a waif of the plains(草原流浪儿)-第4章
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train。 But for some unaccountable reason it had changed its direction；
and instead of following the track that should have brought it to his side it
had turned off to the left！ In ten minutes it would pass abreast of him a
mile and a half away！ If he woke Susy now； he knew she would be
helpless in her terror； and he could not carry her half that distance。 He
might rush to the train himself and return with help； but he would never
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leave her alonein the darkness。 Never！ If she woke she would die of
fright； perhaps； or wander blindly and aimlessly away。 No！ The train
would pass and with it that hope of rescue。 Something was in his throat；
but he gulped it down and was quiet again albeit he shivered in the night
wind。
The train was nearly abreast of him now。 He ran out of the tall grass；
waving his straw hat above his head in the faint hope of attracting
attention。 But he did not go far； for he found to his alarm that when he
turned back again the clump of mesquite was scarcely distinguishable
from the rest of the plain。 This settled all question of his going。 Even if
he reached the train and returned with some one； how would he ever find
her again in this desolate expanse？
He watched the train slowly passstill mechanically； almost
hopelessly； waving his hat as he ran up and down before the mesquite； as
if he were waving a last farewell to his departing hope。 Suddenly it
appeared to him that three of the outriders who were preceding the first
wagon had changed their shape。 They were no longer sharp； oblong；
black blocks against the horizon but had become at first blurred and
indistinct； then taller and narrower； until at last they stood out like
exclamation points against the sky。 He continued to wave his hat； they
continued to grow taller and narrower。 He understood it nowthe three
transformed blocks were the outriders coming towards him。
This is what he had seen
＇Drawing of three black blocks＇
This is what he saw now
！ ！ ！
He ran back to Susy to see if she still slept； for his foolish desire to
have her saved unconsciously was stronger than ever now that safety
seemed so near。 She was still sleeping； although she had moved slightly。
He ran to the front again。
The outriders had apparently halted。 What were they doing？ Why
wouldn't they come on？
Suddenly a blinding flash of light seemed to burst from one of them。
Away over his head something whistled like a rushing bird； and sped off
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invisible。 They had fired a gun； they were signaling to himClarence
like a grown…up man。 He would have given his life at that moment to
have had a gun。 But he could only wave his hat frantically。
One of the figures here bore away and impetuously darted forward
again。 He was coming nearer； powerful； gigantic； formidable； as he
loomed through the darkness。 All at once he threw up his arm with a
wild gesture to the others； and his voice； manly； frank； and assuring； came
ringing before him。
〃Hold up！ Good God！ It's no Injunit's a child！〃
In another moment he had reined up beside Clarence and leaned over
him； bearded； handsome； powerful and protecting。
〃Hallo！ What's all this？ What are you doing here？〃
〃Lost from Mr。 Silsbee's train；〃 said Clarence； pointing to the darkened
west。
〃Lost？how long？〃
〃About three hours。 I thought they'd come back for us；〃 said
Clarence apologetically to this big； kindly man。
〃And you kalkilated to wait here for 'em？〃
〃Yes； yesI didtill I saw you。〃
〃Then why in thunder didn't you light out straight for us； instead of
hanging round here and drawing us out？〃
The boy hung his head。 He knew his reasons were unchanged； but all
at once they seemed very foolish and unmanly to speak out。
〃Only that we were on the keen jump for Injins；〃 continued the
stranger； 〃we wouldn't have seen you at all； and might hev shot you when
we did。 What possessed you to stay here？〃
The boy was still silent。 〃Kla'uns；〃 said a faint； sleepy voice from the
mesquite； 〃take me。〃 The rifle…shot had awakened Susy。
The stranger turned quickly towards the sound。 Clarence started and
recalled himself。 〃There；〃 he said bitterly； 〃you've done it now； you've
wakened her！ THAT'S why I stayed。 I couldn't carry her over there to
you。 I couldn't let her walk； for she'd be frightened。 I wouldn't wake
