hr.thecarpetbaggers-第13节

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　The　circle　pleted；　she　once　more　stood　alone　in　its　center；　her　feet　moving　in　time　with　the　drums。　Holding　the　marriage　stick　between　her　legs；　she　began　to　crouch　slightly；　lowering　herself　onto　it。
　〃Ai…ee；〃　the　women　sighed　as　they　swayed　to　the　tempo　of　the　drums。
　〃Ai…ee；〃　they　sighed　again　in　approbation　as　she　lifted　herself　from　the　stick。　It　was　not　seemly　for　a　maiden　to　be　too　eager　to　swallow　up　her　husband。
　Now　they　held　their　breath　as　once　more　the　stick　began　to　enter　her。　Each　was　reminded　of　her　own　marriage；　when　she；　too；　had　looked　up　at　the　circle　of　women；　her　eyes　pleading　for　help。　But　none　dared　move　forward。　This　the　bride　must　do　for　herself。
　Through　Kaneha's　pain；　the　drums　began　to　throb。　Her　lips　grew　tight　together。　This　was　her　husband；　Red　Beard；　the　mighty　hunter。　She　must　not　disgrace　him　here　in　the　tent　of　women。　When　he　himself　came　into　her；　instead　of　his　spirit；　the　way　for　him　must　be　easy　and　quick。
　She　closed　her　eyes　and　made　a　sudden　convulsive　movement。　The　hymen　ruptured　and　she　staggered　as　a　wave　of　pain　washed　over　her。　The　drums　were　wilder　now。　Slowly　she　straightened　up　and　removed　the　marriage　stick。　She　held　it　out　proudly　toward　the　medicine　man。
　He　took　it　and　quickly　left　the　tent。　Silently　the　women　formed　a　circle　around　her。　Naked；　in　its　center　so　she　would　be　shielded　from　other　eyes；　she　walked　to　the　tent　of　the　chief。
　The　women　stood　aside　as　she　entered。　In　the　dim　light；　the　chief　and　Sam　looked　up　at　her。　She　stood　there　proudly；　her　head　raised；　her　eyes　respectfully　looking　over　their　heads。　Her　breasts　heaved　and　her　legs　trembled　slightly。　She　prayed　that　Red　Beard　would　be　pleased　with　what　he　saw。
　The　chief　spoke　first；　as　was　the　custom。　〃See　how　profusely　she　bleeds；〃　he　said。　〃She　will　bear　you　many　sons。〃
　〃Aye；　she　will　bear　me　many　sons；〃　Sam　said；　his　eyes　on　her　face。　〃And　because　I　am　pleased　with　her；　I　pledge　my　brothers　the　meat　of　an　additional　buffalo。〃
　Kaneha　smiled　quickly　and　left　the　tent　to　go　down　to　the　river　to　bathe。　Her　prayers　had　been　answered。　Red　Beard　was　pleased　with　her。
　
　Now　she　moved　heavily；　swollen　with　his　child；　as　he　sat　at　the　table　wondering　why　the　buffalo　didn't　e。　Something　inside　him　told　him　they　would　never　e　again。　Too　many　had　been　slain　in　the　last　few　years。
　At　last；　he　looked　up　from　the　table。　〃Git　the　gear　together；〃　he　said。　〃We're　moving　out　of　here。〃
　Kaneha　nodded　and　obediently　began　to　gather　up　the　household　things　while　he　went　out　and　hitched　the　mules　to　the　cart。　Finished；　he　came　back　to　the　cabin。
　Kaneha　picked　up　the　first　bundle　and　started　for　the　door　when　the　pain　seized　her。　The　bundle　fell　from　her　hands　and　she　doubled　over。　She　looked　up　at　him；　her　eyes　filled　with　meaning。
　〃You　mean　now？〃　Sam　asked；　almost　incredulously。
　She　nodded。
　〃Here；　let　me　help　you。〃
　She　straightened　up；　the　seizure　leaving　her。　〃No；〃　she　said　firmly　in　Kiowa。　〃This　is　for　a　woman；　not　for　a　brave。〃
　Sam　nodded。　He　walked　to　the　door。　〃I'll　be　outside。〃
