a waif of the plains(草原流浪儿)-第2章
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edge of the tail…board； her little arms extended in such perfect confidence
of being caught that the boy could not resist。 He caught her cleverly。
They halted a moment and let the lumbering vehicle move away from
them； as it swayed from side to side as if laboring in a heavy sea。 They
remained motionless until it had reached nearly a hundred yards； and then；
with a sudden half…real； half…assumed； but altogether delightful trepidation；
ran forward and caught up with it again。 This they repeated two or three
times until both themselves and the excitement were exhausted； and they
again plodded on hand in hand。 Presently Clarence uttered a cry。
〃My！ Susylook there！〃
The rear wagon had once more slipped away from them a considerable
distance。 Between it and them； crossing its track； a most extraordinary
creature had halted。
At first glance it seemed a doga discomfited； shameless； ownerless
outcast of streets and byways； rather than an honest stray of some drover's
train。 It was so gaunt； so dusty； so greasy； so slouching； and so lazy！
But as they looked at it more intently they saw that the grayish hair of its
back had a bristly ridge； and there were great poisonous…looking dark
blotches on its flanks； and that the slouch of its haunches was a peculiarity
of its figure； and not the cowering of fear。 As it lifted its suspicious head
towards them they could see that its thin lips； too short to cover its white
teeth； were curled in a perpetual sneer。
〃Here； doggie！〃 said Clarence excitedly。 〃Good dog！ Come。〃
Susy burst into a triumphant laugh。 〃Et tain't no dog； silly； it's er
coyote。〃
Clarence blushed。 It wasn't the first time the pioneer's daughter had
shown her superior knowledge。 He said quickly； to hide his discomfiture；
〃I'll ketch him； any way； he's nothin' mor'n a ki yi。〃
〃Ye can't； tho；〃 said Susy； shaking her sun…bonnet。 〃He's faster nor a
hoss！〃
Nevertheless； Clarence ran towards him； followed by Susy。 When
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they had come within twenty feet of him； the lazy creature； without
apparently the least effort； took two or three limping bounds to one side；
and remained at the same distance as before。 They repeated this onset
three or four times with more or less excitement and hilarity； the animal
evading them to one side； but never actually retreating before them。
Finally； it occurred to them both that although they were not catching him
they were not driving him away。 The consequences of that thought were
put into shape by Susy with round…eyed significance。
〃Kla'uns； he bites。〃
Clarence picked up a hard sun…baked clod； and； running forward；
threw it at the coyote。 It was a clever shot； and struck him on his
slouching haunches。 He snapped and gave a short snarling yelp； and
vanished。 Clarence returned with a victorious air to his companion。
But she was gazing intently in the opposite direction； and for the first time
he discovered that the coyote had been leading them half round a circle。
〃Kla'uns；〃 said Susy； with a hysterical little laugh。
〃Well？〃
〃The wagon's gone。〃
Clarence started。 It was true。 Not only their wagon； but the whole
train of oxen and teamsters had utterly disappeared； vanishing as
completely as if they had been caught up in a whirlwind or engulfed in the
earth！ Even the low cloud of dust that usually marked their distant
course by day was nowhere to be seen。 The long level plain stretched
before them to the setting sun； without a sign or trace of moving life or
animation。 That great blue crystal bowl； filled with dust and fire by day；
with stars and darkness by night； which had always seemed to drop its rim
round them everywhere and shut them in； seemed to them now to have
been lifted to let the train pass out； and then closed down upon them
forever。
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A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
CHAPTER II
Their first sensation was one of purely animal freedom。
They looked at each other with sparkling eyes and long silent breaths。
But this spontaneous outburst of savage nature soon passed。 Susy's little
hand presently reached forward and clutched Clarence's jacket。 The boy
understood it； and said quickly；
〃They ain't gone far； and they'll stop as soon as they find us gone。〃
They trotted on a little faster； the sun they had followed every day and
the fresh wagon tracks being their unfailing guides； the keen； cool air of