her up； for she'd be frightened； and I mightn't find her again。 There！〃
He had made up his mind to be abused； but he was reckless now that she
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was safe。
The men glanced at each other。 〃Then；〃 said the spokesman quietly；
〃you didn't strike out for us on account of your sister？〃
〃She ain't my sister；〃 said Clarence quickly。 〃She's a little girl。
She's Mrs。 Silsbee's little girl。 We were in the wagon and got down。 It's
my fault。 I helped her down。〃
The three men reined their horses closely round him； leaning forward
from their saddles； with their hands on their knees and their heads on one
side。 〃Then；〃 said the spokesman gravely； 〃you just reckoned to stay
here； old man； and take your chances with her rather than run the risk of
frightening or leaving herthough it was your one chance of life！〃
〃Yes；〃 said the boy； scornful of this feeble； grown…up repetition。
〃Come here。〃
The boy came doggedly forward。 The man pushed back the well…
worn straw hat from Clarence's forehead and looked into his lowering face。
With his hand still on the boy's head he turned him round to the others；
and said quietly；
〃Suthin of a pup； eh？〃
〃You bet；〃 they responded。
The voice was not unkindly； although the speaker had thrown his
lower jaw forward as if to pronounce the word 〃pup〃 with a humorous
suggestion of a mastiff。 Before Clarence could make up his mind if the
epithet was insulting or not； the man put out his stirruped foot； and； with a
gesture of invitation； said； 〃Jump up。〃
〃But Susy；〃 said Clarence； drawing back。
〃Look； she's making up to Phil already。〃
Clarence looked。 Susy had crawled out of the mesquite； and with her
sun…bonnet hanging down her back； her curls tossed around her face； still
flushed with sleep； and Clarence's jacket over her shoulders； was gazing
up with grave satisfaction in the laughing eyes of one of the men who was
with outstretched hands bending over her。 Could he believe his senses？
The terror…stricken； willful； unmanageable Susy； whom he would have
translated unconsciously to safety without this terrible ordeal of being
awakened to the loss of her home and parents at any sacrifice to himself
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this ingenuous infant was absolutely throwing herself with every
appearance of forgetfulness into the arms of the first new…comer！ Yet his
perception of this fact was accompanied by no sense of ingratitude。 For
her sake he felt relieved； and with a boyish smile of satisfaction and
encouragement vaulted into the saddle before the stranger。
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CHAPTER IV
The dash forward to the train； securely held in the saddle by the arms
of their deliverers； was a secret joy to the children that seemed only too
quickly over。 The resistless gallop of the fiery mustangs； the rush of the
night wind； the gathering darkness in which the distant wagons； now
halted and facing them； looked like domed huts in the horizonall these
seemed but a delightful and fitting climax to the events of the day。 In the
sublime forgetfulness of youth； all they had gone through had left no
embarrassing record behind it； they were willing to repeat their
experiences on the morrow； confident of some equally happy end。 And
when Clarence； timidly reaching his hand towards the horse…hair reins
lightly held by his companion； had them playfully yielded up to him by
that hold and confident rider； the boy felt himself indeed a man。
But a greater surprise was in store for them。 As they neared the
wagons； now formed into a circle with a certain degree of military
formality； they could see that the appointments of the strange party were
larger and more liberal than their own； or indeed anything they had ever
known of the kind。 Forty or fifty horses were tethered within the circle；
and the camp fires were already blazing。 Before one of them a large tent
was erected； and through the parted flaps could be seen a table actually
spread with a white cloth。 Was it a school feast； or was this their
ordinary household arrangement？ Clarence and Susy thought of their
own dinners； usually laid on bare boards beneath the sky； or under the low
hood of the wagon in rainy weather； and marveled。 And when they
finally halted； and were lifted from their horses； and passed one wagon
fitted up as a bedroom and another as a kitchen； they could only nudge
each other with silent