　It　was　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　when　he　first　heard　the　cry　of　a　baby　from　inside　the　cabin。　He　had　been　half　dozing　and　the　sound　brought　him　awake　into　a　night　filled　with　stars。　He　sat　there　tensely；　listening。
　About　twenty　minutes　passed；　then　the　door　of　the　cabin　opened　and　Kaneha　stood　there。　He　struggled　to　his　feet　and　went　into　the　cabin。
　In　the　corner　on　a　blanket　in　front　of　the　fire　lay　the　naked　baby。　Sam　stood　there；　looking　down。
　〃A　son；〃　Kaneha　said　proudly。
　〃Well；　I'll　be　damned。〃　Sam　touched　it　and　the　baby　squalled；　opening　its　eyes。　〃A　son；〃　Sam　said。　〃How　about　that？〃　He　bent　over；　looking　closely。
　His　beard　tickled　the　baby　and　it　screamed　again。　Its　skin　was　white　and　the　eyes　were　blue　like　the　father's；　but　the　hair　was　black　and　heavy　on　his　little　head。
　The　next　morning　they　left　the　cabin。
　
　3
　
　THEY　SETTLED　DOWN　ABOUT　TWENTY　MILES　OUTSIDE　of　Dodge　City　and　Sam　started　to　haul　freight　for　the　stage　lines。　Being　the　only　man　in　the　area　with　mules；　he　found　himself　in　a　fairly　successful　business。
　They　lived　in　a　small　cabin　and　it　was　there　Max　began　to　grow　up。　Kaneha　was　very　happy　with　her　son。　Occasionally；　she　would　wonder　why　the　spirits　had　not　given　her　more　children　but　she　did　not　worry　about　it。　Because　she　was　Indian；　they　kept　to　themselves。
　Sam　liked　it　that　way；　too。　Basically；　he　was　a　very　shy　man　and　his　years　alone　on　the　plains　had　not　helped　cure　his　shyness。　He　developed　a　reputation　in　the　town　for　being　taciturn　and　stingy。　There　were　rumors　floating　around　that　actually　he　had　a　hoard　of　gold　cached　out　on　his　place　from　the　years　he　was　a　buffalo…hunter。
　By　the　time　Max　was　eleven　years　old；　he　was　as　lithe　and　quick　on　his　feet　as　his　Indian　forebears。　He　could　ride　any　horse　he　chose　without　a　saddle　and　could　shoot　the　eye　out　of　a　prairie　gopher　at　a　hundred　yards　with　his　。22。　His　black　hair　hung　straight　and　long；　Indian　fashion；　and　his　eyes　were　dark　blue；　almost　black　in　his　tanned　face。
　They　were　seated　at　the　table　one　night；　eating　supper；　when　Sam　looked　over　at　his　son。　〃They're　startin'　up　a　school　in　Dodge；〃　he　said。
　Max　looked　up　at　his　father　as　Kaneha　came　to　the　table　from　the　stove。　He　didn't　know　whether　he　was　supposed　to　speak　or　not。　He　kept　eating　silently。　
　〃I　signed　you　up　for　it；〃　Sam　said。　〃I　paid　ten　dollars。〃　
　Now　Max　felt　it　was　time　for　him　to　speak。　〃What　fer？〃　
　〃To　have　them　learn　you　to　read　an'　write；〃　his　father　answered。
　〃What　do　I　have　to　know　that　fer？〃　Max　asked。　
　〃A　man　should　know　them　things；〃　Sam　said。　
　〃You　don't；〃　Max　said　with　the　peculiar　logic　of　children。　〃And　it　don't　bother　you　none。〃
　〃Times　is　different　now；〃　Sam　said。　〃When　I　was　a　boy；　there　warn't　no　need　for　such　things。　Now　ever'thing　is　readin'　or　writin'　〃　
　〃I　don't　want　to　go。〃
　〃You're　goin'；〃　Sam　said；　roaring　suddenly。　〃I　already　made　arrangements。　You　can　sleep　in　the　back　of　Olsen's　Livery　Stable　durin'　the　week。〃
　Kaneha　wasn't　quite　sure　she　understood　what　her　husband　was　saying。　〃What　is　this？〃　she　asked　in　Kiowa。
