Idaho -- Fiction; Ranch life -- Fiction; Western stories
“That dog, him Viney dog. Viney heap likum. You no killum, Good Injun.”
The Indian, his arms folded in his blanket, stood upon the porch
watching calmly the fun. “Viney all time heap mad, you killum,” he added
indifferently.
“Sure it isn't old Hagar's?”
“No b'long-um Hagar--b'long-um Viney. Viney heap likum.”
Grant hesitated, circling erratically with his victim close to the
steps. “All right, no killum--teachum lesson, though. Viney heap bueno
squaw--heap likum Viney. No likum dog, though. Dog all time come along
me.” He glanced up, passed over the fact that Miss Georgie Howard was
watching him and clapping her hands enthusiastically at the spectacle,
and settled an unfriendly stare upon Saunders.
“You shut up your yowling. You'll burst a blood vessel and go to heaven,
first thing you know. I've never contemplated hiring you as my guardian
angel, you blatting buck sheep. Go off and lie down somewhere.” He
turned in the saddle and looked down at the dog, clawing and fighting
the rope which held him fast just back of the shoulder--blades. “Come
along, doggie--NICE doggie!” he grinned, and touched his horse with the
spurs. With one leap, it was off at a sharp gallop, up over the hill and
through the sagebrush to where he knew the Indian camp must be.
Old Wolfbelly had but that morning brought his thirty or forty followers
to camp in the hollow where was a spring of clear water--the hollow
which had for long been known locally as “the Indian Camp,” because of
Wolfbelly's predilection for the spot. Without warning save for the beat
of hoofs in the sandy soil, Grant charged over the brow of the hill and
into camp, scattering dogs, papooses, and squaws alike as he rode.
Shrill clamor filled the sultry air. Sleeping bucks awoke, scowling at
the uproar; and the horse of Good Indian, hating always the smell and
the litter of an Indian camp, pitched furiously into the very wikiup of
old Hagar, who hated the rider of old. In the first breathing spell he
loosed the dog, which skulked, limping, into the first sheltered spot
he found, and laid him down to lick his outraged person and whimper to
himself at the memory of his plight. Grant pulled his horse to a restive
stand before a group of screeching squaws, and laughed outright at the
panic of them.
“Hello! Viney! I brought back your dog,” he drawled. “He tried to bite
me--heap kay bueno* dog. Mebbyso you killum. Me no hurtum--all time
him Hartley, all time him try hard bite me. Sleeping Turtle tell me him
Viney dog. He likum Viney, me no kill Viney dog. You all time mebbyso
eat that dog--sabe? No keep--Kay bueno. All time try for bite. You
cookum, no can bite. Sabe?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account