the plains； taking the place of that all… pervading dust and smell of the
perspiring oxen； invigorating them with its breath。
〃We ain't skeered a bit； are we？〃 said Susy。
〃What's there to be afraid of？〃 said Clarence scornfully。 He said this
none the less strongly because he suddenly remembered that they had been
often left alone in the wagon for hours without being looked after； and that
their absence might not be noticed until the train stopped to encamp at
dusk； two hours later。 They were not running very fast； yet either they
were more tired than they knew； or the air was thinner； for they both
seemed to breathe quickly。 Suddenly Clarence stopped。
〃There they are now。〃
He was pointing to a light cloud of dust in the far…off horizon； from
which the black hulk of a wagon emerged for a moment and was lost。
But even as they gazed the cloud seemed to sink like a fairy mirage to the
earth again； the whole train disappeared； and only the empty stretching
track returned。 They did not know that this seemingly flat and level plain
was really undulatory； and that the vanished train had simply dipped below
their view on some further slope even as it had once before。 But they
knew they were disappointed； and that disappointment revealed to them
the fact that they had concealed it from each other。 The girl was the first
to succumb； and burst into a quick spasm of angry tears。 That single act
of weakness called out the boy's pride and strength。 There was no longer
an equality of suffering； he had become her protector； he felt himself
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responsible for both。 Considering her no longer his equal； he was no
longer frank with her。
〃There's nothin' to boo…boo for；〃 he said； with a half…affected
brusqueness。 〃So quit； now！ They'll stop in a minit； and send some one
back for us。 Shouldn't wonder if they're doin' it now。〃
But Susy； with feminine discrimination detecting the hollow ring in his
voice； here threw herself upon him and began to beat him violently with
her little fists。 〃They ain't！ They ain't！ They ain't。 You know it！
How dare you？〃 Then； exhausted with her struggles； she suddenly threw
herself flat on the dry grass； shut her eyes tightly； and clutched at the
stubble。
〃Get up；〃 said the boy； with a pale； determined face that seemed to
have got much older。
〃You leave me be；〃 said Susy。
〃Do you want me to go away and leave you？〃 asked the boy。
Susy opened one blue eye furtively in the secure depths of her sun…
bonnet； and gazed at his changed face。
〃Ye…e…s。〃
He pretended to turn away； but really to look at the height of the
sinking sun。
〃Kla'uns！〃
〃Well？〃
〃Take me。〃
She was holding up her hands。 He lifted her gently in his arms；
dropping her head over his shoulder。 〃Now；〃 he said cheerfully； 〃you
keep a good lookout that way； and I this； and we'll soon be there。〃
The idea seemed to please her。 After Clarence had stumbled on for a
few moments； she said； 〃Do you see anything； Kla'uns？〃
〃Not yet。〃
〃No more don't I。〃 This equality of perception apparently satisfied
her。 Presently she lay more limp in his arms。 She was asleep。
The sun was sinking lower； it had already touched the edge of the
horizon； and was level with his dazzled and straining eyes。 At times it
seemed to impede his eager search and task his vision。 Haze and black
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spots floated across the horizon； and round wafers； like duplicates of the
sun； glittered back from the dull surface of the plains。 Then he resolved
to look no more until he had counted fifty； a hundred； but always with the
same result； the return of the empty； unending plainsthe disk growing
redder as it neared the horizon； the fire it seemed to kindle as it sank； but
nothing more。
Staggering under his burden； he tried to distract himself by fancying
how the discovery of their absence would be made。 He heard the listless；
half…querulous discussion about the locality that regularly pervaded the
nightly camp。 He heard the discontented voice of Jake Silsbee as he
halted beside the wagon； and said； 〃Come out o' that now； you two； and
mighty quick about it。〃 He heard the command harshly repeated。 He
saw the look of irritation on Silsbee's dusty； bearded face； that followed his
hurried glance into the empty wagon。 He heard the query； 〃What's gone
o' them limbs now？〃 handed from wagon to wagon。 He heard a few
oaths； Mrs。 Silsbee's high rasping voice； abuse of himself；