　Sam　answered　in　the　same　language。　〃A　source　of　big　knowledge。　Without　it；　our　son　can　never　be　a　great　chief　among　the　White　Eyes。〃
　This　was　enough　reason　for　Kaneha。　〃He　will　go；〃　she　said　simply。　Big　knowledge　meant　big　medicine。　She　went　back　to　her　stove。
　The　next　Monday；　Sam　brought　Max　over　to　the　school。　The　teacher；　an　impoverished　Southern　lady；　came　to　the　door　and　smiled　at　Sam。
　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Sand；〃　she　said。　
　〃Good　mornin'；　ma'am。　I　brought　my　son　to　school。〃　
　The　teacher　looked　at　him；　then　at　Max；　then　around　the　yard　in　front　of　the　school　cabin。　〃Where　is　he？〃　she　asked　in　a　puzzled　voice。
　Sam　pushed　Max　forward。　Max　stumbled　slightly　and　looked　up　at　the　teacher。　〃Say　howdy　to　yer　teacher；〃　Sam　said。
　Max；　unfortable　in　his　clean　buckskin　shirt　and　leggings；　dug　his　bare　feet　into　the　dirt　and　spoke　shyly。　〃Howdy；　ma'am。〃
　The　teacher　looked　down　at　him　in　stunned　surprise。　Her　nose　wrinkled　up　in　disgust。　〃Why；　he's　an　Indian！〃　she　cried。　〃We　don't　take　Indians　in　this　school。〃
　Sam　stared　at　her。　〃He's　my　son；　ma'am。〃
　The　teacher　curled　her　lip　cuttingly。　〃We　don't　take　half…breeds　in　this　school；　either。　This　school　is　for　white　children　only。〃　She　began　to　turn　her　back。
　Sam's　voice　stopped　her。　It　was　icy　cold　as　he　made　probably　the　longest　speech　he　ever　made　in　his　life。　〃I　don't　know　nothin'　about　your　religion；　ma'am；　nor　do　I　mind　how　you　believe。　All　I　do　know　is　you're　two　thousand　miles　from　Virginia　an'　you　took　my　ten　dollars　to　teach　my　boy　the　same　as　you　took　the　money　from　ever'body　else　at　the　meetin'　in　the　general　store。　If　you're　not　goin'　to　learn　him　the　way　you　agreed；　you　better　take　the　next　stage　back　East。〃
　The　teacher　stared　at　him　indignantly。　〃Mr。　Sand；　how　dare　you　talk　to　me　like　that？　Do　you　think　the　parents　of　the　other　children　would　want　them　to　attend　school　with　your　son？〃
　〃They　were　all　at　that　meetin'；〃　Sam　said。　〃I　didn't　hear　none　of　them　say　no。〃
　The　teacher　looked　at　him。　Sam　could　see　the　fight　go　out　of　her。　〃I'll　never　understand　you　Westerners；〃　she　said　helplessly。
　She　looked　down　at　Max　disapprovingly。　〃At　any　rate；　we　can't　have　him　in　school　in　those　clothes。　He'll　have　to　wear　proper　clothes　like　the　other　children。〃
　〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　Sam　said。　He　turned　to　Max。　〃e　on；〃　he　said。　〃We're　goin'　to　the　store　to　get　you　regular　clothes。〃
　〃While　you're　at　it；〃　she　said；　〃get　him　a　haircut。　That　way；　he　won't　seem　any　different　from　the　others。〃
　Sam　nodded。　He　knew　what　she　meant。　〃I　will；　ma'am；〃　he　said。　〃Thank　you；　ma'am。〃
　Max　trotted　along　beside　him　as　they　strode　down　toward　the　general　store。　He　looked　up　at　his　father。　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　thought　about　it。　〃Am　I　different　than　the　others；　Pa？〃
　Sam　looked　down　at　him。　It　was　the　first　time　he'd　thought　about　it；　too。　A　sudden　sadness　came　into　him。　He　knelt　down　in　the　dust　of　the　street　beside　his　son。　He　spoke　with　the　sudden　knowledge　that　came　from　living　off　the　earth。
　〃Of　course　you're　different；〃　he　said；　looking　into　Max's　eyes。　〃Everybody　in　t