tales of trail and town-第7章

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brother　to　his　people　you　must　take　a　wife　among　them。　　He　loves

youtake　one　of　his！〃　　Peter；　through　whose　veinsalbeit　of　mixed

bloodran　that　Puritan　ice　so　often　found　throughout　the　Great

West；　was　frigidly　amazed。　　In　vain　did　the　interpreter　assure　him

that　the　wife　in　question；　Little　Daybreak；　was　a　wife　only　in

name；　a　prudent　reserve　kept　by　Gray　Eagle　in　the　orphan　daughter

of　a　brother　brave。　　But　Peter　was　adamant。　　Whatever　answer　the

interpreter　returned　to　Gray　Eagle　he　never　knew。　　But　to　his　alarm

he　presently　found　that　the　Indian　maiden　Little　Daybreak　had　been

aware　of　Gray　Eagle's　offer；　and　had　with　pathetic　simplicity

already　considered　herself　Peter's　spouse。　　During　his　stay　at　the

encampment　he　found　her　sitting　before　his　lodge　every　morning。　　A

girl　of　sixteen　in　years；　a　child　of　six　in　intellect；　she　flashed

her　little　white　teeth　upon　him　when　he　lifted　his　tent　flap；

content　to　receive　his　grave；　melancholy　bow；　or　patiently　trotted

at　his　side　carrying　things　he　did　not　want；　which　she　had　taken

from　the　lodge。　　When　he　sat　down　to　work；　she　remained　seated　at　a

distance；　looking　at　him　with　glistening　beady　eyes　like

blackberries　set　in　milk；　and　softly　scratching　the　little　bare

brown　ankle　of　one　foot　with　the　turned…in　toes　of　the　other；　after

an　infantine　fashion。　　Yet　after　he　had　lefta　still　single　man；

solely　though　his　interpreter's　diplomacy；　as　he　always　believed

he　was　very　worried　as　to　the　wisdom　of　his　course。　　Why　should　he

not　in　this　way　ally　himself　to　his　unfortunate　race　irrevocably？

Perhaps　there　was　an　answer　somewhere　in　his　consciousness　which　he

dared　not　voice　to　himself。　　Since　his　visit　to　the　English

Atherlys；　he　had　put　resolutely　aside　everything　that　related　to

that　episode；　which　he　now　considered　was　an　unhappy　imposture。

But　there　were　times　when　a　vision　of　Lady　Elfrida；　gazing　at　him

with　wondering；　fascinated　eyes；　passed　across　his　fancy；　even　the

contact　with　his　own　race　and　his　thoughts　of　their　wrongs　recalled

to　him　the　tomb　of　the　soldier　Atherly　and　the　carven　captive

savage　supporter。　　He　could　not　pass　the　upright　supported　bier　of

an　Indian　braveslowly　desiccating　in　the　desert　airwithout

seeing　in　the　dead　warrior's　paraphernalia　of　arms　and　trophies

some　resemblance　to　the　cross…legged　crusader　on　whose　marble

effigy　SHE　had　girlishly　perched　herself　as　she　told　the　story　of

her　ancestors。　　Yet　only　the　peaceful　gloom　and　repose　of　the　old

church　touched　him　now；　even　she；　too；　with　all　her　glory　of

English　girlhood；　seemed　to　belong　to　that　remote　past。　　She　was

part　of　the　restful　quiet　of　the　church；　the　yews　in　the　quaint　old

churchyard　might　have　waved　over　her　as　well。



Still；　he　was　eager　to　see　his　sister；　and　if　he　should　conclude　to

impart　to　her　his　secret；　she　might　advise　him。　　At　all　events；　he

decided　to　delay　his　departure　until　her　arrival；　a　decision　with

which　the　commanding　officer　concurred；　as　a　foraging　party　had

that　morning　discovered　traces　of　Indians　in　the　vicinity　of　the

fort；　and　the　lately　arrived　commissary　train　had　reported　the

unaccountable　but　promptly　prevented　stampede。



Unfortunately；　his　sister　Jenny　appeared　accompanied　by　her

husband；　who　seized　an　early　opportunity　to　take　Peter　aside　and

confide　to　him　his　anxiety　about　her　health；　and　the　strange　fits

of　excitement　under　which　she　occasionally　labored。　　Remembering

the　episode　of　the　Californian　woods　three　years　ago；　Peter　stared

at　this　good…natured；　good…looking　man；　whose　life　he　had　always

