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Pink did not say anything at all； either in assent or argument； but old
Applehead； now that he had established a plausible reason for his sudden
impulse； went on arguing the case while he unsaddled his horse。 By the time he
turned the animal loose he had thought of two or three other reasons why he
should take the boys and start out as soon as possible to round up his cattle。
He was still dilating upon these reasons when Andy Green rode slowly down the
slope to the corral。
〃Annie…Many…Ponies come back yet？〃 he asked of Pink； as he swung down off his
horse。 〃Annie？ No； ain't seen anything of her。 Shunky's been sitting out there
on the hill for the last hour； looking for her。〃
〃Fer half a cent；〃 threatened old Applehead； in a bad humor because his
arguments had not quite convinced him that he was not meditating a disloyalty；
〃I'd kill that danged dawg。 And if I was runnin' this bunch； I'd send that
squaw back where she come from； and I'd send her quick。 Take the two of 'em
together and they don't set good with me； now I'm tellin' yuh！ If I was to say
what I think； I'd say yuh can't never trust an Injunand shiny hair and eyes
and slim build don't make 'em no trustier。 They's something scaley goin' on
around here； and I'd gamble on it。 And that there squaw's at the bottom of it。
What fur's she ridin' off every day； 'n' nobody knowin' where she goes to？ If
Luck's got the sense he used to have； he'll git some white girl to act in his
pitchers； and send that there squaw home 'fore she double…crosses him some way
or other。〃
〃Oh； hold on； Applehead！〃 Pink felt constrained to defend the girl。 〃You've
got it in for her 'cause her dog don't like your cat。 Annie's all right； I
never saw anything outa the way with her yet。〃
〃Well； now； time you're old as I be； you'll have some sense； mebby；〃 Applehead
quelled。 〃Course you think Annie's all right。 She's purty；'n' purtyness in a
woman shore does cover up a pile uh cussednessto a feller under forty。
You're boss here； Andy。 When she comes back； you ask 'er where she's been； and
see if you kin git a straight answer。 She'll lie to yuhI'll bet all I got；
she'll lie to yuh。 And when a woman lies about where she's been to and what
she's been doin'； you can bet there's something scaley goin' on。 Yuh can't
fool ME！〃
He turned and went up to the small adobe house where he had lived in solitary
contentment with his cat Compadre until Luck Lindsay； seeking a cheap
headquarters for his free…lance company while he produced the big Western
picture which filled all his mind； had taken calm and unheralded possession of
the ranch。 Applehead did not resent the invasion； on the contrary； he welcomed
it as a pleasant change in his monotonous existence。 What he did resent was
the coming； first； of the little black dog that was no more than a tramp and
had no right on the ranch； and that broke all the laws of decency and
gratitude by making the life of the big blue cat miserable。 Also he resented
the uninvited arrival of Annie…Many…Ponies from the Sioux reservation in North
Dakota。
Annie…Many…Ponies had not only come uninvitedshe had remained in defiance of
Luck's perturbed insistence that she should go back home。 The Flying U boys
might overlook that fact because of her beauty； but Applehead was not so
easily beguiledespecially when she proceeded to form a violent attachment to
the little black dog； which she called Shunka Chistala in what Applehead
considered a brazen flaunting of her Indian blood and language； Between the
mistress of Shunka Chistala and the master of the cat there could never be
anything more cordial than an armed truce。 She had championed that ornery cur
in a way to make Applehead's blood boil。 She had kept the dog in the house at
night； which forced the cat to seek cold comfort elsewhere。 She had pilfered
the choicest table scraps for the dogand Compadre was a cat of fastidious
palate and grew thin on what coarse bits were condescendingly left for him。
Applehead had not approved of Luck's final consent that Annie…Many…Ponies
should stay and play the Indian girl in his big picture。 In the mind of
Applehead there lurked a grudge that found all the more room to grow because
of the natural bigness and generosity of his nature。 It irked him to see her
going her calm way with that proud uptilt to her shapely head and that little；
inscruable smile when she caught the meaning of his grumbling hints。
Applehead was easy…going to a fault in most things； but his dislike had grown
in Luck's absence to the point where he considered himself aggrieved whenever
Annie…Many…Ponies saddled the horse which had been tacitly set aside for her
use； and rode off into the mesa without a word of explanation or excuse。
Applehead reminded the boys that she had not acted like that when luck was
home。 She had stayed on the ranch where she belonged； except once or twice； on
particularly fine days； when she had meekly asked 〃Wagalexa Conka；〃 as she
persisted in calling Luck； for permission to go for a ride。
Applehead itched to tell her a few things about the social； moral；
intellectual and economic status of an 〃Injun squaw〃but there was something
in her eye； something in the quiver of her finely shaped nostrils； in the
straight black brows； that held his tongue quiet when he met her face to face。
You couldn't tell about these squaws。 Even luck； who knew Indians better than
mostand was； in a heathenish tribal way； the adopted son of Old Chief Big
Turkey； and therefore Annie's brother by adoptioneven Luck maintained that
Annie…Many…Ponies undoubtedly carried a knife concealed in her clothes and
would use it if ever the need arose。 Applehead was not afraid of Annie's
knife。 It was something else； something he could not put into words； that held
him back from open upbraidings。
He gave Andy's wife； Rosemary； the mail and stopped to sympathize with her
because Annie…Many…Ponies had gone away and left the hardest part of the
ironing undone。 Luck had told Annie to help Rosemary with the work； but
Annie's help； when Luck was not around the place； was； Rosemary asserted；
purely theoretical。
〃And from all you read about Indians；〃 Rosemary complained with a pretty
wrinkling of her brows； 〃you'd think the women just LIVE for the sake of
working。 I've lost all faith in history； Mr。 Furrman。 I don't believe squaws
ever do anything if they can help it。 Before she went off riding today； for
instance； that girl spent a whole HOUR brushing her hair and braiding it。 And
I do believe she GREASES it to make it shine the way it does！ And the powder
she piles on her facejust to ride out on the mesa！〃 Rosemary Green was
naturally sweet…tempered and exceedingly charitable in her judgements； but
here； too； the cat…and…dog feud had its influence。 Rosemary Green was a loyal
champion of the cat Compadre； besides； there was a succession of little
irritations； in the way of dishes left unwashed and inconspicuous corners left