When the party started on again after a two hours' rest, Clifford nudged
Bauer to call attention to the fact that Walter and Miss Gray were in
the back seat of the chuck wagon in front of them. But he never
mentioned the matter again during the day, and until they reached the
night camping place he was alive with stories and information about the
desert, the Indians, the habits of the horses, the work of the Mission
and the coming snake dance.
The place chosen for the first night's camp was the Red Stone Tanks.
This consisted of a pool of tepid water and a few rocks, from the
crevices of which a straggling fringe of desert cedars was trying to
grow.
Camp was made here by pitching one of the big tents for the women. A big
fire of roots was started after the supper had been eaten, and when they
were all seated in the circle about the fire, Mr. Masters began a story.
Gradually as he went on with the old, old story of the lost sheep,
figures stole up around the fire. Paul, who with Esther and all the rest
was simply fascinated with the entire surroundings, although he did not
understand a word Masters was speaking, was startled as he looked around
and saw a dozen dark faces of young men and boys. They had risen out of
the desert barrenness and gloom, the sudden twilight, and silently
appeared. When the camp was chosen there was not a hogan or a living
creature anywhere in sight. But all of these quiet visitors knew that
the mission party was on the way to Oraibi and some of them had been
riding all day to meet Mr. and Mrs. Masters at this point.
When the story was finished, Miss Gray started a hymn, "The Ninety and
Nine." She sang with a low soft voice, almost talking the words, but old
Peshlekietsetti sitting by Mr. Clifford bent over his knees gravely
watching the singer's face and listening intently for every word, and
when she was through, he asked a question of Mr. Masters.
"The old man wants to know," said Masters after one or two more
questions had been asked, "how it happened that the sheep got lost and
if it was its own fault or the fault of someone who should have been
looking after it. That isn't a bad question to come from the old fellow.
His theology isn't half so much at fault as that of some theological
seminary professors I know, who teach that sin is nothing but a disease
and that nobody in particular is to blame for it. If he had to live out
here awhile instead of in his little upholstered study at the seminary,
he would change his definition."
The evening was spent about the fire with songs and conversation,
largely between Paul and Mr. Masters concerning the Navajo
characteristics. The last thing Bauer could remember as he lay under his
rug looking up at the stars, was the sight of old Peshlekietsetti
throwing a handful of dry roots on the fire as he sat bowed over his
knees, the fire flame gleaming red on his grave and dignified face.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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