believed　she　once　imperiled；　and　wondered　more　than　ever　at　their

strange　union。



〃Do　you　ever　quarrel？〃　asked　Peter　bluntly。



〃No；〃　said　the　good…hearted　fellow　warmly；　〃never！　　We　have　never

had　a　harsh　word；　she's　the　dearest　girl；the　best　wife　in　the

world　to　me；　but〃he　hesitated；　〃you　know　there　are　times　when　I

think　she　confounds　me　with　somebody　else；　and　is　strange！

Sometimes　when　we　are　in　company　she　stands　alone　and　stares　at

everybody；　without　saying　a　word；　as　if　she　didn't　understand　them。

Or　else　she　gets　painfully　excited　and　dances　all　night　until　she

is　exhausted。　　I　thought；　perhaps；〃　he　added　timidly；　〃that　you

might　know；　and　would　tell　me　if　she　had　any　singular　experience　as

a　child；any　illness；　or；〃　he　went　on　still　more　gently；　〃if

perhaps　her　mother　or　father〃



〃No；〃　interrupted　Peter　almost　brusquely；　with　the　sudden　conviction

that　this　was　no　time　for　revelation　of　his　secret；　〃no；　nothing。〃



〃The　doctor　says；〃　continued　Lascelles　with　that　hesitating；　almost

mystic　delicacy　with　which　most　gentlemen　approach　a　subject　upon

which　their　wives　talk　openly；　〃that　it　may　be　owing　to　Jenny's

peculiar　state　of　health　just　now；　you　know；　and　that　ifall　went

well；　you　know；　and　there　should　bedon't　you　seea　little

child〃



Peter　interrupted　him　with　a　start。　　A　child！　　Jenny's　child！

Silver　Cloud's　grandchild！　　This　was　a　complication　he　had　not

thought　of。　　No！　　It　was　too　late　to　tell　his　secret　now。　　He　only

nodded　his　head　abstractedly　and　said　coldly；　〃I　dare　say　he　is

right。〃



Nevertheless；　Jenny　was　looking　remarkably　well。　　Perhaps　it　was

the　excitement　of　travel　and　new　surroundings；　but　her　tall；　lithe

figure；　nearly　half　a　head　taller　than　her　husband's；　was　a

striking　one　among　the　officers'　wives　in　the　commandant's　sitting…

room。　　Her　olive　cheek　glowed　with　a　faint　illuminating　color；

there　was　something　even　patrician　in　her　slightly　curved　nose　and

high　cheek　bones；　and　her　smile；　rare　even　in　her　most　excited

moments；　was；　like　her　brother's；　singularly　fascinating。　　The

officers　evidently　thought　so　too；　and　when　the　young　lieutenant　of

the　commissary　escort；　fresh　from　West　Point　and　Flirtation　Walk；

gallantly　attached　himself　to　her；　the　ladies　were　slightly

scandalized　at　the　naive　air　of　camaraderie　with　which　Mrs。

Lascelles　received　his　attentions。　　Even　Peter　was　a　little

disturbed。　　Only　Lascelles；　delighted　with　his　wife's　animation；

and　pleased　at　her　success；　gazed　at　her　with　unqualified

admiration。　　Indeed；　he　was　so　satisfied　with　her　improvement；　and

so　sanguine　of　her　ultimate　recovery；　that　he　felt　justified　in

leaving　her　with　her　brother　and　returning　to　Omaha　by　the　regular

mail　wagon　next　day。　　There　was　no　danger　to　be　apprehended　in　her

accompanying　Peter；　they　would　have　a　full　escort；　the　reservation

lay　in　a　direction　unfrequented　by　marauding　tribes；　the　road　was

the　principal　one　used　by　the　government　to　connect　the　fort　with

the　settlements；　and　well　traveled；　the　officers'　wives　had　often

journeyed　thither。



The　childish　curiosity　and　high　spirits　which　Jenny　showed　on　the

journey　to　the　reservation　was　increased　when　she　reached　it　and

drew　up　before　the　house　of　the　Indian　agent。　　Peter　was　relieved；

he　had　been　anxious　and　nervous　as　to　any　instinctive　effect　which

might　be　produced　on　her　excitable　nature　by　a　first　view　of　her

own　kinsfolk；　although　she　was　still　ignorant　of　her　relationship。

Her　interest　and　curiosity；　however；　had　nothing　abnormal　in　it。

But　he　was　not　prepared　for　the　effect　produced　upon　THEM　at　her

first　appearance。　　A　few　of　the　braves　gathered　eagerly　around　her；

