按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
American boy's modest conventionality； 〃President。〃 It was safe；
required no embarrassing description； and had been approved by
benevolent old gentlemen with their hands on his head。
〃I'm goin' to be a parson's wife；〃 said Susy； 〃and keep hens； and
have things giv' to me。 Baby clothes； and apples； and apple sass
and melasses！ and more baby clothes！ and pork when you kill。〃
She had thrown herself at the bottom of the wagon； with her back
towards him and her doll in her lap。 He could see the curve of her
curly head； and beyond； her bare dimpled knees； which were raised；
and over which she was trying to fold the hem of her brief skirt。
〃I wouldn't be a President's wife；〃 she said presently。
〃You couldn't！〃
〃Could if I wanted to！〃
〃Couldn't！〃
〃Could now！〃
〃Couldn't！〃
〃Why？〃
Finding it difficult to explain his convictions of her
ineligibility； Clarence thought it equally crushing not to give
any。 There was a long silence。 It was very hot and dusty。 The
wagon scarcely seemed to move。 Clarence gazed at the vignette of
the track behind them formed by the hood of the rear。 Presently he
rose and walked past her to the tail…board。 〃Goin' to get down；〃
he said； putting his legs over。
〃Maw says 'No；'〃 said Susy。
Clarence did not reply； but dropped to the ground beside the slowly
turning wheels。 Without quickening his pace he could easily keep
his hand on the tail…board。
〃Kla'uns。〃
He looked up。
〃Take me。〃
She had already clapped on her sun…bonnet and was standing at the
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
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。
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 fa