Idaho -- Fiction; Ranch life -- Fiction; Western stories
He saddled Keno, and rode away in that silent preoccupation which the
boys called the sulks for want of a better understanding of it. As a
matter of fact, he was trying to put Evadna out of his mind for the
present, so that he could think clearly of what he ought to do. He
glanced often up at the rim-rock as he rode slowly to the Point o'
Rocks, and when he was halfway to the turn he thought he saw something
moving up there.
He pulled up to make sure, and a little blue ball puffed out like
a child's balloon, burst, and dissipated itself in a thin, trailing
ribbon, which the wind caught and swept to nothing. At the same time
something spatted into the trail ahead of him, sending up a little spurt
of fine sand.
Keno started, perked up his ears toward the place, and went on, stepping
gingerly. Good Indian's lips drew back, showing his teeth set tightly
together. “Still at it, eh?” he muttered aloud, pricked Keno's flanks
with his rowels, and galloped around the Point.
There, for the time being, he was safe. Unless the shooter upon the
rim-rock was mounted, he must travel swiftly indeed to reach again a
point within range of the grade road before Good Indian would pass out
of sight again. For the trail wound in and out, looping back upon itself
where the hill was oversleep, hidden part of the time from the receding
wall of rock by huge bowlders and giant sage.
Grant knew that he was safe from that quarter, and was wondering whether
he ought to ride up along the top of the bluff before going to Hartley,
as he had intended.
He had almost reached the level, and was passing a steep, narrow, little
gully choked with rocks, when something started up so close beside him
that Keno ducked away and squatted almost upon his haunches. His gun was
in his hand, and his finger crooked upon the trigger, when a voice he
faintly recognized called to him softly:
“Yo' no shoot--no shoot--me no hurtum. All time yo' frien'.” She stood
trembling beside the trail, a gay, plaid shawl about her shoulders in
place of the usual blanket, her hair braided smoothly with bright,
red ribbons entwined through it. Her dress was a plain slip of bright
calico, which had four-inch roses, very briery and each with a
gaudy butterfly poised upon the topmost petals running over it in an
inextricable tangle. Beaded moccasins were on her feet, and her eyes
were frightened eyes, with the wistfulness of a timid animal. Yet she
did not seem to be afraid of Good Indian.
“I sorry I scare yo' horse,” she said hesitatingly, speaking better
English than before. “I heap hurry to get here. I speak with yo'.”
“Well, what is it?” Good Indian's tone was not as brusque as his words;
indeed, he spoke very gently, for him. This was the good-looking young
squaw he had seen at the Indian camp. “What's your name?” he asked,
remembering suddenly that he had never heard it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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