a waif of the plains(草原流浪儿)-第13章
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〃Oh； no；〃 said Clarence； with polite deprecation。
Far from placating the gloomy Jim； this seemed only to awake his
suspicions。 〃Mebbee；〃 he said； dancing suddenly away from Clarence；
〃mebbee you think I'm lyin'。 Mebbee you think； because you're Colonel
Brant's son； yer kin run ME with this yer train。 Mebbee；〃 he continued；
dancing violently back again； 〃ye kalkilate； because ye run off'n'
stampeded a baby； ye kin tote me round too； sonny。 Mebbee；〃 he went on；
executing a double shuffle in the dust and alternately striking his hands on
the sides of his boots； 〃mebbee you're spyin' round and reportin' to the
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Judge。〃
Firmly convinced that Jim was working himself up by an Indian war…
dance to some desperate assault on himself； but resenting the last unjust
accusation； Clarence had recourse to one of his old dogged silences。
Happily at this moment an authoritative voice called out； 〃Now； then； you
Jim Hooker！〃 and the desperate Hooker； as usual； vanished instantly。
Nevertheless； he appeared an hour or two later beside the wagon in which
Susy and Clarence were seated； with an expression of satiated vengeance
and remorseful bloodguiltiness in his face； and his hair combed Indian
fashion over his eyes。 As he generously contented himself with only
passing a gloomy and disparaging criticism on the game of cards that the
children were playing； it struck Clarence for the first time that a great deal
of his real wickedness resided in his hair。 This set him to thinking that it
was strange that Mr。 Peyton did not try to reform him with a pair of
scissors； but not until Clarence himself had for at least four days attempted
to imitate Jim by combing his own hair in that fashion。
A few days later； Jim again casually favored him with a confidential
interview。 Clarence had been allowed to bestride one of the team leaders
postillionwise； and was correspondingly elevated； when Jim joined him；
on the Mexican plug； which appeared no doubt a part of its wicked art
heavily docile； and even slightly lame。
〃How much；〃 said Jim； in a tone of gloomy confidence；〃how much
did you reckon to make by stealin' that gal…baby； sonny？〃
〃Nothing；〃 replied Clarence with a smile。 Perhaps it was an evidence
of the marked influence that Jim was beginning to exert over him that he
already did not attempt to resent this fascinating implication of grownup
guilt。
〃It orter bin a good job； if it warn't revenge；〃 continued Jim moodily。
〃No； it wasn't revenge；〃 said Clarence hurriedly。
〃Then ye kalkilated ter get er hundred dollars reward ef the old man
and old woman hadn't bin scelped afore yet got up to 'em？〃 said Jim。
〃That's your blamed dodgasted luck； eh！ Enyhow； you'll make Mrs。
Peyton plank down suthin' if she adopts the babby。 Look yer； young
feller；〃 he said； starting suddenly and throwing his face forward； glaring
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fiendishly through his matted side…locks； 〃d'ye mean ter tell me it wasn't a
planta skin gamethe hull thing？〃
〃A what？〃 said Clarence。
〃D'ye mean to say〃it was wonderful how gratuitously husky his
voice became at this moment〃d'ye mean ter tell me ye didn't set on them
Injins to wipe out the Silsbees； so that ye could hev an out…an'…out gal
ORFEN on hand fer Mrs。 Peyton ter adopteh？〃
But here Clarence was forced to protest； and strongly； although Jim
contemptuously ignored it。 〃Don't lie ter me；〃 he repeated mysteriously；
〃I'm fly。 I'm dark； young fel。 We're cahoots in this thing？〃 And with
this artful suggestion of being in possession of Clarence's guilty secret he
departed in time to elude the usual objurgation of his superior； 〃Phil；〃 the
head teamster。
Nor was his baleful fascination exercised entirely on Clarence。 In
spite of Mrs。 Peyton's jealously affectionate care； Clarence's frequent
companionship； and the little circle of admiring courtiers that always
surrounded Susy； it became evident that this small Eve had been secretly
approached and tempted by the Satanic Jim。 She was found one day to
have a few heron's feathers in her possession with which she adorned her
curls； and at another time was discovered to have rubbed her face and
arms with yellow and red ochre； confessedly the free gift of Jim Hooker。
It was to Clarence alone that she admitted the significance and purport of
these offerings。 〃Jim gived 'em to me；〃 she said； 〃and Jim's a kind of
Injin hisself that won't hurt me； and when bad Injins come； they'll think
I'm his Injin baby and run away。 And Jim said if I'd just told the Injins
when they came to kill papa and mamma； that I b'longed to him； they'd
hev runned away。〃
〃But；〃 said the practical Clarence； 〃you could not； you know you were
with Mrs。 Peyton all the time。〃
〃Kla'uns；〃 said Susy； shaking her head and fixing her round blue eyes
with calm mendacity on the boy； 〃don't you tell me。 I WAS THERE！〃
Clarence started back； and nearly fell over the wagon in hopeless
dismay at this dreadful revelation of Susy's powers of exaggeration。
〃But；〃 he gasped； 〃you know； Susy； you and me left before〃
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〃Kla'uns；〃 said Susy calmly； making a little pleat in the skirt of her
dress with her small thumb and fingers； 〃don't you talk to me。 I was there。
I'se a SERIVER！ The men at the fort said so！ The SERIVERS is allus；
allus there； and allus allus knows everythin'。〃
Clarence was too dumfounded to reply。 He had a vague recollection
of having noticed before that Susy was very much fascinated by the
reputation given to her at Fort Ridge as a 〃survivor；〃 and was trying in an
infantile way to live up to it。 This the wicked Jim had evidently
encouraged。 For a day or two Clarence felt a little afraid of her； and
more lonely than ever。
It was in this state； and while he was doggedly conscious that his
association with Jim did not prepossess Mrs。 Peyton or her brother in his
favor； and that the former even believed him responsible for Susy's
unhallowed acquaintance with Jim； that he drifted into one of those
youthful escapades on which elders are apt to sit in severe but not always
considerate judgment。 Believing； like many other children； that nobody
cared particularly for him； except to RESTRAIN him； discovering； as
children do； much sooner than we complacently imagine； that love and
preference have no logical connection with desert or character； Clarence
became boyishly reckless。 But when； one day； it was rumored that a herd
of buffalo was in the vicinity； and that the train would be delayed the next
morning in order that a hunt might be organi