and　one　even　addressed　her　in　his　own　guttural　tongue；　at　which　she

betrayed　a　slight　feeling　of　alarm；　and　Peter　saw　with　satisfaction

that　she　drew　close　to　him。　　Knowing　that　his　old　interpreter　and

Gray　Eagle　were　of　a　different　and　hostile　tribe　a　hundred　miles

away；　and　that　his　secret　was　safe　with　them；　he　simply　introduced

her　as　his　sister。　　But　he　presently　found　that　the　braves　had

added　to　their　curiosity　a　certain　suspiciousness　and　sullen

demeanor；　and　he　was　glad　to　resign　his　sister　into　the　hands　of

the　agent's　wife；　while　he　prosecuted　his　business　of　examination

and　inspection。　　Later；　on　his　return　to　the　cabin；　he　was　met　by

the　agent；　who　seemed　to　be　with　difficulty　suppressing　a　laugh。



〃Your　sister　is　exciting　quite　a　sensation　here；〃　he　said。　　〃Do　you

know　that　some　of　these　idiotic　braves　and　the　Medicine　Man　insist

upon　it　that　she's　A　SQUAW；　and　that　you're　keeping　her　in

captivity　against　your　plighted　faith　to　them！　　You'll　excuse　me；〃

he　went　on　with　an　attempt　to　recover　his　gravity；　〃troubling　you

with　their　dd　fool　talk；　and　you　won't　say　anything　to　HER　about

it；　but　I　thought　you　ought　to　know　it　on　account　of　your　position

among　'em。　　You　don't　want　to　lose　their　confidence；　and　you　know

how　easily　their　skeery　faculties　are　stampeded　with　an　idea！〃



〃Where　is　she　now？〃　demanded　Peter；　with　a　darkening　face。



〃Somewhere　with　the　squaws；　I　reckon。　　I　thought　she　might　be　a

little　skeered　of　the　braves；　and　I've　kept　them　away。　　SHE'S　all

right；　you　know；　only　if　you　intend　to　stay　here　long　I'd〃



But　Peter　was　already　striding　away　in　the　direction　of　a　thicket

of　cottonwood　where　he　heard　the　ripple　of　women's　and　children's

voices。　　When　he　had　penetrated　it；　he　found　his　sister　sitting　on

a　stump；　surrounded　by　a　laughing；　gesticulating　crowd　of　young

girls　and　old　women；　with　a　tightly　swaddled　papoose　in　her　lap。

Some　of　them　had　already　half　mischievously；　half　curiously

possessed　themselves　of　her　dust　cloak；　hat；　parasol；　and　gloves；

and　were　parading　before　her　in　their　grotesque　finery；　apparently

as　much　to　her　childish　excited　amusement　as　their　own。　　She　was

even　answering　their　gesticulations　with　equivalent　gestures　in　her

attempt　to　understand　them；　and　trying　amidst　shouts　of　laughter　to

respond　to　the　monotonous　chant　of　the　old　women　who　were

zigzagging　a　dance　before　her。　　With　the　gayly　striped　blankets

lying　on　the　ground；　the　strings　of　beads；　wampum；　and　highly

colored　feathers　hanging　from　the　trees；　and　the　flickering　lights

and　shadows；　it　was　an　innocent　and　even　idyllic　picture；　but　the

more　experienced　Peter　saw　in　the　performances　only　the　uncertain

temper　and　want　of　consecutive　idea　of　playing　animals；　and　the

stolid　unwinking　papoose　in　his　sister's　lap　gave　his　sentiment　a

momentary　shock。



Seeing　him　approach　she　ran　to　meet　him；　the　squaws　and　children

slinking　away　from　his　grave　face。　　〃I　have　had　such　a　funny　time；

Peter！　　Only　to　think　of　it；　I　believe　they've　never　seen　men　or

women　with　decent　clothes　before；of　course　the　settlers'　wives

don't　dress　much；and　I　believe　they'd　have　had　everything　I

possess　if　you　hadn't　come。　　But　they're　TOO　funny　for　anything。

It　was　killing　to　see　them　put　on　my　hat　wrong　side　before；　and　try

to　make　one　out　of　my　parasol。　　But　I　like　them　a　great　deal　better

than　those　gloomy　chiefs；　and　I　think　I　understand　them　almost。

And　do　you　know；　Peter；　somehow　I　seem　to　have　known　them　all

before。　　And　those　dear　little　papooses；　aren't　they　ridiculously

lovely。　　I　only　wish〃she　stopped；　for　Peter　had　somewhat

hurriedly　taken　the　Indian　boy　from　her　arms　and　restored　it