Just then Shunka Chistala, lying outside her tent, flapped his tail on
the ground and gave a little, eager whine. Annie-Many-Ponies thrust
her head through the opening and looked out, and then stepped over the
little black dog and stood before her tent to watch the Happy Family
mount and ride away with Wagalexa Conka in their midst and with the
mountain wagon rattling after them loaded with “props” and the camera
and the noonday lunch and Pete Lowry and Tommy Johnson, the scenic
artist. Applehead was going to drive the wagon, and she scowled when he
yanked off the brake and cracked the whip over the team.
Luck, feeling perchance the intensity of her gaze, turned in the saddle
and looked back. The eyes of Annie-Many-Ponies softened and saddened,
because this was the last time she would see Wagalexa Conka riding away
to make pictures--the last time she would see him. She lifted her hand,
and made the Indian sign of farewell--the peace-go-with-you sign that is
used for solemn occasions of parting.
Luck pulled up short and stared. What did she mean by that? He reined
his horse around, half minded to ride back and ask her why she gave him
that peace-sign. She had never done it before, except once or twice in
scenes that he directed. But after all he did not go. They were late
in getting started that morning, which irked his energetic soul; and
women's whims never did impress Luck Lindsay very deeply. Besides, just
as he was turning to ride back, Annie stooped and went into her tent as
though her gesture had carried no especial meaning.
Then in her tent he heard her singing the high, weird chant of the
Omaha mourning song and again he was half-minded to go back, though the
wailing minor notes, long drawn and mournful, might mean much or they
might mean merely a fit of the blues. The others rode on talking and
laughing together, and Luck rode with them; but the chant of the
Omaha was in his ears and tingling his nerves. And the vision of
Annie-Many-Ponies standing straight before her tent and making the sign
of peace and farewell haunted him that day.
Rosemary and Jean, standing in the porch, waved good-bye to their men
folk until the last bobbing hatcrown had gone down out of sight in the
long, low swale that creased the mesa in that direction. Whereupon they
went into the house.
“What in the world is the matter with Annie?” Jean exploded, with a
little shiver. “I'd rather hear a band of gray wolves tune up when
you're caught out in the breaks and have to ride in the dark. What is
that caterwaul? Do you suppose she's on the warpath or anything?”
“Oh, that's just the squaw coming out in her!” Rosemary slammed the door
shut so they could not hear so plainly. “She's getting more Injuny every
day of her life. I used to try and treat her like a white girl--but you
just can't do it, Jean.”
“Hiu-hiu-hi-i-ah-h! Hiu-hiu-hi-i-ah-h-h--hiaaa-h-h!”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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