmes and stay in camp nights。
If you're a bad girl； I'll have to send you back to the reservationand I'll
have to tell the agent and Chief Big Turkey why I send you back。 I can't have
anybody in my company who doesn't act right。 Now rememberdon't make me speak
to you again about it。〃
Annie…Many…Ponies stood there； and the veiled； look was in her eyes。 Her face
was a smooth； brown maskbeautiful to look upon but as expressionless as the
dead。 She did not protest her innocence； she did not explain that she hated
and distrusted Bill Holmes and that she had； months ago； repelled his
surreptitious advances。 Luck would have believed； for he had known
Annie…Many…Ponies since she was a barefooted papoose； and he had never known
her to tell him an untruth。
〃You go now and get ready for work。 Wear the moccasins with the birds on the
toes。〃 He pointed to them and turned away。
Annie…Many…Ponies also turned and went her way and said nothing。 What； indeed；
could she say？ She did not doubt that Luck had seen her the night before； and
had seen also Bill Holmes when he left camp or returnedperhaps both。 She
could not tell him that Bill Holmes had gone out to meet Ramon； for that； she
felt instinctively； was a secret which Ramon trusted her not to betray。 She
could not tell Wagalexa Conka； either； that she met Ramon often when the camp
was asleep。 He would think that as bad as